Psalm 2

[0:01] Friends, as we go to Psalm 2, I'm going to read Psalm 1 and 2. And the reason why I'm going to do it is because in many Hebrew manuscripts, there's no title at the beginning of Psalm 2.

[0:14] And they are considered to be one psalm. And a lot of the numbers in the Bible sometimes are artificial. And there are verses that are linked to verses in places they shouldn't be.

[0:26] Right? The word is perfect, but the numbers are from men. The numbers are not from God. So Psalm 1 and Psalm 2 should really be read as one. So I'm going to read the two psalms. And at the end of the last verse of Psalm 1, where it says, But the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

[0:42] I'm going to use the word, therefore. And that makes sense of Psalm 2. Okay? Psalm 1, therefore, then Psalm 2.

[0:53] That's the argument in the Psalms. Psalm 1, verse 1.

[1:28] Psalm 1, verse 1.

[2:28] You will break them with a rod of iron. You will dash them to pieces like pottery. Therefore, and that therefore could be right between the psalms.

[2:39] And here it is again. Therefore, you kings, be wise. Be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling.

[2:51] Kiss his son or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction. For his wrath can flare up in a moment. And it ends with a beatitude.

[3:02] The same as it begins in Psalm 1. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. Psalm 1 begins. Blessed is the man.

[3:14] Psalm 1 begins with a beatitude. Psalm 2 ends with a beatitude. Because it's the same. Psalm. The one thing that strikes me about Psalm 2.

[3:31] We're going to think Psalm 1 for a moment. The one thing that strikes me about Psalm 2 is the defiance of mankind. Now, I don't know what other word I could use.

[3:43] But when I look at the world today. Just look at poor Iran. Now, I feel sorry for Iran. I honestly do. Being led by these single-minded, brutal leaders.

[3:57] It's a theocracy. It's not a democracy. A theocracy is where religion is at the top. Now, Israel in all its purity was a theocracy. But she turned against the Lord too.

[4:10] And if it wasn't for God's promises and covenants, she would be dumped as well. But it's God's faithfulness. And I feel sorry for these. But the church in Iran is a lively church.

[4:22] But you don't hear that. But the defiance at the top is very like this, sir. Very like it. Let's throw off.

[4:35] And who are they thinking of? Israel. Even during that gentleman's Suleimani funeral, what were they shouting? Death to Israel. Not America.

[4:47] All during the funeral. So there is an antichrist. global development. And we expect this. The prophecies say so.

[5:00] But it isn't amazing that we see it in almost the same field as Israel. It's right next door. What's worse than having a bad neighbor? But imagine having a neighbor that wants you exterminated.

[5:16] You see, the problem isn't between the human people in Israel and the human people in Iran. It's a spiritual battle. It's between the living God who's giving time to the false gods they've manufactured to let them see the light.

[5:35] God has no desire for any to perish. And we see it right here in the television today. All over the world. On your phone in the news.

[5:48] And there's Psalm 2 right in front of you. Now, let me go back to Psalm 1. The first word I would use is a divine definition.

[6:01] There's a divine definition in Psalm 1 about what is right and what is wrong. It's black and white. There it is in the last verse. Verse 6.

[6:14] For the Lord watches over the ways of the righteous. And we have the description of the righteous early on in the first verses. But the way of the wicked leads to destruction. It's black and white.

[6:25] It's black and white. There isn't any third way to walk with God. If you're going to stay with the wicked way, the way Jesus sent his death.

[6:36] And then destruction. There's not any third way. But the world has always invented a third way. I grew up in much of that.

[6:47] Till in my adulthood. Not knowing the difference between black and white. It was all grey. It was a combination of black and white. You're very blessed to have grown up in a Christian family.

[6:58] To have known the Lord since you were young. What a blessing you've had. Psalm 1 has got a divine definition.

[7:11] Not so the wicked. They look chaff. Compared to the man in the verse before. And that's why we sung my little song like a tree. Because that's not saying that it grew there, friends.

[7:25] The commentators tell us the tree planted by streams of water is transplanted. It didn't grow there.

[7:37] God put it there. Look at it now and think about that. It didn't grow by the river. And therefore it was just lucky that it became a fruitful tree.

[7:50] That's not what it says. That's not what it actually means. What it means is it was transplanted from a desert place where it had nothing and no life and it was sure to die like the wicked and transplanted where it yields its fruit in the season.

[8:11] It's talking about Israel. Who took Israel to the Holy Land? It wasn't Moses. He never even got in. It wasn't even Joshua and Caleb.

[8:24] Who chose the land for them? God chose it. Who did he promise to? Who did he promise they would go there 400 years later?

[8:36] Abraham. Monsiamorites were gone. 400 years later he puts them in the land. He told Abraham, wherever you put your feet this is where your descendants will be.

[8:51] It's talking about Israel. Transplanted tree. Not one that just happened to be there.

[9:02] Or a tree that could think for itself. Blessed is the one, the man, the person. And then it comes down to who meditates and the illustration is of an individual who is walking in righteous ways in the assembly of the righteous and then it comes to Psalm 2 consequently.

[9:27] Why on earth do the nations fight God? It's a hopeless endeavour. But there is the sin of man. So my first word to you would be in Psalm 1 we have a divine definition or definitions if you like of the righteous way and the righteous end and the unrighteous way and the unrighteous end.

[9:55] A divine definition. I want to take you because this Psalm recalls the promises made to David.

[10:06] In 2 Samuel chapter 7 he is told his kingdom will last forever. And David's prayer to follow that is absolutely let's read it.

[10:18] Pointless of me telling you about it. 2 Samuel 7 let me read the prayer not the promise the prayer listen to David's prayer. If ever there was a man after God's own heart David's prayer 2 Samuel 7 verse 18 listen to this prayer of appreciation of what God has promised because that's what this Psalm is remembering.

[10:42] I remember the Lord said to me and the Lord spoke to him on David's coronation in Jerusalem when he took the Jebuic city of Jerusalem from them one of the Canaanite people and established it as the kingdom of God listen to David's prayer.

[11:00] Then King David went in and sat before the Lord. I love that phrase sat before the Lord. Who am I? He says.

[11:12] Who am I? Why are you doing this for me? He was given the memory that he promised Abraham.

[11:24] David knew God was keeping his word. Who am I? Sovereign Lord. What is my family that you have brought me this far?

[11:36] And as if this were not enough in your sight Sovereign Lord you have also spoken about the future. Keep that in mind friends. The future of the house of your servant.

[11:52] And this decree or a decree is an order of the king. Sovereign Lord is for a mere human. He's looking at himself thinking why me?

[12:07] I'm just human. What more can David say to you? For you know your servant Sovereign Lord. For the sake of your word and according to your will you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant how great you are Sovereign Lord.

[12:27] There's no one like you. There's no God but you as we have heard with our own ears. And who is like your people Israel? The one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself and to make a name for himself and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people whom you redeemed from Egypt.

[12:54] He's remembering the promises and the actions of God. You have established your people Israel as your very own forever.

[13:06] Keep that in mind when you go to Psalm 2. And you Lord have become their God. And now Lord keep forever. Here we go again.

[13:16] The future. The promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promise so that your name will be great forever.

[13:27] Then people will say he's thinking of the Gentiles now the nations. That's what Psalm 2 is about. Then people will say the Lord Almighty is God over Israel and the house of your servant David will be established in your sight.

[13:45] Other people are going to say this. Lord Almighty God of Israel you have revealed this to your servant saying and this is what he said to him earlier in the chapter I will build a house for you so your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you.

[14:07] Sovereign Lord you are God. your covenant is trustworthy and you have promised these good things to your servant now be pleased to bless the house of your servant that it may continue forever in your sight for you sovereign Lord have spoken and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.

[14:35] that's David's prayer after God tells him your kingdom is going to last forever.

[14:48] The kings of the earth the high and mighty so to speak have not an earthly but we continue and even I have to say even in the church so much in the church don't recognize God's promises to the nation of Israel.

[15:12] They have what you call replacement theology that the church has taken the place of the Jews. That's a belief in many many western churches and you wonder why the country is in this need to sin because we don't believe the Bible.

[15:30] the definition of God and David's lovely prayer of appreciation is something we should exemplify.

[15:53] Appreciate the grace of God friends to you. Now I would want to I don't want to be all night long I would want to take you to Revelation 12 because I remember some time ago when I was preaching on another psalm here it wasn't part of this series I remember reading from a book that's called Scotland's History Without the Boring Bits and Elsmith Buchan was a woman I quoted and told you about who began a cult in Dumfries Shire some of you remember because some of you were killing yourself laughing instead of crying couldn't you understand that so where's the repentance in these people but Elspeth Buchan was recognized by Reverend Hugh White a church of Scotland minister as the woman in Revelation 12 1 it's just laughable but you see how strange human beings are even with the

[16:55] Bible we can make extraordinary things seem as though they're true and he made a fool of himself that poor man and even when she died he said she was just in a trance he couldn't believe she was dead only when her body started to rot did he have to admit he'd made a mistake Revelation 12 I'm doing this because Psalm 2 is quoted in Revelation 12 verse 1 the woman and the dragon now we're going to Psalm 2 right Psalm 2 is quoted a number of times in the New Testament Psalm 2 because it's prophetic and as that lovely Puritan writer Thomas Watson whose writings I love said the two testaments are God's two lips through which he speaks to us and here's the evidence in this Psalm just this one alone in this chapter in Revelation the woman and the dragon the woman is not Mary the woman is Israel right this has been interpreted that the woman is Mary the mother of Jesus it's not it's to do with Israel

[18:20] Revelation 12 1 a great sign appeared in heaven a woman clothed with the sun with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars the twelve tribes of Israel on her head she was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth then another sign appeared in heaven an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its head his tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky flung them to the earth the dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth so it might devour her child the moment he was born he was born not it he was born she gave birth to a son a male child who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter

[19:22] Psalm 2 that's exactly what it says he will rule all the nations with an iron scepter and her child was snatched up to God into his throne the woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God where she might be taken care of for 1260 days three and a half years the war broke out in heaven Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and the dragon and his angels fought back but he was not strong enough and they lost her place in heaven the great dragon was hurled down the ancient serpent called the devil or Satan who leads the whole world astray Psalm 2 who leads the whole world astray the kings and all they gather together and say let's throw off he was hurled to the earth and his angels went with him I heard a loud voice in heaven say now has come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God the kingdom of our God friends over and above all the other kings of Psalm 2 the kingdom of our God comes not the kingdom of men and the authority of his Messiah

[20:33] Yeshua Yeshua Jesus the Messiah for the accuser of our brothers and sisters who accuses them before our God day and night has been hurled down they triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony Psalm 2 that's not the only place it's quoted in Revelation and we won't look at it anymore the point is when you go to Psalm 1 and Psalm 2 you're not just in meditational literature or musical literature you're in messianic literature right at the beginning and although there's no title above Psalm 2 or Psalm 1 the New Testament says and the apostles say it and they quote the Psalm of David they say to Herod and the others who are persecuting them because they know the fulfillment of this Psalm you don't have to wait away to the end it took place at the time of the apostles they accused them of preaching

[21:51] Jesus and they went before the Sanhedrin the ruling people of Israel and they said it is well written why do the nations and they quote Psalm 2 the apostles could see that what was happening to them was exactly what David said and they say it's David Psalm a thousand years before there is the two lips of God the Old Testament and the New let's go to Psalm 2 the defiance now God is laughing God is mocking them but he's not laughing at them because he knows they're going to suffer he's laughing at their arrogance he's laughing at the arrogance of people having the audacity and the arrogance to question

[22:54] God's authority in the world why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain the kings of the earth rise up and the rulers get together now what the historical situation was when this actually happened it's difficult to figure out from Old Testament history but you could take 2 Samuel chapter 10 into consideration where the Ammonites and the Amorites all get together against David and the Lord sorts them out there the nations were rising and saying you're not ruling here anymore we're not sitting under your rule anymore and they kick against the one God has put in place in Jerusalem 2 Samuel 10 could be a good example of that because they come together to flatten Israel and they're flattened so that could be the historical context that when this was written and looking back to David's time when he became the king of Israel that could be the situation it may not be we can't be really sure but the defiance brings a derision out of God he laughs says why do you think like this why do you think like this why are you so arrogant

[24:17] I remember when I first was converted 22 and I told my father now I was a qualified ships plater by then seven years of my time not in prison in the shipyard and well it felt like prison sometimes I have to be but I remember telling him as a grown man with a family and still I could see in his eyes I don't like this why not be happy for me his wife my wife's a Christian too why not be happy for us no in his eyes because he was a man of war in the army firing guns on the coast reading about war the sense of when people know about war there can be a great sense of not violence but wanting victory and they can be tough so they've been through tough times hard times they're not snowflakes but I could see in his eye

[25:43] I don't like this why would you not like that isn't that a pleasant wonderful thing to know your son has become a Christian no so what do you say to your father you've got to be respectful and then a little voice from the fire side heating her feet says Willie leave him alone wasn't it you Willie Willie leave him alone I hope you're happy son who was that mother see the difference now you see the the inner defiance of human beings not to recognize God has been able to tell us what to do when you've been through the war and seen millions die and mourn for years amazing how we harden and the nations conspire let's sort this guy

[26:52] David out who does he think he is he knows who he is but they don't know that he's the one God has appointed and one day Gentile nations will be glad to come under Israel and be blessed by God but not yet not yet not yet verses four to six there in the psalm the one enthroned in heaven laughs the Lord scoffs at them he rebukes them in his anger terrifies them in his wrath I have installed my king on Zion it's my king my holy mountain my will will be done on earth as it is in heaven Joe prayed the Lord's prayer earlier Joe and I was actually going to close this service with the Lord's prayer and you prayed it because when you read the Lord's prayer have you ever actually thought what it means thy kingdom come

[27:56] Jesus is speaking to the Jews in that prayer to begin with thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven what does psalm 2 say blessed are all who take refuge in him the Lord's prayer isn't a Gentile thing in the first place he's speaking to Israelites and they would know their scriptures and the prophecies regarding the kingdom of God to come and David's word that he appreciated what God said to him your kingdom will last forever that's the kingdom they're thinking about in the

[28:57] Israel 2000 years ago this defiance God God is not dismayed and this is a word of counsel to any of us if God is not dismayed by people saying let's throw God off his throne you shouldn't be dismayed either you shouldn't be dismayed because God is not dismayed if God was shaking in his shoes and looking for counsel that would be different but God isn't doing that he's keeping to the agenda of establishing his throne David's throne where the nations will come according to the prophecies he's not shaking in his shoes he's not dismayed Christians don't be dismayed God is not when he hears men defiant he keeps to his word they won't take him off his agenda don't be dismayed if you go on into verses 7 to 9 down you'll see the psalm

[30:11] I think it's very obvious what it's about God's derision is followed by a decree I have set my son he will be my father the king of Israel is like his son he is the father the kingdom is God's kingdom and the son the one who is crowned listen to this he says he says in the second half of verse 8 you are my son today I have become your father that's what he said to me he says he says to me ask of me just ask me and I will give the nations for your inheritance that's what you read in revelation 12 that's why the prayer of the lord's prayer that he gave to the people he says pray like this stop these long prayers and show off that you're religious pray this thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven it's all part of the same pattern the prophetic pattern by which

[31:19] God has made his decree a sovereign decree and it applies to Jesus all the way through the new testament the beginning of Romans the beginning of Hebrews he is David's son and so the prophecies apply to him and you may never have thought of this before but Paul when he writes in Romans 1 I'll just read it to you verse 4 and 5 here is how Paul recognizes Jesus' coronation in his resurrection listen to these two verses the beginning of Romans Paul a servant of Christ Jesus called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures regarding his son who in his earthly life was a descendant of David and who through the spirit of holiness was appointed the son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead

[32:37] Jesus Christ our Lord to him the resurrection of the saviour is his coronation to kingship at the throne of David it's as simple as that to the apostle the resurrection where he died for us the scripture is fulfilled that's his coronation he is vindicated as the descendant of David who would die for the sins of the world and all the earth would be blessed through him and that's what God promised Abraham that's his coronation that's why he's at the right hand of God the resurrection is his coronation as the descendant of David prophesied to receive the nations as his inheritance the ends of the earth your possessions psalm 2 verse 8 you will break them with a rod of iron you will dash them to pieces like pottery we read that in revelation 12 it's quoted a number of times in the book of revelation psalm 2 is a superb thing the definition of God there's a righteous way and there's a wicked way it's black and white but if you want to bend that's good because you'll not be broken sometimes it's better to bend than be broken grace came in to me yesterday and said see that little rosebud that's on the bush outside the front window it's still there and I thought to myself that's because it bends if it didn't bend it would be off but the nations won't bend they'll be broken and that's why the gospel has gone all around the earth and comes back to

[34:34] Israel to where it started we've got a wonderful thing in the scriptures I hope we appreciate what we have because the last part of this psalm is about not the definition not the derision of God and the decree but the deliverance therefore verse 10 you kings be wise be warned you rulers of the earth oh my imagine going to the European place and standing up saying I'd like to say something Mr. Chairman and read the end of Psalm 2 you'd be shot or you'd be jailed or you'd be abducted or you'd be named something serve the Lord with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling realize how fortunate you are kiss his son that means pay homage or he will be angry it doesn't mean God is quick tempered it just means the elasticity and his promises is coming to an end and who knows when and that will be it

[35:47] Jesus will get the word to return blessed are all who take refuge in him the beatitude ends this lovely psalm it's 25 months ago I last preached on this and 36 months ago before that in 2013 but every time I go to this psalm there's something about it that's so fully alive because it's so relevant to the world in which we live now it's getting more real in its fulfillment and that's why when you go to the book of revelation you will see how many times it's quoted they know this is prophetic it's messianic and can I just say to you men who gather with me in our house once a month could you think about the 21st or the 28th of January which Tuesday suits you for Israeli prayer those of you who turn up just think about it and let me know privately while it's on my mind so friends the rulers and the kings of the earth if they don't take the definition of

[37:03] God about righteousness and come to him through his son and receive a righteousness in the gospel then they're going to have the end of the wicked and they will go to where they don't want to go to and that little nation over there called Israel is right at the heart of it I have grown in my years more and more to realize this do you know that there's a gospel radio station now in Hebrew in Israel started just last week they're preaching to the Israelites in their own language the gospel that Jesus is the Christ that's the first time ever in the history of Israel why is that coming now there's a sovereign God on the throne and nobody's going to move him and you just pray that these people in great authority whatever they believe comes to realize that before judgment day comes before he steps in and does what he's promised to do let's have a prayer

[38:15] Lord God we thank you for the coming of the saviour the first time we thank you for the promise and the expectation of the coming of the saviour in his return however that will be whenever that will be help us to watch and pray and we thank you father that in all things we are in your hands and we can we're sorry to say we can forget how your grace has been our thing throughout our Christian life so friends just before we sing our final song come now long expect to Jesus let's just pray the Lord's prayer together our father who art in heaven hallowed be your name your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us today our daily bread forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever amen amen