“Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.” Psalm 2:6, 7  

This Psalm does not list an author, and the subject of this psalm is not identified by name.  According to the New Testament, Acts 4:25, David is the author.  Psalm 2 can only be about the Messiah, as the context makes this clear as verses eight and nine prove.  These two verses together show that no other king of Israel fits the description as presented.  Israel ’s King Messiah reigns over the entire earth.  These verses follow:  

Psalm 2:8 “Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

(9) Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”  

Psalm 2:8 shows that this King will rule over the entire earth.  Neither King David nor any of the kings of Israel that followed him were ever promised to rule over all the earth.  Only King Messiah will reign over all the earth.  The following verses show that only King Messiah was promised to rule over all the nations:  

Jeremiah 23:5 “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. (6) In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

Daniel 7:14 “And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”

Psalm 72:17 “His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.”

Zechariah 9:10 “And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem , and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.”  

The New Testament discloses that at the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus, He will fulfill the above verses about reigning over all nations.  He will fulfill the prophecies about Israel ’s King Messiah at His Second Coming, just as He fulfilled the Scriptures about being God’s Righteous Servant.  He first came to make people righteous before the holy God of Israel; however, at His Second Coming He will establish His kingdom on earth:  

Revelation 11:15 “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.”  

Psalm 2:9 gives additional proof that this section of the Bible is about King Messiah.  In this verse, the King breaks the nations with a rod of iron and He dashes them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.  Many Bible verses reveal this action is reserved exclusively for King Messiah.

At His coming, King Messiah will smash the nations that are in rebellion against the holy God of Israel.  King Messiah is God’s rod of iron to rule the nations.  He is the instrument that God uses as a rod to judge the nations and to establish justice and judgment on the earth.  These additional verses follow:  

Isaiah 11:4 “But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.”

Jeremiah 23:5 “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.”

Psalm 72:4 “He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.”

Psalm 110:2 “The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion : rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.”  

The New Testament shows that the rod of iron is the word of God spoken by the Lord Jesus.  His word smashes the rebellious nations into pieces.  All of God’s power and authority is in His hands.  The verse to show this follows:  

Revelation 19:15 “And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.”  

According to the Prophet Zechariah, this breaking in pieces of the nations of the earth takes place when they are all united in battle to attack and destroy Jerusalem .  This battle takes place during the period identified in the Bible as the Day of the LORD.  When the nations gather against Jerusalem and seek to destroy it, King Messiah, “shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”  The verses to show this follow:  

Zechariah 14:1 “Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. (2) For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle;...(3) Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. (4) And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives...

(12) And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem ; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.”  

The New Testament also states that the armies gathered around Jerusalem are destroyed by the Lord Jesus Christ at His Second Coming.  He returns in His glory, and the combination of His glory and the word of God proceeding from His mouth destroys this vast multitude of armies.  The glory of the holy God of Israel causes the flesh to melt off the soldiers of this army:  

2 Thessalonians 2:8 “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming”

Revelation 19:19 “And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.

(21) And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.”  

The Fourth Servant Song revealed the two distinct aspects of His Righteous Servant.  In one phase, He is exalted, while in the second the people despise and reject Him.  The Fourth Song centers on Him being despised and dying for the people’s sin but briefly touches upon Him being exalted (Isaiah 53:12).  Although this Song centers on the suffering of God’s Servant, it does state He shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high:  

Isaiah 52:13 “Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.”  

Although, extol is not a commonly used word today, in the Bible, it means to lift up or raise up.  This verse emphasizes three times that God’s Servant is going to be great.  The Bible in other places reveals exactly what is the exaltation of the Servant.  A study of additional sections gives a clear picture of this Servant.  Psalm 2 is a powerful section to show the exaltation of God’s Righteous Servant.  Here the Bible reveals Him as the exalted and extolled King Messiah.

Psalm 2:6,7 shows that God’s Servant, by a decree from the LORD, is proclaimed King Messiah.  When God makes a decree, who can argue against it?  The decree is that God’s Servant is King Messiah because He is the begotten son of God.  The decree does not state He is simply the Son of God, but that He is the begotten Son of God.  Because He is begotten of God, He is unique.

The Bible does mention in several occasions that God has sons.  The list includes angels, Israel , Adam and believers in the Lord Jesus.  A look at these other sons is worthwhile because none are identified as God’s begotten Son.  It is King Messiah, and He alone, who can claim to be God’s begotten Son.  The various sons of God follow:  

Angels

Job 1:6 “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.”

Israel

Exodus 4:22 “And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn”

Solomon ( Chosen son of God)

1 Chronicles 28:6 “And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.”

Adam

Luke 3:38 “Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.”

Believers in the Lord Jesus (Adopted sons of God)

Romans 8:14 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (15) For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”  

The Righteous Servant’s claim to being King Messiah is based on God’s decree and not human genealogy.  A requirement for a person to be Israel ’s Messiah is the ability to claim that He is begotten by God.  (For a complete study on why the Messiah cannot have a human father, see Only Jesus of Nazareth Can Be Israel’s King Messiah).

The focus of Psalm 2 is about God’s Righteous Servant, King Messiah.  With this understanding, let us review the rest of the psalm verse by verse.

Psalm 2:1-4  

“Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? (2) The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, (3) Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. (4) He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.”  

These verses show the unity of the world authorities against God and His anointed, the LORD’s anointed being God’s Righteous Servant, King Messiah.  Notice the opposition is against God and His Servant.  God refers to this opposition as a “vain thing.”  Even though all the kings of this world are united, they cannot thwart the plan and purpose of God.

God used the rebellion of the Jewish rulers and the Romans to fulfill His plan as outlined in the Fourth Servant Song.  The God of Israel used the rebellion of these kings to fulfill the prophecy, so that the death of God’s Servant makes sinners righteous!  Foolish arrogance, or vanity, causes these kings to rise against the holy God of Israel and His Anointed.  The Bible exposes the vanity of opposing God and His agenda.

The Kings represent the world system, which rejects God.  Because God’s Anointed represents Him, the kings also oppose God’s Servant.  This rejection of God’s Anointed was clearly seen at the first advent of the Lord Jesus.  All the world’s authorities rejected Him and conspired to kill Him.  The New Testament applies these verses to the rejection of the Lord Jesus:  

Acts 4:25 “Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? (26) The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. (27) For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel , were gathered together”  

This rejection of God and His Servant remains until today.  The world system still opposes God.  This animosity of the kings will remain until it is destroyed at the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus.  Man’s rebellion against God ends during the Day of Lord, when a world united against God is smashed at Jerusalem :  

Isaiah 13:9 “Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. (11) And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.”

Zechariah 14:1 “Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. (2) For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle…”  

The Fourth Servant Song states that the kings will shut their mouths because of God’s Servant.  Right now, the kings rebel against God.  At the Second Coming of God’s Servant as King Messiah, the kings will fully realize who He is.  They then shut their mouths at His presence.  The verses to show this follow:  

Psalm 2:2 “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying”

Isaiah 52:15 “So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.”

Psalm 2:5  

“Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.”  

The focus of this verse is still the kings of the earth.  At some point in the future, the holy God Israel will deal with the rebellious kings in His wrath.  According to the Bible, God’s wrath is justified.  God’s Righteous Servant executes this wrath.

The Bible is unmistakable that God’s Servant, His King, judges in righteousness.  According to Isaiah 11:4, the Branch of David executes this judgment on the wicked.  In the New Testament, the Lord Jesus at His awesome Second Coming, executes the wrath of God on a wicked world:  

Isaiah 11:4 “But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.”

Revelation 19:11 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. (15) And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.”

Psalm 2:6, 7  

“Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.”  

These verses are among the most important in the entire Bible for understanding the nature of Israel ’s King Messiah.  They are a discourse between the LORD and His King.  The LORD states, “Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion,” and the King replies, “I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.”  In these two verses, the Scriptures link together King Messiah and the begotten Son of God.  This concept is of vital importance for one to understand the person of Israel ’s King Messiah.

The context of this Psalm is Israel ’s King Messiah.  He is the one who sits on the throne of David and reigns over the entire earth; therefore, King Messiah and the begotten Son of God are the same.  Again, this is an extremely important concept to grasp.

Many believe the concept of Israel ’s Messiah being the Son of God is strictly a Christian belief that began in the First Century; however, this teaching is rooted in the Hebrew Scriptures long before the coming of the Lord Jesus.  Psalm 2 shows it is rooted in the Hebrew Scriptures.  The Messiah being the Son of God is not Christian in origin but Jewish.

God’s everlasting covenant with King David established the first direct connection with Israel ’s King Messiah being the Son of God, this occurred in approximately 1000 BC.  Solomon sat on the throne of David as the King of Israel the chosen son of God.  He was the first king of Israel under this covenant and a type, or foreshadowing, of the last king who would be King Messiah, the begotten Son of God.

The Bible records the covenant God made with King David regarding his throne.  The Scriptures reveal two very important characteristics of this covenant.  First, God establishes an everlasting kingdom, and secondly God introduces a Father-son relationship with the king so that Solomon would reign as God’s chosen son.  This covenant is found in 2 Samuel 7:13-16:  

2 Samuel 7:13 “He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. (14) I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:

2 Samuel 7:15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. (16) And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.”  

The Scriptures supporting 2 Samuel 7:13-15 give very important additional information about King Solomon and his reign.  King David reinforces that Solomon will follow him as king.  He then shows that Solomon is to reign not simply as the King of Israel, but he is to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel .  Here is another tremendous concept that one needs to grasp!

Solomon represents the God of Israel on earth as the king over Israel .  Further, according to Scripture, God was to be Solomon's Father, and Solomon would be God's chosen son.  Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD over Israel as the son of God:  

1 Chronicles 28:4 “Howbeit the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel:”

(5) “And of all my sons, (for the LORD hath given me many sons), he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel . (6) And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.”  

Psalm 2 then adds one critical factor about King Messiah.  The LORD chose Solomon as a son to be King over Israel , but Psalm 2 shows that King Messiah by decree is the begotten Son of God.  He can claim that the holy God of Israel is His Father.  Remember, the context of Psalm 2 is not about Solomon but about King Messiah.  He is the one who sits on the throne of David and rules forever.  By comparing 1 Chronicles 28 with Psalm 2 the uniqueness of King Messiah is apparent:  

1 Chronicles 28:5 “... he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel . (6) And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.”

Psalm 2:6, 7 “Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.”

The New Testament claim - that the Lord Jesus is the only begotten Son of God - is anchored directly in the Hebrew Scriptures.  Because He is the only begotten Son of God, He can rightfully claim the throne of David as King Messiah.

The New Testament shows that God fulfilled Psalm 2 about declaring King Messiah to be the begotten Son of God and thus the King of Israel, when He raised the Lord Jesus from the dead.  It is interesting to note that when the Lord Jesus’ fulfilled His ministry as the Righteous Servant, He was immediately declared the King, the begotten Son of God.

While Jesus was on earth, He was God’s Righteous Servant.  When He paid the price for sin and rose from the dead, God the Father immediately declared Him the begotten Son of God.  He is now the promised King of Israel, not by genealogy, but by the decree of the holy God of Israel; thus, He is the eternal King of Israel:  

Acts 13:33 “God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.”  

Because the Lord Jesus was declared the eternal King, He is now seated on the throne of David, now placed in heaven.  It is amazing to realize that in heaven, God’s throne is the throne of David!  God has only one throne.  The Lord Jesus is seated right now on the throne of David:  

Revelation 5:5 “And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. (6) And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain …”  

When Jesus Christ returns, He brings His throne from heaven with Him.  He will establish the throne of David on earth.  Because He is declared the begotten Son of God, He always is King and always sits on the throne of David.  The New Testament refers to His throne as “the throne of his glory:”  

Matthew 25:31 “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:”  

At this point, it is very important to understand that God’s Righteous Servant, Branch of David, King Messiah, and Begotten Son of God are all the same Person.  The Bible teaches God’s Righteous Servant is the begotten Son of God.  This concept is critical, when later reviewing the coronation of King Messiah on the throne of David.

Psalm 2:8 - 12  

“Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession (9) Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

(10) Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. (11) Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. (12) Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.”  

Psalm 2 closes with a warning to the kings of the earth.  The LORD declares that the uttermost parts of the earth belong to His Son, King Messiah.  He then gives an instruction to the kings and judges on how to comply with King Messiah’s authority: to serve God with fear and trembling.

King David, the author of this psalm, is speaking from first hand knowledge when He gives the instruction.  Being the King of Israel, He knows exactly what is needed to obey the LORD.  Verse 12 contains a clear warning about the danger of the Son of God’s wrath:  

“Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.”  

“Kiss the Son” and putting one’s trust in Him are ways to please God.  The context of this verse is the begotten Son of God.  (For an explanation of the Hebrew word Son in this verse, see Addendum B).  It is the Son of God, King Messiah one is to trust.  “Kiss the Son” is an ancient expression of submitting and embracing authority.  The Hebrew word translated kiss in this verse is, nashaq.  This same word is used in 1 Kings 19:18 with respect to paying homage and worshipping a pagan deity:  

(The LORD speaks to Elijah) “Yet have I left me seven thousand in Israel , all the knees which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.”  

Israel was worshipping a pagan idol of the god Baal.  To demonstrate their devotion and submission to this idol, the people came and kissed it.  The Bible uses this word to illustrate that a person should give this type of affection and submission to God’s King, the Son of God.

The second requirement was for a person to put his trust in the Son of God.  The Bible indicates that a person is only to trust in God and not other people.  Placing trust in the begotten Son of God is the same as trusting in the holy God of Israel.

The Third Servant Song states that people are to trust in the name of the LORD.  God is our salvation and a person is to trust Him and not be afraid.  Trusting in King Messiah is the same as trusting in name of the LORD:  

Isaiah 50:10 “Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God.”

Isaiah 12:2 “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.”

By John McTernan: Defend and Proclaim the Faith
Blog: John McTernan's Insights at www.johnmcternan.name