GOD’S WORD FOR DECEMBER 8 ~ ~ Acts 10:36 ~ ~ “The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all—”

From the book, “How to Read the Bible” by Dr. Michael Youssef of Leading the Way International Ministries. 

Beginning chapter 8 ~ ~ Psalms: The Songbook of the Kingdom:

Psalm 2: Psalm of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit:

The book of Psalms is a collection of 150 songs originally sung during worship in the Temple.  The word “psalm” comes from the Greek word “psalmoi”, meaning “instrumental music” (some of the headings of the psalms indicate the musical instruments which should be played.)

The psalms are unlike English poetry.  They employ a literary device called “parallelism.”  You’ll find that many lines in the Psalms form a symmetrical relationship.  For example, you’ll see examples of “synonymous parallelism,” in which two lines express the same thought in different words.  For example, in Psalm 27, David writes:

“The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1).

Other psalms may use “antithetical parallelism,” in which the two lines use opposite ideas or examples to make a strong statement, like Psalm 34:10 below:

“The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.”

With that brief background in the literary structure and style of Psalms, let’s take a closer look at a few.

The second psalm points to King Jesus and His eternal Kingdom.  The psalmist writes:

“Why do the nations conspire and the people plot in vain?  The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against His anointed, saying, “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles,.” (Psalm 2:1-3)

The first three verses speak of the coming of Jesus, the Anointed King – and the kings of the earth’s defiance against His authority. 

Across the world, and even in the United States (which is already a post-Christian nation, and fast becoming an anti-Christian nation), we see growing hatred toward, and persecution of, followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.  According to a 2019 report by the Pew Research Center, Christians are the most persecuted religious group in the world.  They are targeted for arrest, assault, murder, discrimination, and vandalism at a level not seen since the time of Nero.

A thousand years before Jesus, this psalm prophesied of a worldwide conspiracy against the Lord and His followers.  Yet the psalmist also tells us that the nations and the people plot in vain.  There are three distinct speakers in the next eight verses.  The first is God the Father:

“The One enthroned in the heavens laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.  He rebukes them in His anger and terrifies them in His wrath, saying, ‘I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.’” (Psalm 2:4-6)

The kings of the earth think they can rid themselves of God – but God laughs at them.  And this is not a mirthful laugh, but a laugh of derision at man’s puny rebellion against God and His Son.

The next speaker is Jesus the Messiah.  He declares that God the Father has given the nations to Him as an inheritance – and He will break them because of their rebellion:

“I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son; today I have become Your Father.  Ask Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance, the ends of the earth Your possession.                                        You will break them with a rod of iron: You will dash them to pieces like pottery.” (Psalm 2:7-9).

The third speaker is the Holy Spirit, who issues a warning – and an invitation:

Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth.  Serve the Lord with fear and celebrate His rule with trembling.  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.  Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.  (Psalm 1:10-12).

The Spirit warns the kings of the earth to serve and love the Lord – or face destruction.  The Spirit invites all to take refuge in the Son.  There is no condemnation toward those who are in Jesus Christ.

Psalm 2 is one of the clearest messianic prophecies in the Old Testament.  It is quoted twice in the New Testament because it is fulfilled in Jesus (see Acts 13:33 and Hebrews 1:5)

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Psalm 37:23 & 24

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD,

And He delights in his way.

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;

For the LORD upholds him with His hand.

Psalm 37:11

But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in abundance of peace.

Jeremiah 31:3                                                                                                    

The Lord has appeared of old unto me, saying.  Yea, I have loved you with an everlasting love:  therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn you.

*John 16:27  For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I come out from God.

*Romans 5:8

But God commends his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

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