Psalm 2: Lessons from David Regarding the End Times, Mankind’s Rebellion, and Jesus’ Holy Reign

David’s inspired Psalm 2 proves both the Trinity and Jesus’ second coming1

Introduction: This psalm contains many exciting prophecies regarding the future arrival of God’s Anointed One. He would be both God’s Son and the heir to God’s Covenant with David. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostles Peter and John identify David as the author of this psalm (Acts 4:25-26; Ps. 2:2-3). Because the first two psalms together introduce all the Psalms, this strongly suggests that David authored the first psalm as well. Here, David reveals seven signs of the end times and the coming future reign of the Messiah, Jesus. It will be marked by: (1) rebellion, (2) foolishness, (3) the restoration of God’s rule, (4) through God’s begotten Son, (5) the Messiah’s just reign, (6) believers rejoicing, and (7) God’s blessings on the faithful.

First, David warned that the day will come when the rulers of the Earth will unite against God. During the end times, mankind will unite in a one world government to rebel against God. This will include an attempt to label the teachings in the Bible as evil. Second, David reveals that God laughs at mankind’s belief that it can replace His standards of morality with their own. During the end times, mankind’s rebellion will also be futile. Third, David foretold of a time when God’s Anointed One will reign as King of Kings over mankind on God’s holy mount Zion. The end times will ultimately end with the restoration of Jesus’ direct reign over mankind. During the Millennial Reign, He will directly rule Earth from Mount Zion. Fourth, David also revealed that God’s Anointed One would be someone whom God would refer to as His begotten Son. Jesus is God’s only begotten Son. He came to fulfill this prophecy. Fifth, David foretold that God would give the Messiah authority over the nations, and the Messiah would judge the wicked. When Jesus returns, He will judge the wicked, and He will rule over the nations during the Millennial Reign with justice. Sixth, David urged the rulers of the world to submit and for believers to rejoice. For those who submit and believe, life under Jesus’ holy reign will be a time of great rejoicing. Finally, David urged people to take refuge in the Messiah and enjoy His blessings. Those who take refuge in Jesus will also find blessings living under His eternal reign.

1. Rebellion: During the End Times, Mankind Will Unite to Rebel Against God. Ps. 2:1-3.

  • Mankind will one day unite to rebel against God’s Anointed One. David began by foretelling of a future day when the world’s leaders would unite against God’s Anointed: “1 Why are the nations restless and the peoples plotting in vain? 2 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers conspire together against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, 3 ‘Let’s tear their shackles apart and throw their ropes away from us!”’ (Ps. 2:1-3). The Jews understood this to be a prophetic reference to the Messiah.

  • Mankind continues to rebel against Jesus, the Messiah. In Hebrew, “His Anointed” is “מְשִׁיחֽוֹ׃” “mə-šî-ḥōw”.2 In the book of Acts, the Apostles Peter and John quote from this passage to proclaim that David was in fact revealing to mankind’s rejection of its Messiah, Jesus Christ: “who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said, ‘Why were the nations insolent, and the peoples plotting in vain? ‘The Kings of the Earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ.” (Acts 4:25-26). Jesus and God the Father are “one”: “I and the Father are one.” (Jo. 10:30; 36). The psalms also contain many additional promises of the nations rebelling against God: “The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth quaked.” (Ps. 46:6). “Remember this, LORD, that the enemy has taunted You, and a foolish people has treated Your name disrespectfully.” (Ps. 74:18). The warnings of the world uniting against God are repeated in the book of Revelation: “And the nations were enraged, . . .” (Rev. 11:18). “And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; . . .” (Rev. 13:1-18). Thus, David was writing about the end times. In the end times, mankind will unite under a one-world government. Through Satan’s deceit, mankind will then rebel against God and His Word.

  • Mankind has rebelled against God’s authority. Throughout history, mankind has repeatedly rebelled against God. Adam and Eve first disobeyed God. Mankind later rebelled against God at the tower of Babel (Gen. 11:1-9). As another example, Pharaoh scoffed at Moses’ claim that Yahweh was the one true God: “But Pharaoh said, ‘Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and besides, I will not let Israel go.”’ (Ex. 5:2). As another example, King Sennacherib boasted that Yahweh could not save the Jews from his army: ‘Who among all the gods of the lands are there who have saved their land from my hand, that the LORD would save Jerusalem from my hand?”’ (2 Kgs. 18:35; 2 Chr. 32:14). Thus, mankind’s future world rebellion against Jesus fits within our ongoing rebellion against God throughout time.

  • Mankind has also rebelled against God’s standards of morality. David’s warning also tells us the reasons that future leaders will give to unite mankind in rebellion against God. The future world leaders will urge people to “tear” God’s “shackles” and “ropes” “apart.”’ (Ps. 2:3). What alleged “shackles” and “ropes” from God will mankind seek to disavow? Psalm 1 answers this question. God’s standards for good and evil set forth in His Law (Ps. 1:1-2, 6). “[T]he term rendered anointed is the Hebrew word transliterated into English as messiah (מְשִׁיחֽ). Given the interconnectedness of Pss 1 and 2, the bonds and ropes that the rulers want to tear off and cast away in 2:2 are to be understood as Yahweh’s promises and regulations in the Torah. The path to life is the way of accepting Yahweh’s rule and indulging in the hope of what He promises. The path to destruction is the path of rejecting Yahweh’s declaration of what is right and wrong in his commands and prohibitions and going to war against the king Yahweh has promised to establish. Those who would reject Yahweh and His anointed want to reign for themselves in the way that seems right in their own eyes, without reference to morality as Yahweh has defined it.” (James M. Hamilton Jr., Evangelical Bible Theology Commentary Psalms (Vol. I: Psalms 1-72) (Lexham Academic 2021) p. 102) (italics in original).

  • We see clear signs that we are living in the end times. The Bible warns that we are living in the end times: “Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.” (1 Jo. 2:18). During the end times, mankind will try to substitute God’s standards of morality with the “teachings of demons”: “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,” (1 Tim. 4:1). People will mock Jesus’ standards of morality and pursue after their own lusts: “Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts,” (2 Pet. 3:3). It is “Satan, who deceives the whole world . . .” (Rev. 12:9). He has led mankind to label as good what God expressly calls evil in the Bible. But God warns that these people will be judged: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” (Is. 5:20).

  • Following Jesus’ Commandments are not burdensome if you love Him. Jesus is the great “I AM” who gave Moses the Ten Commandments (Jo. 8:58; Ex. 3:14). If you love Jesus, His Commandments will never feel burdensome to you: “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.” (1 Jo. 5:3). “For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.” (Matt. 11:30). You will want to keep His Commandments out of love for Him: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” (Jo. 14:15, 21; 15:10; 2 Jo. 1:6; Matt. 19:17). Many in the modern church ignore the Ten Commandments. Do you follow them out of love for Jesus?

2. Foolishness: During the End Times, Mankind’s Rebellion Will be Futile. Ps. 2:4.

  • Mankind’s rebellion against God is futile. Although mankind may try to replace God’s morality with its own, its efforts are doomed to fail: “4 He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them.” (Ps. 2:4). Some might be troubled to think of God laughing at sinners. “But is this a heartless or cruel laughter? No! His infinite greatness that mocks man’s defiance also marks His sympathy with man in his lost condition. He’s the same God who takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 33:11) and who wept over Jerusalem (Matthew 23:37-39). He is great in judgment but also in compassion (Exodus 34:6-7). God’s laughter reminds us that Christ will ultimately triumph over evil. Any defiance of Him and His will is futile. What a comfort it is for us to submit to the Lord Jesus and take refuge in Him!” (Dave Branon, Mart DeHann, Together with God, A Devotional Reading for Every Day of the Year, Discovery House, (2016), p. 4).

Mankind’s rebellions against God have never succeeded, and they never will3

  • God’s will cannot be thwarted. The psalmist repeatedly claimed that God laughs at our attempts to resist Him: “The Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming.” (Ps. 37:13). “But You, LORD, laugh at them; You scoff at all the nations.” (Ps. 69:8). “Though they intended evil against You and devised a plot, they will not succeed.” (Ps. 21:11). “The LORD nullifies the plan of nations; He frustrates the plans of peoples.” (Ps. 33:10). Throughout the Bible, God warns that mankind cannot resist His power: “Were He to snatch away, who could restrain Him? Who could say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’” (Job 9:12). “All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?”’ (Dan. 4:35). “ . . . For who resists His will?” (Ro. 9:19(b)). “Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker— A piece of pottery among the other earthenware pottery pieces! Will the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you doing?’ Or the thing you are making say, ‘He has no hands’?” (Is. 45:9; Ro. 9:21). “Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than He, are we?” (1 Cor. 10:22). Are you trying to resist God’s will?

  • The devil has no power in the face of Jesus. The devil tries to deceive us into thinking that he is just as powerful as God. But he has no power to snatch believers from Jesus: “and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (Jo. 10:28-29). Satan is also doomed to fail in his rebellion. He and his demons will be thrown into the lake of eternal fire (Rev. 20:15).

  • Worship the Creator of the universe, who is sovereign over everything. The psalmist responded to the sovereign Creator of all life by worshiping Him: “May you be blessed of the LORD, maker of heaven and earth.” (Ps. 115:15). “Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” (Ps. 124:8). “May the LORD bless you from Zion, He who made heaven and earth.” (Ps. 134:3). If you have the faith to celebrate that God created everything, you can have the faith to know that there is no problem that is too big in your life for God to deal with. In times of trial, are you still thanking Jesus?

3. Restoration: The End Times Will Restore Jesus’ Direct Reign Over Mankind. Ps. 2:5-6.

  • God will one day appoint His King on Mount Zion to reclaim the Earth. David further reveals that God will judge mankind and have His Anointed King rule over mankind: “5 Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury, saying, 6 ‘But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain.”’ (Ps. 2:5-6). This prophecy alludes to Jesus, the King of Kings. Only He is both a descendant of David and a man without sin who is worthy to open the seal to reclaim title to the Earth: “And one of the elders said to me, ‘Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to be able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”’ (Rev. 5:5). During the Millennial Reign, He will rule over mankind from Mount Zion.

  • Jesus will return to Earth and rule from Mount Zion. The Bible is filled with prophecies that the Messiah will one day reign from Mount Zion: “Then the moon will be ashamed and the sun be put to shame, for the LORD of armies will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and His glory will be before His elders.” (Is. 24:23). The wicked will also one day bow before Him: “The sons of those who afflicted you will come bowing to you, and all those who despised you will bow down at the soles of your feet; and they will call you the city of the LORD, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.” (Is. 60:14). The future Messianic ruler on Mount Zion is none other than Jesus Christ: “But You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,” (Heb. 12:22). “Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000 who had His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads.” (Rev. 14:1). Thus, you can give thanks that Jesus has won the battle.

  • Approach Jesus with humility because only He can decide who dwells forever with Him. David proclaimed that only the Messiah could decide who will dwell with Him on Mount Zion: “A Psalm of David. LORD, who may reside in Your tent? Who may settle on Your holy hill?” (Ps. 15:1). “Who may ascend onto the hill of the LORD? And who may stand in His holy place?” (Ps. 24:3). Thus, he urged God’s people to fear God because He will one day be forced to judge nonbelievers: “You, You indeed are to be feared, and who may stand in Your presence, once You are angry?” (Ps. 76:7). Those who fail to submit to God will one day face judgment: “Who understands the power of Your anger and Your fury, according to the fear that is due You?” (Ps. 90:11). “The Lord is at Your right hand; He will shatter kings in the day of His wrath.” (Ps. 110:5; Rev. 6:17).

  • God gives us these warnings because He does not want any to perish. Some may find the many prophecies of judgment to be troubling. But God gives us these prophecies to warn everyone. He does not want any to perish: “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.” (2 Pet. 3:9). Are you warning others (Matt. 28:16-20)?

4. God’s Son: The Messiah Will Be God’s Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Ps. 2:7.

  • God’s only begotten Son Jesus is His Appointed Messiah and Ruler. David further revealed that God would refer to the Messiah as His begotten son: “7 I will announce the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have fathered You.” (Ps. 2:7). Here, David is prophetically quoting the future words of God the Father about the birth of His future son. This is direct proof of Jesus’ divine authority and His divinity.

God the Father quoted David’s inspired Psalm 2 to confirm Jesus’ divinity4

  • Jesus is God’s only Son and our Messiah. The promise that God’s “Anointed One” would also be His Son is a central revelation of the New Testament: “that God has fulfilled this promise to those of us who are the descendants by raising Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My son; today I have fathered You.’” (Acts 13:22). “and behold, a voice from the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matt. 3:17; 17:5; Mk. 1:11; 9:7; Lk. 3:22). The author of Hebrews quotes from this same passage to also reveal that Jesus is both God’s Son and superior to all the angels: “For to which of the angels did He ever say, ‘You are My Son, today I have fathered You’? And again, ‘I will be a Father to Him and He will be a Son to Me’? . . . So too Christ did not glorify Himself in becoming a high priest, but it was He who said to Him, ‘You are My Son, today I have Fathered You’;” (Heb. 1:5, 5:5). Jesus, God’s Son and the King of Kings, will rule forever: “Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”’ (Rev. 11:15). Jesus is therefore worthy of your praise, thanksgiving, and worship.

  • Jesus is the Messiah and heir to God’s Covenant with David. God promised David an eternal dynasty: “Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.”’ (2 Sam. 7:16). Daniel repeated this promise: “But the saints of the Highest One will receive the kingdom and take possession of the kingdom forever, for all ages to come.’” (Dan. 7:18). Jesus was born into the line of David (Matt. 1:1). He came to fulfill God’s covenant with David as the eternal King of Kings: “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” (Lk. 1:33; Rev. 19:16). If you have faith, you can also give thanks that you will one day live under His righteous reign.

5. Justice: Jesus Will Judge the Wicked and Rule With the Nations With Justice. Ps. 2:8-9.

  • Jesus will shatter the nations who rebel against Him. David revealed that the Messiah will have authority over the nations and shatter those who have rebelled against God: “8 Ask it of Me, and I will certainly give the nations as Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth as Your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.’” (Ps. 2:8-9). Jesus will rule justly as the Messiah according to His Law. Those who pride themselves in rebelling against His Law will face judgment.

  • Jesus will receive full authority over the nations. Jesus will reign with full authority over the nations: “Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.” (Rev. 11:15). “The one who overcomes, and the one who keeps My deeds until the end, I will give him authority over the nations;” (Rev. 2:26). God the Father has further given Jesus full authority to judge evil: “For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son.” (Jo. 5:22).

Jesus has full authority over the nations5

  • Jesus will judge those who rebel against Him. The Psalms are also filled with warnings of judgment against the rulers who rebel against God: “The Lord is at Your right hand; He will shatter kings in the day of His wrath.” (Ps. 110:5). Samuel also foretold of God’s judgment upon the nations: “Those who contend with the LORD will be terrified; against them He will thunder in the heavens, the LORD will judge the ends of the earth; and He will give strength to His king, and will exalt the horn of His anointed.” (1 Sam. 2:10). Just as David prophesied, Jesus will one day shatter the nations who oppose Him: “And He shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the Potter are shattered, as I also have received authority from My Father;” (Rev. 2:27). “From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.” (Rev. 19:15). Every Word in the Bible will come true. The countless fulfilled prophecies should give every person who rejects Jesus and the authority of His Word reason to fear.

  • Jesus will reign with justice and righteousness. Jesus will rule as the Prince of Peace with justice and righteousness: “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore.” (Is. 9:6-7; 16:5). ‘“Behold, the days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; and He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land.”’ (Jer. 23:5; Is. 24:15; 42:4; Zech. 9:9-10). The end to all injustice and evil is another reason to praise and worship Him.

6. Rejoicing: For Those Who Submit and Believe, Great Rejoicing Awaits. Ps. 2:10-11.

  • God warns the nations to submit to Jesus and for believers to rejoice. Because God must judge evil, David urged the rulers of the world to submit to God with reverence and fear: “10 Now then, you kings, use insight; let yourselves be instructed, you judges of the earth. 11 Serve the Lord with reverence and rejoice with trembling.” (Ps. 2:10-11). For those who have faith and serve Jesus Christ, David promises a time of future rejoicing.

  • Submit to Jesus with reverence and faith. The psalmist proclaimed that he lived in reverent fear of the consequences of sin: “My flesh trembles from the fear of You, and I am afraid of Your judgments.” (Ps. 119:120). Through Isaiah, God declared that He desires a humble and contrite spirit from us: ‘“For My hand made all these things, so all these things came into being,’ declares the LORD. ‘But I will look to this one, at one who is humble and contrite in spirit, and who trembles at My word.”’ (Is. 66:2). “‘Do you not fear Me?’ declares the LORD. ‘Do you not tremble in My presence? For I have placed the sand as a boundary for the sea, an eternal limit, and it will not cross over it. Though the waves toss, they cannot prevail; though they roar, they will not cross over it.” (Jer. 5:22). Fearing God is defined as hating what God calls evil: “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverted mouth, I hate.” (Prov. 8:13). If you don’t accept God’s definition of evil, you cannot claim to fear Him.

  • The Jews’ enemies came to understood and fear God’s power. Those who oppose God’s peoples are subject to the curse that God promised to Abraham (Gen. 12:3). The nations who have seen God’s power have experienced great fear: “Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed; the leaders of Moab, trembling grips them; all the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away. Terror and dread fall upon them; by the greatness of Your arm they are motionless as stone; until Your people pass over, O LORD, until the people pass over whom You have purchased.” (Ex. 15:15-16). “10 So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will be afraid of you.” (Dt. 28:10). “And many among the peoples of the land became Jews, because the dread of the Jews had fallen on them.” (Esther 8:17b; 9:2). “It will be to Me a name of joy, praise and glory before all the nations of the earth which will hear of all the good that I do for them, and they will fear and tremble because of all the good and all the peace that I make for it.” (Jer. 33:9; Is. 31:9). Thus, the Psalms are filled with recorded prayers for God’s protection: “May those who are enemies of my soul be put to shame and consumed; may they be covered with disgrace and dishonor, who seek to injure me.” (Ps. 71:13). “My tongue also will tell of Your righteousness all day long; for they are put to shame, for they are humiliated who seek my harm.” (Ps. 71:24). “All my enemies will be put to shame and greatly horrified; they shall turn back, they will suddenly be put to shame.” (Ps. 6:10). “May those be ashamed and humiliated together who seek my life to destroy it; may those be turned back and dishonored who delight in my hurt.” (Ps. 40:14).

  • Praise Jesus for His protection. Jesus is your rock. He deserves your praise for His protection from your enemies: “The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock; and exalted be God, the rock of my salvation,” (2 Sam. 22:47). “My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; my savior, You save me from violence.” (2 Sam. 22:3). “The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He.” (Dt. 32:4). “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” (Ps. 18:2, 31, 46; 19:14). Worship helps to clear your mind to receive Jesus’ Word when you are in turmoil. Do you praise Jesus for His protection in your life?

  • Those who submit in faith to Jesus will rejoice in joy. David urged everyone to “Serve the Lord with reverence and rejoice with trembling.” (Ps. 2:11). For those who accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, David promises an eternity of great rejoicing: “So that I may tell of all Your praises, that in the gates of the daughter of Zion I may rejoice in Your salvation.” (Ps. 9:14). “But I have trusted in Your faithfulness; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.” (Ps. 13:5). “So my soul shall rejoice in the LORD; it shall rejoice in His salvation.” (Ps. 35:9). In heaven, you can also look forward to an eternity of rejoicing: “Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands,” (Rev. 5:11). This is yet another reason to thank Jesus.

7. Blessings: Those Who Seek Refuge in Jesus Will Be Greatly Blessed. Ps. 2:12.

  • God warns not to delay in submitting to Jesus, the King of Kings. David concludes by urging people not delay in embracing God’s Son and receive God’s mercy and blessings: “12 Kiss the Son, that He not be angry and you perish on the way, for His wrath may be kindled quickly. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!” (Ps. 2:12). The promised “blessing” for the person who takes refuge in God’s Son ties back to the first verse of chapter one. The person who shuns the evil of the world will be blessed (Ps. 1:1-2). This includes the blessing of eternal salvation and Jesus’ fellowship here on Earth.

  • Those who take refuge in Jesus will be blessed. David wrote many psalms to sing of his joy that came when he took refuge in God: “But rejoice, all who take refuge in You, sing for joy forever! And may You shelter them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You.” (Ps. 5:11). “For the music director. A Psalm of David. In the LORD I take refuge; how can you say to my soul, ‘Flee as a bird to your mountain?”’ (Ps. 11:1). “Taste and see that the LORD is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” (Ps. 34:8). Solomon also promised blessings for those who put their trust in God: “One who pays attention to the word will find good, and blessed is one who trusts in the LORD.” (Prov. 16:20). Jeremiah also promised for those who put their trust in God: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose trust is the LORD.” (Jer. 17:7).

  • Don’t delay in submitting to Jesus. David warned of the need to “12 Kiss the Son,” without delay for judgment could come “quickly.” (Ps. 2:12). This was again in reference to “God’s Son”, Jesus (Ps. 2:7). “This primarily has in mind the kiss of submission, where a dignitary receives the humble kiss of an inferior. It also hints at the affection God wants in relationship to Him. God wants us to recognize our proper place before Him, but to also rejoice in Him and be affectionate in our relationship. . . Those who defy God are broken, but those who depend on Him are blessed. The Psalmist leaves the choice with everyone: Broken or Blessed?” (David Guzik on Ps. 2).6 Jesus also warns that we should not delay in this decision (Mk. 13:36-37; Ro. 13:11).

  • Give thanks for the blessings that Jesus offers and warn others to submit to Him. “For believers the message is one of great comfort. The antagonism in the world to God in general and to Christianity specifically will end. The outcome is not in question, even though it seems it is. Believers then can be strengthened in their faith in God’s plan that Christ shall come to put down all wickedness and rule the world. Related to this point is a second application for believers: just as the psalmist exhorted people to submit to the Messiah, so too Christians should warn the world not to act foolishly but to submit to the Christ and escape the wrath to come.” (Allen Ross, A Commentary of the Psalms: Volume 1 (1-41), Kregel Academic (2011) p. 214). Are you warning others about the need to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior without delay?

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