2:1 Why do the nations rebel? Why are the countries devising plots that will fail?
During the Great Tribulation, all of the Gentiles of the world will follow the Antichrist. They will devise plans to exterminate all of the Jews. If the Gentiles could exterminate all of the Jews, then there would be no nation “to call upon the name of the Lord.” Jesus told the Jews that He would not return until they call upon His name.
2:2 The kings of the earth form a united front; the rulers collaborate against the Lord and his anointed king.
During the Great Tribulation, all of the kings of the Lord will conspire against Jehovah and against His anointed. The Hebrew word for “anointed” is מָשִׁ֫יחַ (maschiach), meaning Messiah or Christ. The rulers of the world do not want Christ to return and slay the Antichrist.
2:3 They say, “Let’s tear off the shackles they’ve put on us! Let’s free ourselves from their ropes!”
These kings do not want Christ to return and shackle them in the Lake of Fire forever.
2:4 The one enthroned in heaven laughs in disgust; the Lord taunts them.
God the Father sits in heaven and laughs at these kings. There is no way that these puny humans can stop Jehovah from executing His divine plan to bring the Kingdom of heaven to earth.
2:5 Then he angrily speaks to them and terrifies them in his rage, saying,
God the Father is angry at these Christ-rejecting kings.
2:6 “I myself have installed my king on Zion, my holy hill.”
Jehovah Himself will restore Jesus as the literal King of Israel.
2:7 The king says, “I will announce the Lord’s decree. He said to me: ‘You are my son! This very day I have become your father!
The Jehovah Witnesses mistranslate this verse to support their erroneous view that Jesus was a created angel. According to Acts 13:33, this verse deals with the resurrection of Christ, not His birth or creation.
This verse states that God the Father has a son. If God the Father is eternal, then the Son must be eternal as well.
2:8 Ask me, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the ends of the earth as your personal property.
Many missionaries misuse this verse to pump the congregation for missionary offerings. If the missionaries would read the next verse, then they would learn that the nations are not given to missionaries, but to the Lord Jesus Christ at His second coming.
This cannot be King David, because he was never given or offered all of the kingdoms of the world. Even Rabbi Rashi admitted, “Our rabbis expound it as relating to King Messiah.”
2:9 You will break them with an iron scepter; you will smash them like a potter’s jar!’ ”
When Christ returns at His second coming, the world will not want Him to upset their political balance. The United Nations will not want His type of peace. The Communists and dictatorships will not be interested in His messianic program. The Democrats and Republicans will not be interested in His political agenda. The Catholic Church would rather obey the Pope than Jesus. The liberal churches will not like His stance on His virgin birth, His divine nature, His resurrection, or His miracles. The Council of Churches will not like His views against ecumenicalism. The seeker-friendly churches will not like His rod of iron smashing evil.
Christ will not be welcomed at His second coming. He will have to arrive with a rod of iron and purge Christ-rejecters out of the satanic world system.
2:10 So now, you kings, do what is wise; you rulers of the earth, submit to correction!
God has always delivered His message to the leaders of the world. Abraham rescued the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah before their cities were destroyed. Joseph found his way to Pharaoh through the Egyptian prison system. Moses had to send ten plagues upon Egypt to get Pharaoh’s attention. Joshua blew a trumpet and knocked down the walls of the King of Jericho. Jonah visited the King of Nineveh through the belly of a fish. King Sennacherib had his army of 185,000 Assyrians destroyed by the Angel of the Lord. Daniel kept King Nebuchadnezzar and King Cyrus on their toes. Pontius Pilate was given the opportunity to judge the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul had a chance to give his personal testimony to Emperor Nero. None of these kings were wise enough to submit to correction. The kings of the Great Tribulation will be just as stubborn.
2:11 Serve the Lord in fear! Repent in terror!
All kings need to serve Jehovah or serve Satan. If they do not change their evil ways, then God will send them into the Lake of Fire for eternity.
2:12 Give sincere homage! Otherwise he will be angry, and you will die because of your behavior, when his anger quickly ignites. How blessed are all who take shelter in him!
The psalmist makes a final warning to all political leaders. If these political leaders do not worship the Son, then they will make God the Father angry. These political leaders will die and burn in the Lake of Fire forever.