Psalm 2

1 Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
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 burst their bonds apart
and cast away their cords from us.”
4 He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord holds them in derision.
5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6 “As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”
7 I will tell of the decree:
The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son,
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

The Second Psalm has 2 meanings: 

It is about God’s promise to King David that his sons would reign in Jerusalem after him. The king was called “the Lord’s anointed.” This psalm was used as an enthronement hymn for each new king.

It is also about Jesus, the Anointed One, the Son of David, who is the true King. In Hebrew the word for “anointed one” is Messiah, which in Greek is “Christ.” In the New Testament, this Psalm is frequently quoted as the apostles looked back and saw that it was always pointing toward Jesus.

There are four 3-verse sections:

section 1 (vv. 1-3): the kings of the earth want to rebel against the Lord’s authority.

section 2 (vv. 4-6): the Lord is not threatened and states that his representative is the King in Jerusalem. (Mount Zion is the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.)

section 3 (vv. 7-9): the king speaks and quotes God’s promise to David, how God will give power and glory and strength to the Anointed One.

section 4 (vv. 10-12): warns the rebel kings not to get any foolish ideas and to go ahead and submit to the Anointed One. It concludes by saying that those who do so will be blessed!