In light of contemporary political and social and religious conditions in the United States, I want to look at Psalm 2. Psalm 2 is not only a Messianic Psalm, but also a prophetic warning to the Gentile nations to serve the LORD Jesus Christ in the Church Age. The context is the Gentiles nations, not Israel.

Psalm 2:4

He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision.

1. “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh:…”

a. sitteth [3427 * yashab] [Strongs: To sit down as judge, in ambish, quiet…]

b. laugh [7832 * sachaq] [Strongs: To laugh (in pleasure or detraction) by implication, to play:-- deride, have in derision, laugh make merry, mock, laugh to scorn…]

2. “…the LORD shall have them in derision.”

a. derision [3932 * laag] [Strongs: To deride, to laugh at in scorn.]

b. Five times in Scripture it mentions that God laughs. Four of those times God is laughing at the wicked: Psalm 2:4; 37:12, 13; 59:5-8; Proverbs 1:26. The most descriptive passage as to why God is laughing at the wicked is in Proverbs 1:24-33. Within these verses I will interject other verses that I believe will shed light on why God would laugh at an individual’s calamity.

c. Proverbs 1:24-28 “Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

But ye have set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:

I also laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:”

1). Jeremiah 11:14 “Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.”

2). In Matthew 7:8, Jesus said, “…he that seeketh findeth.”

3).  Jeremiah 29:13 says, “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

d. Proverbs 1:29, 30 “For they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.”

1). 2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof…”

2). The Supreme Court cases that as a matter of constitutional policy, hates the knowledge of God, will have nothing to do with his counsel and despises the reproof of His word  are too numerous to mention. I’m just speaking of the Judicial branch of our government.

3). In the Executive branch, just last year [Oct. 2006] there was an open homosexual, Mark Dybul, appointed to be the Global AIDS coordinator for the United States. While he raised his right hand to be sworn in at the White House by Secretary Condoleeza Rice, his homosexual partner held the Bible he rested his left hand on.

e. Proverbs 1:31 “Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.”

1).  Romans 1:18, 24, 26, 28 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;…Wherefore God also gave them up…For this cause God gave them up…And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind…”

f. Proverbs 1:32 “For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.”

g. The point I am making is that there comes a time after we have “set at naught all his counsel”, would have nothing to do with his reproof, hate his knowledge, refuse the fear of the Lord, have nothing to do with his counsel, and despise his reproof, there comes a time when, in a time of crying out to him, he will not hear, in fact he will laugh at us. I believe within many Supreme Court decisions our constitutional philosophy has done just that.

Psalm 2:5

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

1. “Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath…”

a. speak [1696 * dabar] [Strongs: To arrange; but used figuratively (of words) to speak; rarely in a destructive sense) to subdue:-]

b. wrath [639 * aph] [Strongs; The nose or nostril, from the face…ire, wrath, anger.]

c. I think it is fascinating when the speaking of a person of the Godhead begins as singular and ends up plural. Here in verse 5, “he” speaks in “his” sore displeasure, yet in verse 6 and 7, two different individuals are speaking.

2. “…and vex them in his sore displeasure.”

a. vex [926 * banal] [Strongs: To tremble inwardly, be or make suddenly alarmed] [2740 * charown] [A burning of anger, fierce, wrathful.]

b. What he will say next will cause the heathen, the kings and rulers of the world to be in sore displeasure, to tremble inwardly, to be suddenly alarmed.

Psalm 2:6

Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

a. This is of course the LORD speaking in his wrath and sore displeasure.

Psalm 2:7

I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.

1. “I will declare the decree…”

a. declare [5608 * caphar] [Strongs: To score with a mark as a tally or record, i.e., by impl., to inscribe, to recount.]

b. decree [2706 * chaq] [Strongs: An enactment, an appointment, (of time, space), commandment, appointed, bound, decree.]

c. In verse 6 the LORD is speaking. In verse 7, the king he has on Zion is speaking.

2. “…the LORD hath said unto me, thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.”

a. This verse is quoted twice in the New Testament; in Acts 13:33 and Hebrews 1:5. The passage in Acts 13:33 is not referring to Christ’s resurrection. The King James translators inserted the word “again” into the English translation, but it is not in the Greek text.

1). Acts 13:33 (KJV) “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.”

2). Interlinear Greek Text: Stephens 1550; George Ricker Berry. “God has fulfilled children their to us, having raised up Jesus; as also in the spalm second it has been written, Son my thou art, I today have begotten thee.”

b. Acts 13:33 is speaking of the ministry and Divine purpose of Jesus.

1). Deuteronomy 18:15 “The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken.”

2). Deuteronomy 18:18 “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.”

3). Acts 13:23 “Of this man’s seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus.”

c. I am reminded of what the angel Gabriel told Mary when he told her she was chosen by God to conceive and give birth to the Messiah.

1). Luke 1:30-33 “And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God.

And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

He shall be great, and shall be called the Son the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”

d. Remember also the prophetic moment of the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. It was prophesied in Zechariah and fulfilled in Jesus.

1). Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.”

2). Matthew 21:1-5 “And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,

Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall fine an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.

And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.

All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,

Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.”

d. The sum of the Scripture is this: The setting of God’s choice of King of Jerusalem was the birth and ministry of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah! The decree is Jesus is the King of Zion, the King of Jerusalem.  But he’s not finished yet, the next verse continues the declaration.