Show Bible Commentary For A Bible Verse

Click here to show/hide instructions.

Selected Verse: Psalms 2:1 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ps 2:1	Strong Concordance	Why do the heathen [01471] rage [07283], and the people [03816] imagine [01897] a vain thing [07385]?
	King James	Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

Open All | Close All Open All | Close All

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
The number and authorship of this Psalm are stated (Act 4:25; Act 13:33). Though the warlike events of David's reign may have suggested its imagery, the scenes depicted and the subjects presented can only find a fulfilment in the history and character of Jesus Christ, to which, as above cited and in Heb 1:5; Heb 5:5, the New Testament writers most distinctly testify. In a most animated and highly poetical style, the writer, in "four stanzas of three verses each," sets forth the inveterate and furious, though futile, hostility of men to God and His anointed, God's determination to carry out His purpose, that purpose as stated more fully by His Son, the establishment of the Mediatorial kingdom, and the imminent danger of all who resist, as well as the blessing of all who welcome this mighty and triumphant king. (Psa 2:1-12) Why do the heathen, &c.--Beholding, in prophetic vision, the peoples and nations, as if in a tumultuous assembly, raging with a fury like the raging of the sea, designing to resist God's government, the writer breaks forth into an exclamation in which are mingled surprise at their folly, and indignation at their rebellion. heathen--nations generally, not as opposed to Jews. the people--or, literally, "peoples," or races of men.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

The number and authorship of this Psalm are stated (Act 4:25; Act 13:33). Though the warlike events of David's reign may have suggested its imagery, the scenes depicted and the subjects presented can only find a fulfilment in the history and character of Jesus Christ, to which, as above cited and in Heb 1:5; Heb 5:5, the New Testament writers most distinctly testify. In a most animated and highly poetical style, the writer, in "four stanzas of three verses each," sets forth the inveterate and furious, though futile, hostility of men to God and His anointed, God's determination to carry out His purpose, that purpose as stated more fully by His Son, the establishment of the Mediatorial kingdom, and the imminent danger of all who resist, as well as the blessing of all who welcome this mighty and triumphant king. (Psa 2:1-12)

Why do the heathen, &c.--Beholding, in prophetic vision, the peoples and nations, as if in a tumultuous assembly, raging with a fury like the raging of the sea, designing to resist God's government, the writer breaks forth into an exclamation in which are mingled surprise at their folly, and indignation at their rebellion.

heathen--nations generally, not as opposed to Jews.

the people--or, literally, "peoples," or races of men.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Why do the heathen rage - "Why do nations make a noise?" Prof. Alexander. The word "heathen" here - גוים gôyim - means properly "nations," with out respect, so far as the word is concerned, to the character of the nations. It was applied by the Hebrews to the surrounding nations, or to all other people than their own; and as those nations were in fact pagans, or idolators, the word came to have this signification. Neh 5:8; Jer 31:10; Eze 23:30; Eze 30:11; compare אדם 'âdâm, Jer 32:20. The word Gentile among the Hebrews (Greek, ἔθνος ethnos expressed the same thing. Mat 4:15; Mat 6:32; Mat 10:5, Mat 10:18; Mat 12:21, et soepe. The word rendered "rage" - רגשׁ râgash - means to make a noise or tumult, and would be expressive of violent commotion or agitation. It occurs in the Hebrew Scriptures only in this place, though the corresponding Chaldee word - רגשׁ regash is found in Dan 6:6, Dan 6:11, Dan 6:15 - rendered in Dan 6:6, "assembled together," in the margin "came tumultuously," - and in Dan 6:11, Dan 6:15, rendered "assembled." The psalmist here sees the nations in violent agitation or commotion, as if under high excitement, engaged in accomplishing some purpose - rushing on to secure something, or to prevent something. The image of a mob, or of a tumultuous unregulated assemblage, would probably convey the idea of the psalmist. The word itself does not enable us to determine how extensive this agitation would be, but it is evidently implied that it would be a somewhat general movement; a movement in which more than one nation or people would participate. The matter in hand was something that affected the nations generally, and which would produce violent agitation among them. And the people - לאמים Le'umiym. A word expressing substantially the same idea, that of people, or nations, and referring here to the same thing as the word rendered "heathen" - according to the laws of Hebrew parallelism in poetry. It is the people here that are seen in violent agitation: the conduct of the rulers, as associated with them, is referred to in the next verse. Imagine - Our word "imagine" does not precisely express the idea here. We mean by it, "to form a notion or idea in the mind; to fancy." Webster. The Hebrew word, הגה hâgâh, is the same which, in Psa 1:2, is rendered "meditate." See the notes at that verse. It means here that the mind is engaged in deliberating on it; that it plans, devises, or forms a purpose; - in other words, the persons referred to are thinking about some purpose which is here called a vain purpose; they are meditating some project which excites deep thought, but which cannot be effectual. A vain thing - That is, which will prove to be a vain thing, or a thing which they cannot accomplish. It cannot mean that they were engaged in forming plans which they supposed would be vain - for no persons would form such plans; but that they were engaged in designs which the result would show to be unsuccessful. The reference here is to the agitation among the nations in respect to the divine purpose to set up the Messiah as king over the world, and to the opposition which this would create among the nations of the earth. See the notes at Psa 2:2. An ample fulfillment of this occurred in the opposition to him when he came in the flesh, and in the resistance everywhere made since his death to his reign upon the earth. Nothing has produced more agitation in the world (compare Act 17:6), and nothing still excites more determined resistance. The truths taught in this verse are: (1) that sinners are opposed - even so much as to produce violent agitation of mind, and a fixed and determined purpose - to the plans and decrees of God, especially with respect to the reign of the Messiah; and (2) that their plans to resist this will be vain and ineffectual; wisely as their schemes may seem to be laid, and determined as they themselves are in regard to their execution, yet they must find them vain. What is implied here of the particular plans against the Messiah, is true of all the purposes of sinners, when they array themselves against the government of God.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
The Psalm begins with a seven line strophe, ruled by an interrogative Wherefore. The mischievous undertaking condemns itself, It is groundless and fruitless. This certainty is expressed, with a tinge of involuntary astonishment, in the question. למּה followed by a praet. enquires the ground of such lawlessness: wherefore have the peoples banded together so tumultuously (Aquila: ἐθορυβήθησαν)? and followed by a fut., the aim of this ineffectual action: wherefore do they imagine emptiness? ריק might be adverbial and equivalent to לריק, but it is here, as in Psa 4:3, a governed accusative; for הגה which signifies in itself only quiet inward musing and yearning, expressing itself by a dull muttering (here: something deceitful, as in Psa 38:13), requires an object. By this ריק the involuntary astonishment of the question justifies itself: to what purpose is this empty affair, i.e., devoid of reason and continuance? For the psalmist, himself a subject and member of the divine kingdom, is too well acquainted with Jahve and His Anointed not to recognise beforehand the unwarrantableness and impotency of such rebellion. That these two things are kept in view, is implied by Psa 2:2, which further depicts the position of affairs without being subordinated to the למה. The fut. describes what is going on at the present time: they set themselves in position, they take up a defiant position (התיצּב as in Sa1 17:16), after which we again (comp. the reverse order in Psa 83:6) have a transition to the perf. which is the more uncoloured expression of the actual: נוסד (with יחד as the exponent of reciprocity) prop. to press close and firm upon one another, then (like Arab. sâwada, which, according to the correct observation of the Turkish Kamus, in its signification clam cum aliquo locutus est, starts from the very same primary meaning of pressing close to any object): to deliberate confidentially together (as Psa 31:14 and נועץ Psa 71:10). The subjects מלכי־ארץ and רוזנים (according to the Arabic razuna, to be weighty: the grave, dignitaries, σεμνοί, augusti) are only in accordance with the poetic style without the article. It is a general rising of the people of the earth against Jahve and His משׁיח, Χριστὸς, the king anointed by Him by means of the holy oil and most intimately allied to Him. The psalmist hears (Psa 2:3) the decision of the deliberating princes. The pathetic suff. êmō instead of êhém refers back to Jahve and His Anointed. The cohortatives express the mutual kindling of feeling; the sound and rhythm of the exclamation correspond to the dull murmur of hatred and threatening defiance: the rhythm is iambic, and then anapaestic. First they determine to break asunder the fetters (מוסרות = מאסרות) to which the את, which is significant in the poetical style, points, then to cast away the cords from them (ממּנוּ a nobis, this is the Palestinian mode of writing, whereas the Babylonians said and wrote mimeenuw a nobis in distinction from ממּנוּ ab eo, B. Sota 35a) partly with the vexation of captives, partly with the triumph of freedmen. They are, therefore, at present subjects of Jahve and His Anointed, and not merely because the whole world is Jahve's, but because He has helped His Anointed to obtain dominion over them. It is a battle for freedom, upon which they are entering, but a freedom that is opposed to God.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Heathen - Who did so against David, Sa2 5:6, Sa2 5:17; Ch1 14:8, and against Christ, Luk 18:32; Act 4:25, &c.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Why do the heathen rage - It has been supposed that David composed this Psalm after he had taken Jerusalem from the Jebusites, and made it the head of the kingdom; Sa2 5:7-9. The Philistines, hearing this, encamped in the valley of Rephaim, nigh to Jerusalem, and Josephus, Antiq. lib. 7: c. 4, says that all Syria, Phoenicia, and the other circumjacent warlike people, united their armies to those of the Philistines, in order to destroy David before he had strengthened himself in the kingdom. David, having consulted the Lord, Sa2 5:17-19, gave them battle, and totally overthrew the whole of his enemies. In the first place, therefore, we may suppose that this Psalm was written to celebrate the taking of Jerusalem, and the overthrow of all the kings and chiefs of the neighboring nations. In the second place we find from the use made of this Psalm by the apostles, Act 4:27, that David typified Jesus Christ; and that the Psalm celebrates the victories of the Gospel over the Philistine Jews, and all the confederate power of the heathen governors of the Roman empire. The heathen, גוים goyim, the nations; those who are commonly called the Gentiles. Rage, רגשו rageshu, the gnashing of teeth, and tumultuously rushing together, of those indignant and cruel people, are well expressed by the sound as well as the meaning of the original word. A vain thing. Vain indeed to prevent the spread of the Gospel in the world. To prevent Jesus Christ, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, from having the empire of his own earth. So vain were their endeavors that every effort only tended to open and enlarge the way for the all-conquering sway of the scepter of righteousness.

Top

¹ Why do the heathen [01471] rage [07283], and the people [03816] imagine [01897] a vain thing [07385]?
² The kings [04428] of the earth [0776] set [03320] themselves, and the rulers [07336] take counsel [03245] together [03162], against the LORD [03068], and against his anointed [04899], saying,
³ Let us break [05423] their bands [04147] asunder [05423], and cast away [07993] their cords [05688] from us.
⁴ He that sitteth [03427] in the heavens [08064] shall laugh [07832]: the Lord [0136] shall have them in derision [03932].
⁵ Then shall he speak [01696] unto them in his wrath [0639], and vex [0926] them in his sore displeasure [02740].
⁶ Yet have I set [05258] my king [04428] upon my holy [06944] hill [02022] of Zion [06726].
⁷ I will declare [05608] the decree [02706]: the LORD [03068] hath said [0559] unto me, Thou art my Son [01121]; this day [03117] have I begotten [03205] thee.
⁸ Ask [07592] of me, and I shall give [05414] thee the heathen [01471] for thine inheritance [05159], and the uttermost parts [0657] of the earth [0776] for thy possession [0272].
⁹ Thou shalt break [07489] them with a rod [07626] of iron [01270]; thou shalt dash them in pieces [05310] like a potter's [03335] vessel [03627].
¹⁰ Be wise [07919] now therefore, O ye kings [04428]: be instructed [03256], ye judges [08199] of the earth [0776].
¹¹ Serve [05647] the LORD [03068] with fear [03374], and rejoice [01523] with trembling [07461].
¹² Kiss [05401] the Son [01248], lest he be angry [0599], and ye perish [06] from the way [01870], when his wrath [0639] is kindled [01197] but a little [04592]. Blessed [0835] are all they that put their trust [02620] in him.

⁵ So [3779] also [2532] Christ [5547] glorified [1392] not [3756] himself [1438] to be made [1096] an high priest [749]; but [235] he that said [2980] unto [4314] him [846], Thou [4771] art [1488] my [3450] Son [5207], to day [4594] have [1080] I [1473] begotten [1080] thee [4571].

⁵ For [1063] unto which [5101] of the angels [32] said he [2036] at any time [4218], Thou [4771] art [1488] my [3450] Son [5207], this day [4594] have [1080] I [1473] begotten [1080] thee [4571]? And [2532] again [3825], I [1473] will be [2071] to [1519] him [846] a Father [3962], and [2532] he [846] shall be [2071] to [1519] me [3427] a Son [5207]?

³³ God [2316] hath fulfilled [1603] the same [5026] unto us [2254] their [846] children [5043], in that he hath raised up [450] Jesus [2424] again [450]; as [5613] it is [1125] also [2532] written [1125] in [1722] the second [1208] psalm [5568], Thou [4771] art [1488] my [3450] Son [5207], this day [4594] have I [1473] begotten [1080] thee [4571].

²⁵ Who [3588] by [1223] the mouth [4750] of thy [4675] servant [3816] David [1138] hast said [2036], Why [2444] did [5433] the heathen [1484] rage [5433], and [2532] the people [2992] imagine [3191] vain things [2756]?

⁶ And [1161] when they found [2147] them [846] not [3361], they drew [4951] Jason [2394] and [2532] certain [5100] brethren [80] unto [1909] the rulers of the city [4173], crying [994], [3754] These [3778] that have turned [387] the world [3625] upside down [387] are come [3918] hither [1759] also [2532];

² The kings [04428] of the earth [0776] set [03320] themselves, and the rulers [07336] take counsel [03245] together [03162], against the LORD [03068], and against his anointed [04899], saying,

² But his delight [02656] is in the law [08451] of the LORD [03068]; and in his law [08451] doth he meditate [01897] day [03119] and night [03915].

¹⁵ Then [0116] these [0479] men [01400] assembled [07284] unto [05922] the king [04430], and said [0560] unto the king [04430], Know [03046], O king [04430], that the law [01882] of the Medes [04076] and Persians [06540] is, That no [03606] decree [0633] nor statute [07010] which the king [04430] establisheth [06966] may be changed [08133].

¹¹ Then [0116] these [0479] men [01400] assembled [07284], and found [07912] Daniel [01841] praying [01156] and making supplication [02604] before [06925] his God [0426].

⁶ Then [0116] these [0459] presidents [05632] and princes [0324] assembled together [07284] to the king [04430], and said [0560] thus [03652] unto him [05922], King [04430] Darius [01868], live [02418] for ever [05957].

¹¹ Then [0116] these [0479] men [01400] assembled [07284], and found [07912] Daniel [01841] praying [01156] and making supplication [02604] before [06925] his God [0426].

²¹ And [2532] in [1722] his [846] name [3686] shall [1679] the Gentiles [1484] trust [1679].

¹⁸ And [2532] ye shall be brought [71] before [1909] governors [2232] and [2532] [1161] kings [935] for my [1752] sake [1700], for [1519] a testimony [3142] against them [846] and [2532] the Gentiles [1484].

⁵ These [5128] twelve [1427] Jesus [2424] sent forth [649], and commanded [3853] them [846], saying [3004], Go [565] not [3361] into [1519] the way [3598] of the Gentiles [1484], and [2532] into [1519] any city [4172] of the Samaritans [4541] enter ye [1525] not [3361]:

³² (For [1063] after [1934] all [3956] these things [5023] do the Gentiles [1484] seek [1934] for [1063] your [5216] heavenly [3770] Father [3962] knoweth [1492] that [3754] ye have need [5535] of all [537] these things [5130].

¹⁵ The land [1093] of Zabulon [2194], and [2532] the land [1093] of Nephthalim [3508], by the way [3598] of the sea [2281], beyond [4008] Jordan [2446], Galilee [1056] of the Gentiles [1484];

²⁰ Which hast set [07760] signs [0226] and wonders [04159] in the land [0776] of Egypt [04714], even unto this day [03117], and in Israel [03478], and among other men [0120]; and hast made [06213] thee a name [08034], as at this day [03117];

¹¹ He and his people [05971] with him, the terrible [06184] of the nations [01471], shall be brought [0935] to destroy [07843] the land [0776]: and they shall draw [07324] their swords [02719] against Egypt [04714], and fill [04390] the land [0776] with the slain [02491].

³⁰ I will do [06213] these things unto thee, because thou hast gone a whoring [02181] after [0310] the heathen [01471], and because thou art polluted [02930] with their idols [01544].

¹⁰ Hear [08085] the word [01697] of the LORD [03068], O ye nations [01471], and declare [05046] it in the isles [0339] afar off [04801], and say [0559], He that scattered [02219] Israel [03478] will gather [06908] him, and keep [08104] him, as a shepherd [07462] doth his flock [05739].

⁸ And I said [0559] unto them, We after our ability [01767] have redeemed [07069] our brethren [0251] the Jews [03064], which were sold [04376] unto the heathen [01471]; and will ye even sell [04376] your brethren [0251]? or shall they be sold [04376] unto us? Then held they their peace [02790], and found [04672] nothing [01697] to answer.

³ Let us break [05423] their bands [04147] asunder [05423], and cast away [07993] their cords [05688] from us.

¹⁰ For mine enemies [0341] speak [0559] against me; and they that lay wait [08104] for my soul [05315] take counsel [03289] together [03162],

¹⁴ But I trusted [0982] in thee, O LORD [03068]: I said [0559], Thou art my God [0430].

⁶ The tabernacles [0168] of Edom [0123], and the Ishmaelites [03459]; of Moab [04124], and the Hagarenes [01905];

¹⁶ And the Philistine [06430] drew near [05066] morning [07925] and evening [06150], and presented [03320] himself forty [0705] days [03117].

² The kings [04428] of the earth [0776] set [03320] themselves, and the rulers [07336] take counsel [03245] together [03162], against the LORD [03068], and against his anointed [04899], saying,

¹³ But I, as a deaf [02795] man, heard [08085] not; and I was as a dumb man [0483] that openeth [06605] not his mouth [06310].

³ But know [03045] that the LORD [03068] hath set apart [06395] him that is godly [02623] for himself: the LORD [03068] will hear [08085] when I call [07121] unto him.

³² For [1063] he shall be delivered [3860] unto the Gentiles [1484], and [2532] shall be mocked [1702], and [2532] spitefully entreated [5195], and [2532] spitted on [1716]:

⁸ And when the Philistines [06430] heard [08085] that David [01732] was anointed [04886] king [04428] over all Israel [03478], all the Philistines [06430] went up [05927] to seek [01245] David [01732]. And David [01732] heard [08085] of it, and went out [03318] against [06440] them.

⁶ And the king [04428] and his men [0582] went [03212] to Jerusalem [03389] unto the Jebusites [02983], the inhabitants [03427] of the land [0776]: which spake [0559] unto David [01732], saying [0559], Except thou take away [05493] the blind [05787] and the lame [06455], thou shalt not come in [0935] hither: thinking [0559], David [01732] cannot come in [0935] hither.

²⁷ For [1063] of [1909] a truth [225] against [1909] thy [4675] holy [40] child [3816] Jesus [2424], whom [3739] thou hast anointed [5548], both [5037] Herod [2264], and [2532] Pontius [4194] Pilate [4091], with [4862] the Gentiles [1484], and [2532] the people [2992] of Israel [2474], were gathered together [4863],

¹⁷ But when the Philistines [06430] heard [08085] that they had anointed [04886] David [01732] king [04428] over Israel [03478], all the Philistines [06430] came up [05927] to seek [01245] David [01732]; and David [01732] heard [08085] of it, and went down [03381] to the hold [04686].
¹⁸ The Philistines [06430] also came [0935] and spread [05203] themselves in the valley [06010] of Rephaim [07497].
¹⁹ And David [01732] enquired [07592] of the LORD [03068], saying [0559], Shall I go up [05927] to the Philistines [06430]? wilt thou deliver [05414] them into mine hand [03027]? And the LORD [03068] said [0559] unto David [01732], Go up [05927]: for I will doubtless [05414] deliver [05414] the Philistines [06430] into thine hand [03027].

⁷ Nevertheless David [01732] took [03920] the strong hold [04686] of Zion [06726]: the same is the city [05892] of David [01732].
⁸ And David [01732] said [0559] on that day [03117], Whosoever getteth up [05060] to the gutter [06794], and smiteth [05221] the Jebusites [02983], and the lame [06455] and the blind [05787], that are hated [08130] of David's [01732] soul [05315], he shall be chief and captain. Wherefore they said [0559], The blind [05787] and the lame [06455] shall not come [0935] into the house [01004].
⁹ So David [01732] dwelt [03427] in the fort [04686], and called [07121] it the city [05892] of David [01732]. And David [01732] built [01129] round about [05439] from Millo [04407] and inward [01004].