On Psalm II
Argumentum
David makes a general complaint to God that, although he was given a kingdom from above, the nations and people envy him, turning against him in defiance. Similarly, Christ speaks here of His own passion and power. This can be read in the Gospel according to Luke.
Explanation
David’s name is interpreted to mean "the strong hand" or "desirable one," which applies even more appropriately to the all-powerful Christ, who is truly the strongest and is to be desired above all. The prophecy speaks of His passion, and the Lord Himself will proclaim these words. Among the Hebrews, this psalm does not have a title, but it is seen as a continuation of the previous psalm, beginning and ending in blessedness. The psalm is divided into four parts.
- The first part is a prophecy concerning the Jews, regarding Christ's passion.
- The second speaks of the deceit of the Jews.
- The third contains the words of the Lord the Savior about His omnipotent reign and His ineffable generation, as much as human understanding can grasp.
- The fourth part includes the prophet’s exhortation to the nations, urging them to convert to the Christian faith and recognize the majesty of the Lord.
Commentary
"Why have the nations raged?" This prophecy introduces a rebuke against the Jews and the nations who did not recognize the medicine of salvation but instead irrationally raged against the victorious one during His passion. This passage speaks of both Christ’s passion and the opposition to His reign. The Jews, driven by their wicked desire, opposed Him to avoid losing their place and nation, and after His death, they feared others would follow Him. Their wicked reason for opposing Him was to preserve their place and nation, but they were destroyed by Titus and Vespasian, and the Jewish people were dispersed into captivity throughout the world. Because they did not believe in His resurrection, they crucified Him; but He rose again. After His resurrection, He ascended and sent the Holy Spirit, who enlightened the hearts of the apostles and spread their teaching so widely that nearly the whole world followed Him.
Therefore, it is proven that there is no wisdom, no prudence, and no counsel against the Lord. This psalm is closely related to the previous one, for it also refers to Christ as the Head. The psalm conveys a message similar to the previous one but in a slightly different form, mentioning the Son here and elsewhere. The intention of this psalm is to encourage the faithful by the example of the Head (Christ) so that, while enduring suffering now, they may also reign with Him in the future. As the Apostle says, "If we suffer with Him, we shall also be glorified with Him."
This admonition is also connected to the previous message, urging us to rise from the threefold death of the soul: through temptation, consent to sin, and sinning itself. Just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly man. This interpretation does not contradict what is said in the Acts of the Apostles, where Peter cites this psalm. Although this psalm is called the "first," it does not refer to its chronological position but to its introduction of new themes. The Psalms of David, like this one, are defined by their content and structure, as a "psalm" is a hymn composed with meter, like the sound of an organ, symbolizing divine virtue. The words of this psalm are both metric and in Hebrew, and they speak of divine virtue by pointing to the passion, resurrection, and reign of Christ, through which His eternal kingdom is revealed.
On the Nature of Psalms
The term "psalm" refers to action, similar to how a musical instrument is played by striking its strings with fingers or a plectrum. Thus, the word "psalm" refers to divine virtues that are revealed through the passion, resurrection, and reign of Christ. This psalm does not merely refer to an earthly David but to Christ, who is truly the "strong hand" because He bound the devil and took from him his spoils—that is, the realm of death and sin—and led captive those who had been held in bondage by the first parent (Adam). Moreover, Christ distributed the spoils of His victory to His Church, granting some the grace of prophecy, others the grace of apostleship, and others various spiritual gifts.
Christ is also the "most desirable" one, for whom even the angels long to look upon, as it is written: "The whole earth desires to see His face" (Psalm 67:5), and "He is fairer than the children of men" (Psalm 45:2). This beauty refers not only to His divinity but also to His humanity, for there is nothing in Him, even according to His flesh, that is not worthy of being revered and embraced. He was completely without sin and possessed all virtues in their fullness.
This psalm continues the theme of the previous one if we read it in the voice of the Head (Christ), where it shifts from speaking in the third person to speaking in the first person, as often happens in scripture: "I, through whom all things prosper, and who have clothed all my enemies with shame, am here, ready to be magnified and to do all good things." Therefore, why do the nations rage against me?
If we read the psalm in the voice of the prophet, it may continue this way: "I, of whom my prophet has spoken so many great things, saying that I delight not in the counsel of the ungodly, but in the law of the Lord, am here to bring salvation to all humanity." So why do the nations rage?
The Rulers of the Earth
"The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His anointed." Here, not only do the common people rage, but even the rulers—those who should know better—set themselves against the Lord. They seek to break the bonds of Christian teaching and cast away the yoke of His authority, rejecting Christ’s rule over them.
"He that sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall have them in derision." God, who dwells in heaven, laughs at their folly. This laughter is not human but signifies the futility of their rebellion. Their attempts will fail, for the Lord will have them in derision and bring them to judgment.
"Then shall He speak to them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure." In the end, God's wrath will manifest, and He will rebuke them for their opposition, causing them great confusion. His wrath is not like human anger, but it is His just and deliberate action to vindicate righteousness.
Conclusion
The psalm concludes with a divine decree: "I have set My King upon My holy hill of Zion." This refers to Christ, whom God has established as King over His Church, the new Zion. Christ proclaims: "The Lord said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten You.’" This refers to the eternal generation of the Son by the Father. Christ is given the nations as His inheritance, and He will rule them with justice, symbolized by a rod of iron.
The psalm ends with a call to the kings and judges of the earth: "Be wise now, therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling." This is an exhortation to humility and reverence before God. They are told to "kiss the Son," a gesture of submission, lest they perish in their pride. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
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