Sunday Scripture

 

 It's time for another Sunday Scripture!  This is the second post of what will be an ongoing series on my simple study of Psalms.  You can see a copy of the journal here: The Book of Psalms 1-50 or you can find all the resources right here on Women Living Well, Psalms 1-50.  I'm attempting to SOAP each Psalm too, though some of them are longer so I will likely only do a selected passage from many of them. [Quick reminder that S stands for Scripture; O stands for for observation; A stands for application, and P stands for prayer.]  Each psalm's study also includes a reflection question, which I will attempt to journal an answer to.  Today's study is from Psalm 2. 

S= "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 
"The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against His Anointed, saying,
"Let us break Their bands asunder, and cast away Their cords from us.
"He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; the LORD shall have them in derision.
"Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure.
"Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion.
"I will declare the decree; the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee.
"Ask of me, and I shall give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession.
"Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
"Be wise now therefore, O ye kings; be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
"Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
"Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little.  Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him."  (Psalm 2)

O= Psalm 2, along with more than a dozen other psalms, is generally considered to be Messianic -- a psalm that, either as a whole or in part, points to the Messiah.

C.I. Scofield, in the Scofield Study Bible, gives this psalm a title of "Christ, the coming King".

The Daily Walk Bible, which is my favorite way to read through the Bible in a year, summarizes this psalm: "Psalm 2 describes the world's rulers gathered  together.  With great fury and indignation they shake their fists in the face of God and threaten to overthrow His rule (v.2-3).  And what is God's response to their impressive show of power and independence?  A cosmic guffaw, loud enough to shake the heavens (v.4) at the absurdity of the nations' rejecting the sovereign Creator who fashioned them!  From God's perspective, it is a fool indeed who will not fall down and acknowledge His greatness."

Cross-references for "rulers" (v.2) -- "Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against Him, how they might destroy Him."  (Matthew 12:14)

"Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiphas, and consulted that they might take Jesus by subtlety, and kill Him."  (Matthew 26:3-4)

"And the Pharisees went forth and straightway took counsel against Him, that they might destroy Him."  (Mark 3:6)

"And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His doctrine." (Mark 11:18)

Cross-reference for "anointed" (v.2) --  "For Thou wilt not leave my soul in sheol, neither wilt thou permit Thine Holy One to see corruption."  (Psalm 16:18)

Cross-reference for "vex them" (v.5) -- "The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a booth; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it, and it shall fall, and not rise again."  (Isaiah 24:20)

Cross-reference for "King" (v.6) -- "In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the angel of the LORD before them."  (Zechariah 12:8)

Cross- references for "holy hill" (v.6) -- "Now I know that the LORD saveth His anointed; He will hear him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand."  (Psalm 20:6)

"Thus saith the LORD: I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, the holy mountain."  (Zechariah 8:3)

Cross-references for "Thou art My Son" (v.7) -- "God hath fulfilled the same unto us ... 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."  (Acts 13:33)

"For unto which of the angels saith He at any time, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee?  And again, I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son?"  (Hebrews 1:3)

"So also Christ glorified not Himself to be made an high priest, but He that said unto Him, Thou art my Son, today have I begotten thee."  (Hebrews 5:5)

Cross-reference for "Thou shalt break them" (v. 9) -- "Who is this King of glory?  The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory.  Selah."

Cross-reference for "dash them in pieces" (v.9) -- "For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one who is proud and lofty, and upon every one who is lifted up, and he shall be brought low."  (Isaiah 2:12)

Cross-reference for "put their trust" (v.12) -- "The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped.  Therefore, my heart greatly rejoiceth, and with my song will I praise Him."  (Psalm 28:7)

Note on "trust" (v. 12) -- "Trust is the characteristic Old Testament word for the New Testament 'faith' and 'believe'.  It occurs 152 times in the Old Testament, and is the rendering of Hebrew words signifying to take refuge in, to lean on, to roll on, to wait for."

Another note concerning trust: "The essence of faith consists in believing and receiving what God has revealed, and may be defined as that trust in the God of the Scriptures and in Jesus Christ whom He has sent, which receives Him as Lord and Savior and impels to loving obedience and good works."  -- C.I. Scofield

A= Warren Wiersbe comments in With the Word, "God is on His throne and has everything in control.  When the world's noise frightens you, turn to the Lord and let Him take over.  Over the noise of the nations, listen for the assuring voice of God."  This is such a meaningful thought to me right now, with our world in such turmoil.  It's so calming to make the effort to listen for the assuring voice of God.

The Daily Walk Bible suggests that we look through a newspaper and then: "Over each frightening or discouraging headline, write these words: GOD IS IN CONTROL!"  Our headlines over the past few years have often been discouraging and at times terrifying.  Things are intensifying as we seem to be nearing a pivotal point in history.  Yet we can have that reverential trust in God.  We can know that He is in full control, and absolutely sovereign over the rulers of the earth.

P= "Lord, how thankful I am for the truths expressed in this psalm!  It is such a comfort to be reminded that You are sovereign over all the world's rulers.  You will only allow them to go so far in their rebellion against You.  I praise You that I can safely trust in You no matter how scary things may become.  I thank and praise You that You have a plan, and that plan will not be thwarted.  I pray in the matchless name of Jesus, Amen."

Reflection question:  In what ways do you fear God, and how does that affect your daily life?

My thoughts: A note in the Scofield Study Bible explains, "The 'fear of the LORD' is an Old Testament expression meaning reverential trust, including the hatred of evil."

I believe that I am growing every day in that area of reverential trust in God.  I find myself seeing more and more that much of life in this world is literally a battle between good and evil.  This reverential trust can and should affect my every action and reaction as I go about my daily life.  Am I fully there yet?  No, because we should be continuing to grow spiritually until the day we die.

So there is this week's Sunday Scripture.  I hope that it's a blessing to you, my readers and friends.