Psalm 2

Common English Bible

Psalm 2

2 Why do the nations rant?
    Why do the peoples rave uselessly?
²The earth’s rulers take their stand;
    the leaders scheme together
    against the Lord and
    against his anointed one.
³        “Come!” they say.
        “We will tear off their ropes
        and throw off their chains!”
⁴The one who rules in heaven laughs;
    my Lord makes fun of them.
⁵But then God speaks to them angrily;
    then he terrifies them with his fury:
⁶        “I hereby appoint my king on Zion,
        my holy mountain!”

⁷I will announce the Lord’s decision:
    He said to me, “You are my son,
        today I have become your father.
⁸Just ask me,
    and I will make the nations your possession;
    the far corners of the earth will be your property.
⁹You will smash them with an iron rod;
    you will shatter them like a pottery jar.”

¹⁰So kings, wise up!
    Be warned, you rulers of the earth!
¹¹Serve the Lord reverently—
    trembling, ¹²kiss his feet^[a]
        or else he will become angry,
        and your way will be destroyed
    because his anger ignites in an instant.

But all who take refuge in the Lord are truly happy!

Footnotes

Psalm 2:12 Correction; Heb uncertain; MT rejoice with trembling, kiss the son (but with son in Aram, not Heb)

Psalm 24

Common English Bible

Psalm 24

A psalm of David.

24 The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it,
the world and its inhabitants too.
²Because God is the one who established it on the seas;
God set it firmly on the waters.

³Who can ascend the Lord’s mountain?
    Who can stand in his holy sanctuary?
⁴Only the one with clean hands and a pure heart;
    the one who hasn’t made false promises,
    the one who hasn’t sworn dishonestly.
⁵That kind of person receives blessings from the Lord
    and righteousness from the God who saves.
⁶And that’s how things are
    with the generation that seeks him—
    that seeks the face of Jacob’s God.^[a] Selah

⁷Mighty gates: lift up your heads!
    Ancient doors: rise up high!
        So the glorious king can enter!
⁸Who is this glorious king?
    The Lord—strong and powerful!
    The Lord—powerful in battle!
⁹Mighty gates: lift up your heads!
    Ancient doors: rise up high!
        So the glorious king can enter!
¹⁰Who is this glorious king?
    The Lord of heavenly forces—
        he is the glorious king! Selah