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.

10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.

11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

12 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

Why do the nations conspire[a]
    and the peoples plot(A) in vain?
The kings(B) of the earth rise up
    and the rulers band together
    against the Lord and against his anointed,(C) saying,
“Let us break their chains(D)
    and throw off their shackles.”(E)

The One enthroned(F) in heaven laughs;(G)
    the Lord scoffs at them.
He rebukes them in his anger(H)
    and terrifies them in his wrath,(I) saying,
“I have installed my king(J)
    on Zion,(K) my holy mountain.(L)

I will proclaim the Lord’s decree:

He said to me, “You are my son;(M)
    today I have become your father.(N)
Ask me,
    and I will make the nations(O) your inheritance,(P)
    the ends of the earth(Q) your possession.
You will break them with a rod of iron[b];(R)
    you will dash them to pieces(S) like pottery.(T)

10 Therefore, you kings, be wise;(U)
    be warned, you rulers(V) of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear(W)
    and celebrate his rule(X) with trembling.(Y)
12 Kiss his son,(Z) or he will be angry
    and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath(AA) can flare up in a moment.
    Blessed(AB) are all who take refuge(AC) in him.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 2:1 Hebrew; Septuagint rage
  2. Psalm 2:9 Or will rule them with an iron scepter (see Septuagint and Syriac)

The Messiah’s Triumph and Kingdom(A)

Why (B)do the [a]nations [b]rage,
And the people plot a [c]vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the (C)rulers take counsel together,
Against the Lord and against His (D)Anointed,[d] saying,
“Let (E)us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.”

He who sits in the heavens (F)shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.
Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,
And distress them in His deep displeasure:
“Yet I have [e]set My King
[f]On My holy hill of Zion.”

“I will declare the [g]decree:
The Lord has said to Me,
(G)‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
(H)You shall [h]break them with a rod of iron;
You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ”

10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
12 [i]Kiss the Son, lest [j]He be angry,
And you perish in the way,
When (I)His wrath is kindled but a little.
(J)Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 2:1 Gentiles
  2. Psalm 2:1 throng tumultuously
  3. Psalm 2:1 worthless or empty
  4. Psalm 2:2 Christ, Commissioned One, Heb. Messiah
  5. Psalm 2:6 Lit. installed
  6. Psalm 2:6 Lit. Upon Zion, the hill of My holiness
  7. Psalm 2:7 Or decree of the Lord: He said to Me
  8. Psalm 2:9 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Syr., Vg. rule (cf. Rev. 2:27)
  9. Psalm 2:12 LXX, Vg. Embrace discipline; Tg. Receive instruction
  10. Psalm 2:12 LXX the Lord

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

Read full chapter

“I have installed my king(A)
    on Zion,(B) my holy mountain.(C)

Read full chapter

“Yet I have [a]set My King
[b]On My holy hill of Zion.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 2:6 Lit. installed
  2. Psalm 2:6 Lit. Upon Zion, the hill of My holiness

Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?

He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

Read full chapter

Who may ascend the mountain(A) of the Lord?
    Who may stand in his holy place?(B)
The one who has clean hands(C) and a pure heart,(D)
    who does not trust in an idol(E)
    or swear by a false god.[a]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 24:4 Or swear falsely

(A)Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
He who has (B)clean hands and (C)a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor (D)sworn deceitfully.

Read full chapter

15 Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?

He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.

In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

Psalm 15

A psalm of David.

Lord, who may dwell(A) in your sacred tent?(B)
    Who may live on your holy mountain?(C)

The one whose walk is blameless,(D)
    who does what is righteous,
    who speaks the truth(E) from their heart;
whose tongue utters no slander,(F)
    who does no wrong to a neighbor,
    and casts no slur on others;
who despises a vile person
    but honors(G) those who fear the Lord;
who keeps an oath(H) even when it hurts,
    and does not change their mind;
who lends money to the poor without interest;(I)
    who does not accept a bribe(J) against the innocent.

Whoever does these things
    will never be shaken.(K)

The Character of Those Who May Dwell with the Lord

A Psalm of David.

15 Lord, (A)who may [a]abide in Your tabernacle?
Who may dwell in Your holy hill?

He who walks uprightly,
And works righteousness,
And speaks the (B)truth in his heart;
He who (C)does not backbite with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
(D)Nor does he [b]take up a reproach against his friend;
(E)In whose eyes a vile person is despised,
But he honors those who fear the Lord;
He who (F)swears to his own hurt and does not change;
He who does not put out his money at usury,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things (G)shall never be moved.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 15:1 sojourn
  2. Psalm 15:3 receive

48 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.

Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.

God is known in her palaces for a refuge.

For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together.

They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away.

Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail.

Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.

As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah.

We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple.

10 According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness.

11 Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments.

12 Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof.

13 Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following.

14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.

Psalm 48[a]

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah.

Great is the Lord,(A) and most worthy of praise,(B)
    in the city of our God,(C) his holy mountain.(D)

Beautiful(E) in its loftiness,
    the joy of the whole earth,
like the heights of Zaphon[b](F) is Mount Zion,(G)
    the city of the Great King.(H)
God is in her citadels;(I)
    he has shown himself to be her fortress.(J)

When the kings joined forces,
    when they advanced together,(K)
they saw her and were astounded;
    they fled in terror.(L)
Trembling seized(M) them there,
    pain like that of a woman in labor.(N)
You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish(O)
    shattered by an east wind.(P)

As we have heard,
    so we have seen
in the city of the Lord Almighty,
    in the city of our God:
God makes her secure
    forever.[c](Q)

Within your temple, O God,
    we meditate(R) on your unfailing love.(S)
10 Like your name,(T) O God,
    your praise reaches to the ends of the earth;(U)
    your right hand is filled with righteousness.
11 Mount Zion rejoices,
    the villages of Judah are glad
    because of your judgments.(V)

12 Walk about Zion, go around her,
    count her towers,(W)
13 consider well her ramparts,(X)
    view her citadels,(Y)
that you may tell of them
    to the next generation.(Z)

14 For this God is our God for ever and ever;
    he will be our guide(AA) even to the end.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 48:1 In Hebrew texts 48:1-14 is numbered 48:2-15.
  2. Psalm 48:2 Zaphon was the most sacred mountain of the Canaanites.
  3. Psalm 48:8 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

The Glory of God in Zion

A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

48 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised
In the (A)city of our God,
In His holy mountain.
(B)Beautiful in [a]elevation,
The joy of the whole earth,
Is Mount Zion on the sides of the north,
The city of the great King.
God is in her palaces;
He is known as her refuge.

For behold, (C)the kings assembled,
They passed by together.
They saw it, and so they marveled;
They were troubled, they hastened away.
Fear (D)took hold of them there,
And pain, as of a woman in birth pangs,
As when You break the (E)ships of Tarshish
With an east wind.

As we have heard,
So we have seen
In the city of the Lord of hosts,
In the city of our God:
God will (F)establish it forever. Selah

We have thought, O God, on (G)Your lovingkindness,
In the midst of Your temple.
10 According to (H)Your name, O God,
So is Your praise to the ends of the earth;
Your right hand is full of righteousness.
11 Let Mount Zion rejoice,
Let the daughters of Judah be glad,
Because of Your judgments.

12 Walk about Zion,
And go all around her.
Count her towers;
13 Mark well her bulwarks;
Consider her palaces;
That you may (I)tell it to the generation following.
14 For this is God,
Our God forever and ever;
(J)He will be our guide
[b]Even to death.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 48:2 height
  2. Psalm 48:14 So with MT, Syr.; LXX, Vg. Forever

And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.

Read full chapter

“In the greatness of your majesty(A)
    you threw down those who opposed you.
You unleashed your burning anger;(B)
    it consumed(C) them like stubble.

Read full chapter

And in the greatness of Your (A)excellence
You have overthrown those who rose against You;
You sent forth (B)Your wrath;
It (C)consumed them (D)like stubble.

Read full chapter

25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.

27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

Read full chapter

25 He will speak against the Most High(A) and oppress his holy people(B) and try to change the set times(C) and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time.[a](D)

26 “‘But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed(E) forever. 27 Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms(F) under heaven will be handed over to the holy people(G) of the Most High.(H) His kingdom will be an everlasting(I) kingdom, and all rulers will worship(J) and obey him.’

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 7:25 Or for a year, two years and half a year

25 (A)He shall speak pompous words against the Most High,
Shall (B)persecute[a] the saints of the Most High,
And shall (C)intend to change times and law.
Then (D)the saints shall be given into his hand
(E)For a time and times and half a time.

26 ‘But(F) the court shall be seated,
And they shall (G)take away his dominion,
To consume and destroy it forever.
27 Then the (H)kingdom and dominion,
And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven,
Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High.
(I)His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
(J)And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 7:25 Lit. wear out