1 Why are the nations in an uproar
And the peoples devising a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers take counsel together
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!”
4 He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”
The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”
Message: Opposing the Lord and His Anointed
Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a
thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been
compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor
shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.
What the Lord is Saying:
The Plot
At my first glance, this is a Psalm written about the Lord and His Anointed. The world or non followers are not pleased with the Lord. They are in an uproar, devising, taking their stand and counsel against the Lord and His Anointed.
Can I take it? Am I willing to accept that my faith will be unwelcome by many but the Lord will give me strength? The non-Israelites assemble together and get in a rage. They are angry. They are bothered. It is the heathen, the kings, the rules that are forming this opposition. They were engaged in designing something but the result would be in vain.
I wonder sometimes if I somewhat dance around my faith because to be completely authentic would be unpopular. I think of people like Kirk Cameron who has been very clear about his beliefs and proclaiming his faith and that is unpopular. People make fun of him. It's kind of like the atheist guy I've been talking to. He says I can believe what I want, "Go Ahead," but keep it to myself.
Verse 1 refers to the nation or heathen. It is broad, but verse 2 is more specific and refers to the kings of the earth and rulers coming together. Rulers generally have each their own agenda, but here in this matter, they are coming together. They are against God. And they are against who is has anointed. Many believe that the Anointed One is Jesus or the Messiah. It is definitely someone that, at this time, the people were against. It was someone designated by God.
Verse 3 mentions, "Let us tear their fetters apart" or "Let us break their bands asunder." There was a goal that God and His anointed had, a unity, a coming together that the rulers were threatened by and wanted to break apart. And there was concern of the cords that would be bound by those following the Lord and His anointed. People would come together and make a strong cord following the Lord and His anointed.
The Plot Thwarted
God allows the plots of man to work out their infinite folly to their own shame.
While men rage and are tumultuous in opposing his plans (verse 1 and 2), God sits calm and undisturbed in his own heaven (verse 4 and 5). I see this very often as people will attach religion and faith over and over. People spend their lives discrediting it while just assuming that their way is the right way. God laughs. He proceeds in a calm manner executing his plans.
I find that it is interesting here in that the response to the rulers devising a plan is the Lord reasserts His plan. We can trust that God has things under control. I think often we are too quick to feel like we must defend God and belittle people. God has it in his control. He knows what to do. We are to follow His commands and continue to love people and share the Gospel truth with them.
God will speak to them. He will terrify them. They are to submit and surrender to Him and it is very important that they get the right message of the Gospel. God will deal with people's sins.
God has installed My King or My Messiah (verse 6). This is spoken like it is already completed. The nations, kings of the earth, rulers had their plans, but God has his. The holy hill of Zion is the highest point of the hills of Jerusalem.
Promise: God will defeat His enemies and ours.
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