Page images
PDF
EPUB

PSALM II.

OF DAVID. A PROPHECY, concerning CHRIST THE LORD, and THE CALLING OF THE GENTILES.-Arab. Title.

1. Why did the Gentiles rage,

And the Peoples imagine vanity? 2. The Kings of the land confederated, And the Rulers were assembled together, Against THE LORD and against IIIS MESSIAH:

3. "Let us break their bands asunder,

"And cast away their yoke from Us.” 4. He that sitteth in the Heavens shall smile,

And THE REGENT shall deride them; 5. Then shall he speak to them in his wrath,

And terrify them in his anger:

6. "Nevertheless, I was ordained KING, "On Sion my holy Mount:

7. "I will declare GoD's decree :

"THE LORD said unto me, " THOU

[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

S. "Ask of Me, and I will give Thee, The Gentiles for thine inheritance, "And the ends of the Earth, thy pos

"session;

9. "Thou shalt rule them with an iron scep

"tre,

“And crush them like a potter's vessel.” 10. Ponder now therefore, O ye Kings,

Be instructed, ye Judges of the Earth! 11. Serve THE LORD with fear,

And rejoice in HIM with trembling: 12. Kiss THE SON [also] lest he be angry; And [so] ye perish from the way [of life], If his wrath be kindled even a little : Blessed are all that trust in HIM.

REMARKS.

THIS prophecy of the royal psalmist, furnishes a third link to that noble chain, descriptive of the MESSIAH's august character; begun through Nathan, seconded through Ethan, and "in divers degrees and

[ocr errors]

sundry ways," extended and completed through the succeeding prophets, Isaiah, Micah, Hosea, Jeremiah, Daniel, &c. " until "vision and prophecy were sealed," by our LORD

LORD and his apostles. This seems designed more particularly to illustrate the nature of his Sonship, and also of his rejection and persecution, which were briefly, obscurely, and as it were incidentally, noticed in the first prophecy of Nathan. "He shall be to me "a Son"-" whosoever [shall be concerned] "in injuring Him," &c. and not fully unfolded in the second, of Ethan.

In interpreting this prophecy, we are not left to surmise or conjecture touching its real meaning and application: The HOLY SPIRIT himself, has furnished the true and infallible key thereto, in that admirable commentary of the apostles thereon, Acts iv. 24-31, suggested by his immediate influence: during which," with one accord, they lifted 66 up their voice to GOD, and said, LORD,

(AEOTOTα,) Thou art THE GOD who madest "the heaven and the earth and the sea, and "all things therein: who, through the mouth

66

of David thy servant didst say:

Why did the GENTILES rage, "And THE PEOPLES imagine vanity? "The KINGS of the land confederated, "And THE RULERS were affembled together,

66

Againf THE LORD and against his CHRIST."

"For

"For, in truth, both HEROD and PON"TIUS PILATE, with the GENTILES, and "PEOPLES OF ISRAEL, were assembled to

66

gether against thy holy child JESUS, whom "thou didst ANOINT: to do whatsoever thy "council predetermined to happen, &c.

"And when they had prayed, the place "wherein they were assembled together was shaken, and all were filled with THE HOLY "GHOST," &c.

66

"the

In this clear, distinct, and authoritative commentary, "the Gentiles" are intimated to be the Romans; "the peoples," the peoples of Israel, or the Jews; "the kings of the "land;" Herod and Pontius Pilate ; "rulers," the Jewish sanhedrim or council; and "the Lord's CHRIST"-His Holy Child JESUS, whom He anointed, or ordained, to be MESSIAH, REGENT, or KING.

Following this admirable clue, we shall be the better enabled to understand and explain the Hebrew text:

Verse 1." The Gentiles" or Heathen Nations, (D), are here contrasted with "the peoples," (D), or tribes of Israel; as in many parts of the Old Testament, especially

especially in the Divine Ode, usually called Moses's Song, Deut. xxxii. 8.

[ocr errors]

"When THE MOST HIGH divided to the nations*

"their settlements,

"When he separated the sons of Adam:

"He assigned the boundaries of the peoplest [of

[blocks in formation]

"According to the numbers of the sons of Israel;
"For the portion of THE LORD is his people,+
"Jacob, the survey of his inheritance."

Where, the settlements of the Gentiles, are finely contrasted with those of "the peoples," or tribes of Israel: each tribe, on account of their immense population being considered as a people in itself; while the aggregate of the twelve tribes-" According "to the number of the sons of Israel,”—composed collectively "his people," whom THE LORD chose to be "a peculiar treasure unto Himself"" though all the earth be his"

66

66

for Abraham their father's sake.”—But

-are often taken as synony לאמים and עמים

mous.

See Gen. xxvii. 29, Isa. li. 4, &c. On the authority of the Septuagint version, sanctioned by the apostles, I have

+ עמו.

+ עמים.

גוים,

rendered

« PreviousContinue »