Psalms

About this book

Psalm 2

1 Why do the nations rebel? Why are the countries devising plots that will fail? 2 The kings of the earth form a united front; the rulers collaborate against the Lord and his anointed king.⁠ 3 They say, “Let’s tear off the shackles they’ve put on us. Let’s free ourselves from their ropes.” 4 The one enthroned in heaven laughs in disgust; the Lord taunts them.⁠ 5 Then he angrily speaks to them and terrifies them in his rage, saying, 6 “I myself have installed my king on Zion, my holy hill.”⁠ 7 The king says, “I will announce the Lord’s decree. He said to me: ‘You are my son. This very day I have become your father.⁠ 8 Ask me, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the ends of the earth as your personal property.⁠ 9 You will break them with an iron scepter; you will smash them like a potter’s jar.’”⁠ 10 So now, you kings, do what is wise; you rulers of the earth, submit to correction. 11 Serve the Lord in fear. Repent in terror. 12 Give sincere homage. Otherwise he will be angry, and you will die because of your behavior, when his anger quickly ignites. How blessed are all who take shelter in him!

Texts in conversation

Compare Genesis 49:10 and Psalm 2:8

Hebrew Bible

Summary

Genesis presents Judah’s scepter as a symbol of permanent authority promised to Israel. Psalm 2 expands this image, describing an iron scepter used to rule the nations, turning a tribal blessing into a vision of universal authority.

Passages

Genesis 49:10

Hebrew Bible

8 Judah, your brothers will praise you. Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies, your father’s sons will bow down before you. 9 You are a lion’s cub, Judah, from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He crouches and lies down like a lion; like a lioness—who will rouse him? 10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs; the nations will obey him. 11 Binding his foal to the vine, and his colt to the choicest vine, he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. 12 His eyes will be red from wine, and his teeth white from milk.

750–400 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Genesis

Psalm 2:8

Hebrew Bible

6 “I myself have installed my king on Zion, my holy hill.” 7 The king says, “I will announce the Lord’s decree. He said to me: ‘You are my son. This very day I have become your father. 8 Ask me, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the ends of the earth as your personal property. 9 You will break them with an iron scepter; you will smash them like a potter’s jar.’” 10 So now, you kings, do what is wise; you rulers of the earth, submit to correction.

600–201 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Psalms

References

"... “stick”, “rod”, “scepter”, “tribe” ... In a context like this, the noun refers to the rod of ruling authority, rather than the tribe that is ruled. Koehler and Baumgartner comment on the relationship between these two ideas: “It should be noted that in General Semitic the basic meaning of שֵׁבֶט is stick, staff, sceptre ... The sbst. then develops in meaning from ‘the sceptre of authority’ ... to signify a group of people under the command of ‘the one who holds the scepter.’” In Isaiah 11:4, the Messiah strikes the wicked with the “rod of his mouth”. In Micah 7:14 and Psalm 23:4 the Messiah will lead His people with a shepherd’s rod. שֵׁבֶט refers to a sovereign’s scepter with reference to the Messiah in Genesis 49:10. An “iron scepter.” Israel was late coming into the Iron Age. Even in the time of Saul and Jonathan an iron implement was a rarity among Israelites (see 1 Samuel 13:19-22). For David, reference to an “iron” scepter would doubtless have signified both the latest in technology and a symbol of invincible authority ..."

George Gunn, Psalm 2 and the Reign of the Messiah (Shasta Bible College and Graduate School, 2011), 26.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

Psalms150 psalms

Compare Genesis 49:10 and Psalm 2:8

Summary

Passages

Genesis 49:10

Psalm 2:8

References

Your feedback

Leave a comment

Glossary

Search the Library