Advent: December 15th

I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, "You are my Son; today I have begotten you. (Psalm 2:7)
 
Psalm 2 is one of the two pillars of the psalter that the reader must pass between as they enter the prayer book of God’s people. The book of Psalms is the prayer book of God’s people in that it is the only book written with God as the intended audience. It is the only book in the entire Bible written from the perspective of God’s people to God. Every other book in the Bible is God speaking to his people. The book of Psalms is God’s people speaking to God through prayer and song.
 
As we enter this prayer book, we must pass through Psalm 1, which brings us to attention. “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers” (v.1). Psalm 1 brings us to attention and Psalm 2 bids us to worship God and “kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way” (v.12).
 
The psalm begins by God asking why the “nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?” Why do the “kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed (vv.1-2). Initially, this would have been thought to be speaking about the kings of Israel. But as we read on, it becomes apparent that God has someone far different in mind.
 
The psalmist goes on to say that God has “set his King on Zion” and that he laughs at those who think they can thwart God’s plan, those who plot and gather against God’s anointed one (vv.4-6). But who is this anointed one? Is it one of the kings of Israel? Verse 7 makes clear whom God is speaking of. “I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you.’” In the New Testament, the apostle John echoes these words with reference to Jesus when he writes, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” And then again he says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (Jn. 3:14, 16 NASB). It seems clear that John had Psalm 2 in mind when he wrote these words.
 
Jesus is the Son begotten of God the Father. And regarding this son, Psalm 2 exhorts all peoples, “Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him” (vv.10-12). Christ, the King, the Son of God, has been born into the world and it is the wise who will fear God and rejoice with trembling, who will bow the knee to his Lordship and kiss the Son lest they perish eternally. Three-thousand years ago, God prophesied that he would bear a Son and that son would be king--King of kings and Lord of lords—and that all humanity has a debtorship to worship him. Advent is about celebrating the birth of God’s only begotten Son, the King of creation, who was born in Bethlehem to be worshipped by all. 

Photo by Max Beck on Unsplash