In the time of the united kingdom of Israel this psalm was written. It points to David the anointed king of God’s people (v.2) who has been put in place by God (v.7) in Jerusalem (v.6) in fulfillment of his covenant promises to David (v.7-9; 2Sam.7:14) and the descendants of Abraham (v.8-9; Gen.17:3-8). This psalm manifests the continuing redemptive purposes of God where we see the seed of the serpent warring with the seed of the woman (v.3; Gen.3:15). But the peoples and the kings of the earth would be wise to consider God who reigns and rules in the heavens and does whatever he pleases (Ps.115:3), and come and bow down and worship him and submit themselves to him by coming under his rule in the earth (v.10-12).
Where the psalms do not attribute this psalm to David, the apostles do in Acts 4:25. This psalm is frequently quoted or spoken of in the New Testament (Mt.3:17; 17:5; Acts 4:25-27; 13:33; Rom.1:4; Heb.1:5; 5:5) because this psalm finds it’s fulfillment in Jesus Christ who comes in the line of David to fulfill the Davidic covenant (2Sam.7:14) as the King of Kings (Isa.9:6-7) establishing His kingdom forever (Mt.3:2) which is not of this world (Jn.18:36).
God is the Lord of the universe (Dan.4:35) and He is in the heavens doing all that He pleases (Ps.115:3), and it his pleasure to bring His covenant people into their promised inheritance and there He rules over them with His anointed king. But the nations who do not seek God will have not a Lord or a king over them. They assemble together with great noise and devise great schemes to overthrow the Lord and His king, so that they can rule in the earth for the pleasure of their passions. And in this noisy scheming and plotting they feel the weight of God’s judgment against their unrighteousness so they seek to gather those around them who will join with them in their rebellion to throw off the chords of the knowledge of God, His righteousness and holiness in the earth so that they can continue in the paths of unrighteousness in the earth (vv.1-3).
God is sitting down enthroned in the heavens in his place of authority and power. There His throne is established and will not be moved by the noise and the schemes of men, and from His throne His decrees go forth unhindered by man. Therefore, He laughs at those who rebel against him and mocks them in their place of weakness and foolishness (v.4). But His judgment comes forth from his throne as He establishes His king (v.7) and all who will not bow down and worship Him, submitting themselves to Him will be crushed under His wrath and judgment (v.8-9; Rom.1:18).
The nations of the earth will be wise when they submit to God’s rule in the earth by serving the Lord in worship in repentance and faithful obedience (v.10-11). Those who take refuge in God’s rule will find the grace and favor of the Lord as their great delight, but those who continue to rebel in unrighteousness and the love of the world, who fear man rather than God, will perish in his wrath (v.12).
God has revealed His King, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the ruler of the kings of the earth (Rev.1:5). He is the anointed one of God who rules from Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, who has been given a name that is above every name (Phil.2:11), and who is establishing His kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom.14:17). And though all the nations of the earth wage war against the knowledge of Him, God has established Him as the wisdom and power of all the earth. It is He who will judge the world in righteousness and give to all who are the righteousness of God in Christ, a crown and robe of righteousness and His inheritance forevermore. But to all who continue in rebellion with unrepentant hearts he will cast into everlasting darkness and torment under His unending wrath. Let us draw near and kiss the Son of righteousness, delighting ourselves in Him, and live under His reign and rule in the earth in His righteousness so that our lives, our homes, our communities, our states, our nation may be exalted with him in peace and joy, fleeing from the sin that entangles and is to all who walk in it a reproach (Pr.14:34). “The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.” (Habakkuk 2:20).
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