Psalm-2

The Messiah Shall Rule Over All Peoples. Yair (Translation and Commentary) on the Book of Psalms (4 February, 2015, 15 Shevet, 5775)

The future Messiah, like David before him, shall wage war against heathen nations. The Messiah will rule over all Peoples of the Earth. We need to trust in God and take refuge by cleaving unto HIM.

Duration 10.36 minutes

This Psalm is speaking mainly about the coming Messiah descendant of David who will eventually rule over the entire world. The heathen non-Israelite nations will be reluctant to accept the authority of the Messiah and therefore will be dealt with. That is according to our understanding. Some Commentators (Radak, Iben Ezra) say it refers to David at the time he became king and the Philistines decided to attack him. The two opinions are not necessarily contradictory as we have explained in our article,
Prototypical Prophecies. Recurring Patterns and Historical Cycles
http://hebrewnations.com/articles/bible/proto.html

In short, the Bible takes real-life events from its own time, describes them in part and then extrapolates from them to the distant future. We may therefore understand the Psalm as describing the reaction of pagan nations to the inauguration of King David and an initial refusal on their part to accept him reigning over them. They had to be brought to heel, and they were. This event is used to describe a similar chain of events when the reign of the future Messiah is announced.

1 Why do peoples rage and nations cogitate emptiness?

emptiness. In Hebrew "raik" meaning literally emptiness but in the form "raikah" used to denote a dissolute personage. This parallels the English word "rake".

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=rake
# rake (n.2)
"debauchee; idle, dissolute person," 1650s, shortening of rakehell. Hogarth's "Rake's Progress" engravings were published in 1735.
#rakehell (n.)
1540s, possibly an alteration (by association with rake (n.1) and Hell) of Middle English rakel (adj.) "hasty, rash, headstrong," probably from raken "to go, proceed," from Old English racian "to go forward, move, hasten," of unknown origin. Compare rakeshame (n.) "one who lives shamefully" (1590s).#

Compare the Hebrew "raik, raikah" meaning debauched person to the English word "rake" meaning the same thing and then consider the word "rakehell" or "raken" meaning something quite different. Which etymology is the more convincing based on similarity of word alone? The Hebrew word looks the same, sounds the same, and in effect is the same as the English one. Why not simply admit that the English derived from the Hebrew? This is just one example out of many. English may or may not descend directly from Hebrew BUT there differently was a strong Hebrew infusion at some stage or other in its evolution.

2 The Kings of the earth braced themselves; and the princes took counsel together,
against the LORD and against his Annointed [Messiah].

Those who set themselves against the Peoples of God (Israel and/or Judah) or against the Anointed of God [Messiah] are considered as setting themselves against God Himself.

3 [They said] We shall break his bands and cast away his cords from off us.

Israel under the Messiah shall gain dominion over the nations but they shall attempt to rebel.
See:
Ten Tribes of Israel to Rule the World
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SbHneFmJlQ&feature=c4-overview&list=UUsTg-uJIQYujqZ83QtidAkg

To Rule the World. Policeman of the Globe: A Proof of Israelite Descent
http://hebrewnations.com/articles/biblical-proof/blessings/rule.html

World Conquest.
How, according to the Bible, the Ten Tribes will Conquer the Heathen
http://hebrewnations.com/articles/messiah/conquest.html

4 HE who sits in heaven will laugh; My LORD shall mock them.

5 As then HE shall speak unto them in HIS anger; and in his wrath cause them bewilderment.

6 Yet I have enthroned my king on Zion my holy mountain.

"Zion" is in Jerusalem just north of the Jewish Quarter. Zion in the Bible is synonymous with Jerusalem and with Judah though in some contexts it may refer to Joseph (Midrash Tanchuma).

7 I will tell of a decree. The LORD said unto me, You are my son, I have this day begotten you.

On the day that the Messiah is appointed it is as if he becomes the son of the Almighty and the Divine Spirit enters him. The Radak applies this verse to David:

"THEN SAMUEL TOOK THE HORN OF OIL, AND ANOINTED HIM IN THE MIDST OF HIS BRETHREN: AND THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD CAME UPON DAVID FROM THAT DAY FORWARD" [1-Samuel 16:13]

8 Ask of me and I shall give you peoples for your inheritance, and your possession shall be the uttermost parts of the earth.

One of the identifying points concerning the Lost Ten Tribes is that they shall be dwelling in the ends of the earth when the Land of Israel is considered as the center.
See:
Ends of the Earth
http://britam.org/Proof/geo/geoEnds.html

Nevertheless it should be noted that where the concept of ends of the earth is linked with the Ten Tribes the Hebrew word for "end" is "katseh" whereas here it is "afsei" which is somewhat different.

9 You shall break them with a staff of iron, like the vessel of a potter shall you smash them in pieces.

10 And now kings be instructed, be admonished judges of the earth.

11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

12 Cleave to purity lest anger come against you, and you lose the way. When his wrath is kindled, happy are they who take refuge in HIM.

Cleave to purity. In Hebrew, "Nashku Bar" translated in the KJV as KISS THE SON: "Nashku" may mean "kiss" (plural) or cling to or join with. Rashi quotes a source that derives the word from the same root as "Teshuka" meaning "desire".

This is how the KJV translates this verse:

[Psalms 2:12] KISS THE SON, LEST HE BE ANGRY, AND YE PERISH FROM THE WAY, WHEN HIS WRATH IS KINDLED BUT A LITTLE. BLESSED ARE ALL THEY THAT PUT THEIR TRUST IN HIM.

"Bar" in Aramaic means "son" but in Hebrew it means grain (from which we have the English word "barley") or "righteousness, purity". [It happens that Aramaic and Hebrew share the same word roots so that "bar" might also mean son BUT there seems to be no known other example of this proposed usage, apart perhaps from the one below quoted by the Malbim.]
Cf. HE THAT HATH CLEAN HANDS, AND A PURE [Hebrew: "bar"] HEART [Psalms 24:4].
"Nashku Bar" could therefore mean "cleave to purity" or "desire innocence".

The Malbim seems to suggest that "BAR" can also mean "chosen one" from the root "Barar". It could therefore be rendered, "Join the Chosen One (Messiah), Lest He (God) be angry". There is (as the Malbim mentions) one source where "bar" may mean "son": WHAT, MY SON [Hebrew: beri]? AND WHAT, THE SON ["bar"] OF MY WOMB? AND WHAT, THE SON OF MY VOWS? [Proverbs 31:2]. Here too "bar" may actually mean something else (like "chosen") or it may actually mean "son" since it does mean "son" in Aramaic. Very often the wood roots of Aramaic and Hebrew interchange and they are related languages. Therefore it could mean, "Cleave to the son" [the Messiah who on the day of his anointment becomes "borne" of God] so that the Almighty will not be angry with you. Israel is also considered a son of the Almighty and so is Ephraim: I AM A FATHER TO ISRAEL, AND EPHRAIM IS MY FIRSTBORN [Jeremiah 31:9].
We therefore have two options for this verse (Psalm 2:12) the one we propose and the KJ version. Both are appropriate to the Hebrew but we cannot say that either makes a perfect fit.

lest anger come against you. Translated in the KJV as LEST HE BE ANGRY, i.e. lest God be angry. God rewards us and punishes us according to our deeds.
Here the meaning is however more as we have rendered it i.e. "lest anger come against you". There are objective rules established by the Almighty for managing creation. There is a subtle difference between causing God to be angry and causing calamity to oneself by an incorrect attitude.

In summation, The nations of the world will rage and rampage and refuse to accept rulership of the Anointed Messiah. God will make a mockery of them and break them in pieces. We are called upon to cleave to innocence and uprighteousness and/or the future Messiah and trust in God.