TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Psalms 2:1–6. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
We have here a very great struggle about the kingdom of Christ, hell and heaven contesting it; the seat of the war is this earth, where Satan has long had a usurped kingdom and exercised dominion to such a degree that he has been called the prince of the power of the very air we breathe in and the god of the world we live in. He knows very well that, as the Messiah's kingdom rises and gets ground, his falls and loses ground; and therefore, though it will be set up certainly, it shall not be set up tamely. Observe here,
I.The mighty opposition that would be given to the Messiah and his kingdom, to his holy religion and all the interests of it, Psa 2:1-3.
One would have expected that so great a blessing to this world would be universally welcomed and embraced, and that every sheaf would immediately bow to that of the Messiah and all the crowns and sceptres on earth would be laid at his feet; but it proves quite contrary. Never were the notions of any sect of philosophers, though ever so absurd, nor the powers of any prince or state, though ever so tyrannical, opposed with so much violence as the doctrine and government of Christ - a sign that it was from heaven, for the opposition was plainly from hell originally.
1.We are here told who would appear as adversaries to Christ and the devil's instruments in this opposition to his kingdom. Princes and people, court and country, have sometimes separate interests, but here they are united against Christ; not the mighty only, but the mob, the heathen, the people, numbers of them, communities of them; though usually fond of liberty, yet they were averse to the liberty Christ came to procure and proclaim. Not the mob only, but the mighty (among whom one might have expected more sense and consideration) appear violent against Christ. Though his kingdom is not of this world, nor in the least calculated to weaken their interests, but very likely, if they pleased, to strengthen them, yet the kings of the earth and rulers are up in arms immediately. See the effects of the old enmity in the seed of the serpent against the seed of the woman, and how general and malignant the corruption of mankind is. See how formidable the enemies of the church are; they are numerous; they are potent. The unbelieving Jews are here called heathen, so wretchedly had they degenerated from the faith and holiness of their ancestors; they stirred up the heathen, the Gentiles, to persecute the Christians. As the Philistines and their lords, Saul and his courtiers, the disaffected party and their ringleaders, opposed David's coming to the crown, so Herod and Pilate, the Gentiles and the Jews, did their utmost against Christ and his interest in men, Act 4:27.
2.Who it is that they quarrel with, and muster up all their forces against; it is against the Lord and against his anointed, that is, against all religion in general and the Christian religion in particular. It is certain that all who are enemies to Christ, whatever they pretend, are enemies to God himself; they have hated both me and my Father, Joh 15:24. The great author of our holy religion is here called the Lord's anointed, or Messiah, or Christ, in allusion to the anointing of David to be king. He is both authorized and qualified to be the church's head and king, is duly invested in the office and every way fitted for it; yet there are those that are against him; nay, therefore they are against him, because they are impatient of God's authority, envious at Christ's advancement, and have a rooted enmity to the Spirit of holiness.
3.The opposition they give is here described.
(1.)It is a most spiteful and malicious opposition. They rage and fret; they gnash their teeth for vexation at the setting up of Christ's kingdom; it creates them the utmost uneasiness, and fills them with indignation, so that they have no enjoyment of themselves; see Luk 13:14; Joh 11:47; Act 5:17, Act 5:33; Act 19:28. Idolaters raged at the discovery of their folly, the chief priests and Pharisees at the eclipsing of their glory and the shaking of their usurped dominion. Those that did evil raged at the light.
(2.)It is a deliberate and politic opposition. They imagine or meditate, that is, they contrive means to suppress the rising interests of Christ's kingdom and are very confident of the success of their contrivances; they promise themselves that they shall run down religion and carry the day.
(3.)It is a resolute and obstinate opposition. They set themselves, set their faces as a flint and their hearts as an adamant, in defiance of reason, and conscience, and all the terrors of the Lord; they are proud and daring, like the Babel-builders, and will persist in their resolution, come what will.
(4.)It is a combined and confederate opposition. They take counsel together, to assist and animate one another in this opposition; they carry their resolutions nemine contradicente - unanimously, that they will push on the unholy war against the Messiah with the utmost vigour: and thereupon councils are called, cabals are formed, and all their wits are at work to find out ways and means for the preventing of the establishment of Christ's kingdom, Psa 83:5.
4.We are here told what it is they are exasperated at and what they aim at in this opposition (Psa 2:3): Let us break their bands asunder. They will not be under any government; they are children of Belial, that cannot endure the yoke, at least the yoke of the Lord and his anointed. They will be content to entertain such notions of the kingdom of God and the Messiah as will serve them to dispute of and to support their own dominion with: if the Lord and his anointed will make them rich and great in the world, they will bid them welcome; but if they will restrain their corrupt appetites and passions, regulate and reform their hearts and lives, and bring them under the government of a pure and heavenly religion, truly then they will not have this man to reign over them, Luk 19:14. Christ has bands and cords for us; those that will be saved by him must be ruled by him; but they are cords of a man, agreeable to right reason, and bands of love, conducive to our true interest: and yet against those the quarrel is. Why do men oppose religion but because they are impatient of its restraints and obligations? They would break asunder the bands of conscience they are under and the cords of God's commandments by which they are called to tie themselves out from all sin and to themselves up to all duty; they will not receive them, but cast them away as far from them as they can.
5.They are here reasoned with concerning it, Psa 2:1. Why do they do this?
(1.)They can show no good cause for opposing so just, holy, and gracious a government, which will not interfere with the secular powers, nor introduce any dangerous principles hurtful to kings or provinces; but, on the contrary, if universally received, would bring a heaven upon earth.
(2.)They can hope for no good success in opposing so powerful a kingdom, with which they are utterly unable to contend. It is a vain thing; when they have done their worst Christ will have a church in the world and that church shall be glorious and triumphant. It is built upon a rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. The moon walks in brightness, though the dogs bark at it.
II.The mighty conquest gained over all this threatening opposition.
If heaven and earth be the combatants, it is easy to foretel which will be the conqueror. Those that make this mighty struggle are the people of the earth, and the kings of the earth, who, being of the earth, are earthy; but he whom they contest with is one that sits in the heavens, Psa 2:4. He is in the heaven, a place of such a vast prospect that he can oversee them all and all their projects; and such is his power that he can overcome them all and all their attempts. He sits there, as one easy and at rest, out of the reach of all their impotent menaces and attempts. There he sits as Judge in all the affairs of the children of men, perfectly secure of the full accomplishment of all his own purposes and designs, in spite of all opposition, Psa 29:10. The perfect repose of the Eternal Mind may be our comfort under all the disquietments of our mind. We are tossed on earth, and in the sea, but he sits in the heavens, where he has prepared his throne for judgment; and therefore,
1.The attempts of Christ's enemies are easily ridiculed. God laughs at them as a company of fools. He has them, and all their attempts, in derision, and therefore the virgin, the daughter of Zion, has despised them, Isa 37:22. Sinners' follies are the just sport of God's infinite wisdom and power; and those attempts of the kingdom of Satan which in our eyes are formidable in his are despicable. Sometimes God is said to awake, and arise, and stir up himself, for the vanquishing of his enemies; here is said to sit still and vanquish them; for the utmost operations of God's omnipotence create no difficulty at all, nor the least disturbance to his eternal rest.
2.They are justly punished, Psa 2:5. Though God despises them as impotent, yet he does not therefore wink at them, but is justly displeased with them as impudent and impious, and will make the most daring sinners to know that he is so and to tremble before him.
(1.)Their sin is a provocation to him. He is wroth; he is sorely displeased. We cannot expect that God should be reconciled to us, or well pleased in us, but in and through the anointed; and therefore, if we affront and reject him, we sin against the remedy and forfeit the benefit of his interposition between us and God.
(2.)His anger will be a vexation to them; if he but speak to them in his wrath, even the breath of his mouth will be their confusion, slaughter, and consumption, Isa 11:4; Th2 2:8. He speaks, and it is done; he speaks in wrath, and sinners are undone. As a word made us, so a word can unmake us again. Who knows the power of his anger? The enemies rage, but cannot vex God. God sits still, and yet vexes them, puts them into a consternation (as the word is), and brings them to their wits' end: his setting up this kingdom of his Son, in spite of them, is the greatest vexation to them that can be. They were vexatious to Christ's good subjects; but the day is coming when vexation shall be recompensed to them.
3.They are certainly defeated, and all their counsels turned headlong (Psa 2:6): Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. David was advanced to the throne, and became master of the strong-hold of Zion, notwithstanding the disturbance given him by the malcontents in his kingdom, and particularly the affronts he received from the garrison of Zion, who taunted him with their blind and their lame, their maimed soldiers, Sa2 5:6. The Lord Jesus is exalted to the right hand of the Father, has all power both in heaven and in earth, and is head over all things to the church, notwithstanding the restless endeavours of his enemies to hinder his advancement.
(1.)Jesus Christ is a King, and is invested by him who is the fountain of power with the dignity and authority of a sovereign prince in the kingdom both of providence and grace.
(2.)God is pleased to call him his King, because he is appointed by him, and entrusted for him with the sole administration of government and judgment. He is his King, for he is dear to the Father, and one in whom he is well pleased.
(3.)Christ took not this honour to himself, but was called to it, and he that called him owns him: I have set him; his commandment, his commission, he received from the Father.
(4.)Being called to this honour, he was confirmed in it; high places (we say) are slippery places, but Christ, being raised, is fixed: "I have set him, I have settled him." (5.) He is set upon Zion, the hill of God's holiness, a type of the gospel church, for on that the temple was built, for the sake of which the whole mount was called holy. Christ's throne is set up in his church, that is, in the hearts of all believers and in the societies they form. The evangelical law of Christ is said to go forth from Zion (Isa 2:3, Mic 4:2), and therefore that is spoken of as the head-quarters of this general, the royal seat of this prince, in whom the children of men shall be joyful.
We are to sing these verses with a holy exultation, triumphing over all the enemies of Christ's kingdom (not doubting but they will all of them be quickly made his footstool), and triumphing in Jesus Christ as the great trustee of power; and we are to pray, in firm belief of the assurance here given, "Father in heaven, Thy kingdom come; let thy Son's kingdom come."
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
"Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yoke from us" [Psalm 2:3]. Although it admits of another acceptation, yet is it more fitly understood as in the person of those who are said to "meditate vain things." So that "let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yoke from us," may be, let us do our endeavour, that the Christian religion do not bind us, nor be imposed upon us.
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Summary
Psalms 2:3 captures the defiant declaration of earthly kings and rulers who conspire in futile rebellion against the sovereign Lord and His Anointed King, the Messiah. This verse articulates their shared intent to reject divine authority, viewing God's righteous decrees and the Messiah's rightful rule as burdensome restraints from which they seek to liberate themselves, thereby setting the stage for God's powerful and ultimately victorious response to their audacious challenge.
Context
Literary Context
Psalms 2:3 serves as the direct, explicit articulation of the rebellious intent introduced in the preceding verses of this messianic and royal psalm. The psalm opens with a rhetorical question in Psalms 2:1, probing the reason for the nations' tumultuous rage and the peoples' vain plotting. Psalms 2:2 then identifies the specific actors: "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his Anointed." Verse 3, therefore, provides the very words of their conspiracy, revealing their shared agenda to dismantle God's perceived control. This defiant pronouncement immediately precedes God's scornful laughter and subsequent decree in Psalms 2:4-6, establishing a dramatic contrast between human rebellion and divine sovereignty. The psalm then transitions into the Messiah's declaration and a final call to wisdom, making verse 3 a pivotal moment in the unfolding drama of divine kingship versus human rebellion.
Historical & Cultural Context
While Psalms 2 is profoundly messianic and eschatological, it likely draws upon the historical context of a Davidic king's enthronement or a significant military victory where surrounding nations might have resisted Israel's God-given dominion. In the ancient Near East, kingship was often understood as divinely appointed, but independent nations frequently chafed under the suzerainty of a dominant power, especially one claiming universal authority from its deity. The imagery of "bands" and "cords" evokes the binding nature of treaties, the yokes of servitude imposed by a conquering power, or even the reins used to control animals, all of which represent submission to a superior power. The rulers' desire to "break" and "cast away" these restraints reflects a universal human impulse for autonomy, amplified in a geopolitical context where national identity and sovereignty were paramount. This resistance to divine authority, whether directly from God or through His chosen earthly representative, was a recurring theme in Israel's history and the broader ancient world, echoing the defiance of Pharaoh against Yahweh in Exodus 5:2.
Key Themes
Psalms 2:3 powerfully contributes to several key themes within the psalm and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it highlights the theme of Human Rebellion Against Divine Authority. The rulers' explicit rejection of God's "bands" and "cords" underscores humanity's inherent tendency to resist God's rightful rule, viewing His laws and decrees as oppressive rather than protective. This echoes the original rebellion in Genesis 3 and continues throughout biblical history, manifesting in various forms of idolatry and disobedience. Secondly, it emphasizes the Futility of Opposition to God's Plan. While the verse expresses defiant human will, the immediate context of the psalm (especially Psalms 2:4) quickly demonstrates that such human efforts are ultimately vain and laughable in the face of God's omnipotence and unshakeable purpose. This theme is crucial for understanding God's ultimate triumph over all opposition, as seen in passages like Proverbs 21:30. Thirdly, the verse implicitly points to the Sovereignty of God and His Anointed King. The very existence of "bands" and "cords" implies an existing authority that the rebels seek to overthrow, thus affirming God's established reign and the destined kingship of His Messiah, a truth powerfully declared in Psalms 2:6 and echoed throughout the prophetic literature concerning the coming King.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
Derived from a root meaning "to bind" or "to discipline," this word refers to bonds, fetters, or yokes. In this context, it metaphorically represents the legal, moral, and governmental authority, laws, and decrees that God exercises over humanity and nations. The rulers perceive these divine ordinances not as benevolent guidance or protective boundaries, but as restrictive chains that limit their freedom and autonomy. The parallel term "cords" (ʻăbôth) reinforces this imagery of binding restraints.
This primitive root means "to tear off," "to break off," or "to snap." It conveys a violent and decisive act of destruction, indicating the rulers' intention to utterly dismantle and nullify God's authority. It's not a gentle loosening but a forceful, defiant severance of ties, a complete repudiation of divine governance.
This primitive root means "to throw out, down or away" (literally or figuratively). It complements "break" by emphasizing the deliberate and contemptuous rejection of God's rule. It implies a desire to completely rid themselves of any obligation or submission to divine governance, asserting their absolute independence and autonomy from the Creator.
Verse Breakdown
"Let us break their bands asunder"
This clause reveals the active, collective intent of the conspiring kings and rulers. The plural "us" signifies their unified rebellion and shared agenda. The "bands" refer to the perceived restraints of divine law, decree, and the authority of the Lord and His Anointed King. Their desire to "break them asunder" speaks to a violent, decisive act of severing these ties, a declaration of war against God's established order. They view God's righteous rule as an oppressive yoke from which they must be liberated.
"and cast away their cords from us"
This parallel clause reinforces and intensifies the rebellious declaration. The "cords" are synonymous with the "bands," further emphasizing the binding nature of divine authority. To "cast them away" signifies a complete and contemptuous rejection of God's dominion. It is a declaration of absolute autonomy, a refusal to acknowledge any higher power or submit to any divine governance over their earthly affairs. This phrase encapsulates the humanistic desire for self-rule, independent of God, a recurring theme in the history of human defiance.
Literary Devices
Psalms 2:3 employs powerful Metaphor and Parallelism to convey the rebellious intent of the earthly kings. The terms "bands" and "cords" are potent metaphors for the divine authority, laws, and decrees that the Lord and His Messiah impose. These are not literal physical restraints but represent the moral, legal, and governmental sovereignty of God. The imagery evokes the binding nature of a yoke, shackles, or tethers, portraying God's rule as burdensome and restrictive from the perspective of the rebellious rulers who chafe under any form of divine control. The use of Synonymous Parallelism in "Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us" reinforces the singular, defiant purpose of the kings. Both clauses express the same core idea of rejecting divine authority, with the second clause intensifying the first, creating a strong, unified declaration of rebellion. This parallelism emphasizes the deliberate and comprehensive nature of their rejection. The verse also utilizes Anthropomorphism by attributing human actions and intentions (breaking, casting away) to the collective will of the nations against a divine entity, highlighting the audacity of their defiance against the Creator.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Psalms 2:3 stands as a stark testament to humanity's persistent rebellion against God's sovereign rule, a theme woven throughout salvation history from the Garden of Eden onward. It reflects the inherent human desire for autonomy and self-determination, a longing to be free from any external authority, especially divine. This defiance, however, is ultimately futile, as the psalm immediately demonstrates God's unshakeable resolve to establish His Anointed King. The "bands" and "cords" are not instruments of oppression but symbols of divine order, righteous governance, and benevolent guidance, designed for humanity's true flourishing and peace. To reject them is to reject the very framework of peace, justice, and ultimate well-being. This verse sets the stage for the dramatic confrontation between human pride and divine power, ultimately affirming God's unwavering control over the affairs of nations and His ultimate triumph through His Messiah.
Reflection and Application
Psalms 2:3 serves as a profound mirror, reflecting not only ancient geopolitical struggles but also the ongoing spiritual battle within every human heart and society. The "bands" and "cords" represent God's righteous standards, His moral law, His providential ordering of the world, and the benevolent authority of His Son. When we, individually or collectively, perceive these as burdensome restrictions rather than loving guidance, protective boundaries, or pathways to true liberty, we echo the rebellious cry of these ancient kings. True freedom is not found in casting off divine authority, but in embracing it, recognizing that God's "yoke is easy and His burden is light" (Matthew 11:30). This verse calls us to examine where we might be resisting God's will in our lives, in our families, in our communities, or even in our national policies. It reminds us that while human defiance is a constant reality, God's sovereignty remains absolute, and His kingdom will ultimately prevail. Our allegiance must be to Christ's kingship, finding refuge and true liberty in His benevolent reign, for only in submission to Him do we find true freedom.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What are the "bands" and "cords" referring to in Psalms 2:3?
The "bands" (Hebrew: môwçêr) and "cords" (Hebrew: ʻăbôth) are powerful metaphors for the divine authority, laws, decrees, and sovereign rule of the Lord and His Anointed King, the Messiah. They represent the moral, legal, and governmental restraints and obligations that God imposes on humanity and nations. From the perspective of the rebellious kings, these are not benevolent guidelines but restrictive bonds, like a yoke or chains, from which they desperately seek liberation. They symbolize God's established order and His rightful claim to universal dominion, which the kings defiantly reject, preferring their own self-rule over divine governance.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Psalms 2:3 finds its ultimate and profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The "Anointed One" against whom the nations conspire is none other than the Messiah, Jesus, whose divine kingship was met with precisely this kind of rebellion. The cry of "Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us" was echoed in the historical rejection of Jesus by both Jewish and Gentile authorities. Pontius Pilate, King Herod, the Jewish leaders, and the Roman soldiers all "took counsel together against the Lord and against his Anointed" (Acts 4:25-28) in crucifying Him. Yet, their rebellion, far from thwarting God's plan, actually served to fulfill it, leading to the ultimate triumph of the cross and resurrection. Jesus, the true King, was not overthrown but enthroned at God's right hand, having "all authority in heaven and on earth" (Matthew 28:18), and being exalted "far above all rule and authority and power and dominion" (Ephesians 1:20-22). The "bands" and "cords" of God's righteous rule, which humanity seeks to cast off, are perfectly embodied in Christ's benevolent reign. He offers true freedom not through rebellion, but through submission to His light yoke and easy burden (Matthew 11:28-30), inviting all to find rest in Him. Ultimately, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11), demonstrating the utter futility of the rebellion articulated in Psalms 2:3 and the glorious, inevitable triumph of God's Anointed King.