The writer of this Psalm, like the one before it, is not certainly known.  Suffice it to say that the Hand of God authored it.  Not knowing the writer, we also cannot know the time of its writing. "The psalm is exceedingly regular in its composition, and has in its structure much of a dramatic character.  It naturally falls into four parts, of three verses each.  I. In the first (verses 1-3) the conduct and purposes of the raging nations are described.  They are in the deepest agitation, forming plans against Jehovah and his Anointed One, and uniting their counsels to break their bands asunder, and to cast off their authority, that is, as ver. 6 shows, to prevent the establishment of the Anointed One as King on the holy hill of Zion.  The opening of the psalm is bold and abrupt.  The psalmist looks out suddenly on the nations, and sees them in violent commotion.  II. In the second part (verses 4-6) the feelings and purposes of God are described.  It is implied that he had formed the purpose...to establish his Anointed One as king, and he now calmly sits in the heavens and looks with derision on the vain designs of those who are opposed to it...III. In the third part (verses 7-9) the King himself, the Anointed One, speaks, and states the decree which had been formed in reference to himself, and the promise which had been made to him...IV. In the fourth part (verses 10-12) the psalmist exhorts the rulers of the nations to yield to the claims of the Anointed One, threatening Divine wrath on those who should reject him, and promising a blessing on those who should put their trust in him." (Barnes).  Although some have pointed the psalm towards David, or the entire line of Kings of Israel, most (myself included) take it exclusively and originally as pointing towards the Messiah.

1 Why do the heathen rage -- lit. Why do the nations make a noise?  Heathen means "nations".  Rage means, "to make a noise or tumult" and would usually be associated with a riot or uprising.  The idea is that the nations (that knew not God) were in rebellion.  and the people People here indicates the same group as covered in "heathen".  imagine -- lit. "Meditate".  Why do they contrive?  a vain thing – That is, that which will come to no good end.  Understanding the Psalm to refer ultimately to the Messiah, we take the meaning as follows:  Why do the nations that forget God and the people who live in rebellion to His Will cause such a stir by revolting against His Will and think and plan such things as will avail them nothing?  Seeing they shall never conquer the Anointed One, why raise such a fuss?

2 The kings of the earth -- Verse 1 pointed generally to a commotion of the wicked in a vain effort, this verse is more specific as to the cause of the commotion.  These kings would be any kings or rulers who participated in opposing the will of God concerning the Anointed One.  set themselves -- take their stand.  They are decidedly and purposefully set against the Will of God.  and the rulers -- see note on "kings" above.  take counsel together -- consort, jointly plan, connive.  against the Lord -- in opposition to His will.  and against his anointed -- the Messiah.  The allusion is to the custom of anointing kings and priests with holy oil when appointing them to office.  The Anointed One, Christ, being the fulfillment or anti-type of all the kings and priests of the Old Testament.

3 (saying) Let us break their bands asunder -- They consider the purpose of the Lord and the Anointed One as being the same, and determine to disallow them the pleasure of success in that to which they set their hand.  They set themselves to preventing the establishment of the Kingdom of God.  and cast away their cords from us --  The cords indicative of the bands or ropes used to drive oxen.  The reference is to casting off the bands that bind men to service to God.  "The passage...proves--(1) that the government of Jehovah, the true God, and the Messiah or Christ, is the same; (2) that opposition to the Messiah, or to Christ, is in fact opposition to the purposes of the true God; (3) that it may be expected that men will oppose that government, and there will be agitation and commotion in endeavoring to throw it off.  The passage...had an ample fulfillment (a) in the purposes of the high priests, of Herod, and of Pilate, to put him to death, and in the general rejection of him by his own country; (b) in the general conduct of mankind -- in their impatience of the restraints of the law of God, and especially of that law as promulgated by the Saviour, demanding submission and obedience to him; and (c) in the conduct of individual sinners--in the opposition of the human heart to the authority of the Lord Jesus.  The passage before us is just as applicable to the world now as it was to the time when the Saviour personally appeared on the earth."  (Barnes).

4 He that sitteth in the heavens -- God, represented as living in heaven.  shall laugh -- will consider their vain attempts no obstacle to his success and therefore no cause for concern or worry.  Indeed, he seems to find a type of humor in their "destined to fail" attempt.  the Lord shall have them in derision -- God calmly pursues his objective, looking on the actions of his enemies with carefree confidence.  The idea is that God "mocks" them with his actions.  He puts them to shame.

5 Then shall he speak unto them -- He will not always look with indifference on their efforts to foil his plans.  There will come a time (it came in the time of Christ) when he speaks concerning their evil.  in his wrath -- In his anger he pronounces their condemnation.  There came to the mind of God the ultimate end of all wickedness and from his mouth he spewed it forth on the ears of those so headed.  and vex them -- lit. 'cause them to tremble'.  One considering the end of the wicked, especially a wicked one so considering, ought to tremble.  in his sore displeasure -- lit. in the heat of his wrath and anger.  "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" and "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord".

6 Yet have I set my king -- rather, "and I..."  Basically, God is saying, "Despite your acts of rebellion, I have constituted or set my king..."   "Set" carries with it the idea of anointing, or pouring forth oil upon the head of, in this case, his king, the Anointed One.  upon my holy hill of Zion -- Zion was the southern hill in the city of Jerusalem.  "It was the highest of the hills on which the city was built.  It was made by David the capital of his kingdom, and was hence called the city of David" (Barnes).  It was in Jerusalem that the laws of the kingdom were first declared (Acts 1 and 2).  It was to the residents of that city that the doors of the kingdom were thereby first opened.  Jesus sent his servants "to the Jews first, and also to the Gentiles".

7 I will declare the decree -- The Anointed One himself is the speaker.  The word "decree" means something decreed, declared, prescribed or appointed.  Thus, the Messiah is declaring what was declared to him.  The Lord hath said unto me -- Jehovah spoke to the Messiah.  Thou art my Son -- That is, Jehovah hath declared or decreed Him to be His Son.  Being so declared, He is to be given the honors commonly supposed to be bestowed upon the one bearing the title "The Son Of God".  this day -- the day of the decree.  have I begotten thee -- It was on that day that the Messiah was named the Son.  The basic meaning is that in order that the Son might be installed on the throne, Jehovah has decreed that Messiah is His Son.  We do not take this in human terms, as no carnal relations were here involved.  God has, from eternity in the terms of the Psalmist, declared [decreed] that Messiah is his Son.  In the incarnation Jesus [Messiah] was begotten of a miraculous act of God through the womb of Mary.  This does not imply that Jesus did not come into existence before his incarnation, for he was present in the creation with the Father (John 1:1-4; 14).  This does not imply that Jesus was less than the Father, for the same terms applied to the Father are applied to him also (John 1:1-3).  This does, however, indicate that there is a difference in the Personage of the Father and Messiah, as a conversation is being related by the one concerning the other.  Jehovah declared that Messiah is His Son.

8 Ask of me -- This is a part of the decree, that the Messiah should ask Jehovah...  and I shall give thee -- He would ultimately give the Messiah the thing promised, although no "time element" is herein disclosed.  the heathen -- the nations.  Specifically, those who had rebelled and tried to prevent hi appointment.  for thine inheritance -- His portion as Son.  and the uttermost parts of the earth -- The entire world, incidentally, is the scope of the kingdom of Christ (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16).  for thy possession -- or, over whom he would rule.  This could be true of only Christ; not of David, Saul, Solomon, or any of the other kings of Israel and Judah.

9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron -- In reference to his enemies, not his faithful followers and loyal subjects, he would crush all resistance and opposition.  thou shalt dash them in pieces -- He would not only destroy his opposition, but demolish them.  like a potter's vessel -- a vessel made of clay.  In the face of the Messiah, the opposition would be a weak and helpless as an earthen dish.

10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings -- These are the words of the psalmist admonishing the kings whom he saw rejecting the counsel of God against themselves.  be instructed -- lit. Be corrected, or chastised.  Take warning.  ye judges of the earth -- those who should be such as may administer justice and admonition to others must now stand receiving such to themselves.
 
11 Serve the Lord with fear -- that is, serve him with reverence and respect; with deep apprehensiveness concerning the outcome of failing to serve Him.  and rejoice -- They should receive the rule of the Anointed One with joy, while paying him all the reverence and respect due Him as Lord of all.  with trembling -- as the weak in the presence of the strong.

12   Kiss the Son -- This was the Oriental manner of indicating higher rank, for one to kiss the ring of another.  By this act they were indicating submission to the power and authority of the Anointed One.  lest he be angry -- He will not take lightly being slighted by his subjects.  and ye perish from the way -- 'from' is supplied by the translators, and the phrase should read, "and ye perish the way".  The meaning is that failure to do proper obeisance to the Messiah will cause one to die on or be banished before reaching the end of the way to happiness.  when his wrath is kindled -- lit., "When his anger burns".  but a little -- probably  better rendered, "When his anger burns in a little time", as the idea in the word "little" is time and not degree.  The psalmist is not saying that the Lord will "get a little mad" and then you'll pay... Blessed are all they that put their trust in him -- Those of every station who put their trust in Messiah are sure to come to happiness.  Understanding, as we do, the spiritual nature of the kingdom of Christ, we can not but be happy upon entrance into the eternal city of the Great King.  To put our trust in the Messiah is to avail us of the aims of God from before the Creation -- to offer man a way to escape sin and live with God!

 1. What does "heathen" mean?
 2. What does "rage" mean?
 3. Who is "his anointed"?
 4. Who is "he that sitteth in the heavens?"
 5. Where did God set his king?
 6. Where is the hill of Zion?
 7. Who "declared the decree" of Jehovah?
 8. What did Jehovah declare Messiah to be?
 9. What would be Messiah's inheritance?
10. What would be his possession?
11. With what would Messiah break in pieces his enemies?
12. Like what would they be dashed to pieces?
13. What were the kings to be?
14. What were the judges of the earth to receive?
15. With what are we to serve the Lord?
16. What are we to put in the Lord?