by Rev. Alex. McPherson
(continued from page 306)
PSALM TWO
Verse 8. “Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.”
We have seen that verse 7 is the words of the risen Saviour from his throne in heaven, telling how He came to be there as the result of an eternal decree, an atoning death, and a glorious resurrection and ascension. Thus enthroned, He is invited to ask what He will. No bounds are set to the territory He may claim. He may ask that the heathen should become his subjects, and He may have them from the furthest parts of the globe. His immense domain is to embrace ignorant, sin-darkened creatures from all lands. “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.”
Verse 9. “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
In the process of drawing to Himself a willing people, Christ shall destroy his enemies as a person with an iron bar would
shatter clay pots. His work has all along been opposed by monarchies, republics and empires, not to mention the Papacy, the arch foe of His church. Yet Christ’s purposes have never been frustrated. He has ruled the world and will continue to do so, setting one up and casting another down, so that at the exact time and manner fore-ordained, his blood-bought people will come to his footstool in genuine submission. These two verses are a charter for missionary work. But ere we leave them, let each of us ask: “Have I come to submit to Jesus through the new birth and faith in Him who was dead, and is alive, and is alive for evermore? Am I now under his holy government, and glad to be?”
This brings us to the last three verses. It will be remembered that the first three depicted the world in revolt against God and his Christ; the second three set forth God’s attitude to the rebels, and the next three the statement of the divine decree respecting Himself by Christ. Now the last section of the Psalm shows us the Most High addressing the people described at the beginning, the rebellious world represented by its rulers and leaders.
Verse 10. “Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed ye judges of the earth.”
Having heard these words from heaven, rebels will be wise to take instruction. Their rebellion is vain; God has already established Christ as the King of kings, and all who will not submit to Him will be broken in pieces. Every sinner should consider that continuance in sin will be his ruin. There is no possibility of his coming off well from his disobedience to God. And when the divine Judge will come to settle his account with sinners, He will search out every rebel, great and small. History tells of unsuccessful rebellions and their aftermath in which the leaders were severely dealt with while lesser men were let alone. But every sinner without exception will be punished for his part in this worst of all revolts. Therefore, each person who is still a child of wrath should realise that except he repent, he will die in his sins. Eternal punishment is inevitable for every impenitent rebel.
Verses 11, 12. “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 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.”
Three counsels follow. The last must be taken first because it is the act whereby a sinner submits in penitence to Christ the King. He must come and kiss Him as Saviour. A kiss, if sincere, denotes something very different from rebellion. It signifies (1) Reconciliation. The prodigal son was greeted in this way to show that he was forgiven. When Esau met Jacob amicably, it was with a kiss. Each rebel against God should return to God as manifested in Christ to be a just God and a Saviour, and thus be reconciled.
“We pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God, for he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” (2) Love. Each reconciled sinner has the love of God shed abroad in his heart. Being forgiven much, he loves much. “We love him because he first loved us.” (3) Allegiance. This also is symbolised by a kiss. Samuel in this way declared himself Saul’s loyal subject when he installed him as Israel’s king. (1 Sam. 10, v. 1). Like Thomas, the convert to Christ will say, “My Lord and my God,” and like Paul, “Whose I am and whom I serve.”
The second counsel is, “Serve the Lord with fear.” There must be no presumption in the believing sinner’s new relationship with God. He is a great God and King, and will not be imposed upon. He is to be obeyed and served with reverence and godly fear. The third counsel is, “Rejoice with trembling.” Christianity is not gloomy, but it is a sober religion. Holy joy goes hand in hand with the saddening knowledge of the dark and perilous state of a sinful world. Neither can those still in the body, exposed to temptation, and warring with inward corruption and devilish principalities and powers, rejoice as those who after the victory lay aside their weapons and doff their armour. Joy and trembling go together here; salvation is to be worked out with fear and trembling.
To sum up: the prime need of every sinner is to be reconciled to God through Christ. To come short of that is to fall into hell under the power of God’s anger. Who can describe the wrath of the Lamb? But all who put their trust in Him are blessed.