The Decision of the Nations | Psalm 2:10–12

10          Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
            be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11           Serve the Lord with fear,
            and rejoice with trembling.
12          Kiss the Son,
            lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
            for his wrath is quickly kindled.
                        Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

If this psalm ended at verse nine, the world would only be in for bad news.  The world bears responsibility for its actions.  The nations have plotted in vain, and the Lord is sending His King with a rod of iron to dash them to pieces.  However, God extends an opportunity for repentance, and here He issues five commands—be wise (v. 10), be warned (v. 10), serve the Lord (v. 11), rejoice with trembling (v. 11), and kiss the Son (v. 12).  The psalmist pleads with the world, and God provides a voice to His message.  It is the message of the Holy Spirit to the lost world, convicting it of sin.

First, wise up and be warned, for the Lord is angry with the wicked.  There’s a sense in both these verbs that one should allow this to happen.  We must allow the Bible to be corrective and impart wisdom that we do not possess in ourselves. Only when we have a proper perspective on the fear and awe of the Lord can we move forward with knowledge (Pv 1:7), serving the Lord properly and rejoicing with trembling. 

Most importantly, only then can we kiss the Son.  What does that mean?  The NASB has “pay homage.”  When God informs Elijah that there’re those who haven’t paid allegiance to Ba’al, He says, “Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”  John 5:23, “Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.”  This ancient expression is one of honor.

We must come to the Lord with repentance for our sins and honor the Son.  Jesus Christ is more than a conquering king; He came to be our Savior.  He died on the cross to be the substitute for all who place their trust in Him, all finding refuge in Him.  For those who found this true blessing, continue to serve as ambassadors of the future kingdom, knowing that this world is a temporary stop on our way home.


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