Ask of Me and I Will Give You the Nations - Psalm 2

Summer in the Psalms - Psalm 2

Allen Snapp

Grace Community Church

August 25, 2024

Ask of Me and I Will Give You the Nations - Psalm 2

We know that Jesus came to save the world, not to judge it. He came to reach the broken, the hurting, the rebellious, the messy, the fearful, the immoral, and the proud. The messed up ones, the kind that some churches think Jesus wants nothing to do with. Those are who he wants to reach and Jesus wants us to have his heart for those around us who in such need of a Savior.

So this week, as I was praying about the message, I wanted to choose a psalm that reminded us as a church of the mission that God has given us and the verse came to mind “ask of me and I will give the nations to you as an inheritance”. I wasn’t sure that was in the Psalms but when I looked it up, sure enough it’s from Psalm 2:8 and it reads:

. ⁸ Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.

Very Great Commission-ish until we get to verse 9:

⁹ You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”

It sounds like the opposite of saving, it sounds like, well, breaking and dashing. No mission-themed message here, let’s keep looking. But I felt like the Lord wanted me to linger on this psalm and I have come to think that as we understand Psalm 2 in its context, we see Christ both as the exalted King and as the Savior of the world in a clearer light. Let’s pray and then we’ll unpack it in four sections. Four voices.

1. The world speaks: let’s rage and scheme against God

Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? ² The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, ³ “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” Vv. 1-3

Psalm 2 was probably used whenever a new king was coronated to the Davidic throne, but more than that it speaks prophetically of the King who will one day sit on David’s throne forever. These verses describe a world in rebellion against God and His Anointed (Messiah). A world that rages against God and wants to throw off His authority and rule over their lives. Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.

They’re saying we don’t want God and we don’t want His rule over us! Let’s unite to throw off His authority and reject His King. Since the Garden man has been in sinful rebellion and war against God so these verses are always true, but history will culminate at the battle of Armageddon when many nations will gather together to destroy Israel and that’s when Jesus will return and their hostility against Israel will become hostility against Jesus and his army.

2. God speaks: He will terrify the nations and establish His King forever

⁴ He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. ⁵ Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, ⁶ “As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.” Vv. 4-6

Joseph Stalin was one of the cruelest, most godless leaders who ever lived, being responsible for over 30 million deaths of his own people. His daughter Svetlana was by his side in his agonizing final moments on earth. She said he raised his left hand to the sky as if he were pointing to something and brought it down like he was calling down a curse on them. She said the gesture was incomprehensible and full of menace. But it was also helplessly futile for there was nothing he could do to stop death’s approach. She describes the last moments of this evil man’s life: “The death agony was terrible. He literally choked to death as we watched.” 

The nations will raise their fist to the heavens and call down curses on God but it’s in vain. It’s empty. God laughs at their rage and schemes. Verse 5 then He will speak…there may be a period of time when the only thing we can see is men’s rage and schemes and God looks helpless to do anything about it - but that’s the period of time when God is laughing at those who hate and think they can dethrone God. But then will always come.

Then he will speak to them in his wrath and terrify them in his fury…

They’re raging and plotting and saying let’s break His authority and cast away His rule. Then it’s God’s turn to speak and all their bravado is gone. He speaks in wrath and they are terrified by His fury. And what does He say? I’ll set my King on his throne on Zion.

3. The King speaks: I am God’s Son and He will give me the nations

⁷ I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. ⁸ Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. ⁹ You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.” Vv. 7-9

Yahweh said to the King, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.” What does it mean today I have begotten you? The word “begotten” refers to a child who shares the nature of the father. It doesn’t mean to create or make, it means the same nature.

God the Father’s nature is divine and eternal so for Jesus to share His nature he would have to be divine and eternal with no beginning. That’s why Jesus alone is said to be the “only begotten Son of God”.

The “today” refers to the finished work of Christ. We read this in Hebrews 1:1-5

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, ² but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. ³ He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴ having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

⁵ For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Heb. 1:1-5

Today is the day Jesus sprinkled his blood on the heavenly mercy seat for sins and then sits down at the right hand of the Majesty as God’s Anointed King.

Then God says, ask of Me and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. Then it says he will break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a clay pot. It doesn’t sound very much like God’s plan to save the world through the gospel of His Son, but it’s there.

First of all, understand that in context this is still speaking of those in settled rebellion and hostility to Jesus the King. Those are the ones he will break and dash. Jesus himself said everyone either falls on him and is broken or he falls on them and they are crushed. Jesus is not to be messed with. The next segment will make that clear.

But Jesus didn’t come to break and dash. He came to seek and save. The King came as a servant to love us literally to death, giving his life on the cross so that any who believe in him and receive him as their Lord and King will be given abundant life this world and eternal life in the next.

So in Matt. 28 when he commissions his disciples to go into the nations, he says all authority has been given me on heaven and earth so go and teach them who I am. Reach them with the gospel and urge them to receive me as their king; the only King who loves them enough to die for them. The only King merciful enough to accept them just as they are - all their flaws and sins and mess and mistakes and rebellion.

Jesus the King didn’t come to conquer people’s lives, he came to conquer people’s hearts. He didn’t come to make subjects by force, he came to make subjects by love. And that’s what he sends us out to do. To make disciples is to make people who want to follow Jesus and by the Spirit of God are able to follow him. To teach them to obey Jesus’ commandments is to help them see the beauty and rightness of his commands.

Being our own kings and queens is literally what was destroying our lives. The more we know Jesus the more we want to yield to Jesus, the healthier our lives get. Jesus says be my light to this dark world. Jesus’ example of loving and reaching out to people no matter who they were or what their status is an example we should follow. The nations are right outside our door. The world is right down our block. Here are four thoughts I read from an article how to share your faith without being a jerk:

1. Sincerely care about people

I say sincerely because people can tell when you really care and when you’re acting. Cults do something called “love-bombing” where they bomb you with love to get you to join their group. The Bible says love must be sincere and that means its unconditional. I don’t care about you if you do this and do that. I care about you no matter what - that’s what Jesus did and that’s what he calls us to do.

People care less about events and programs these days and more about relationship. Many hunger for

community to be part of, not an event to go to. The church is meant to be a community of faith - a place of genuine love and care. May we seek and strive to be that, not only for our sakes, but that we might be a light to our community.

2. Regularly pray for people

There’s power in prayer. Pray for people in your life. Don’t give up on them no matter how messed up or broken or hostile or uninterested they may seem. Moms and dads, pray for all your children but especially lift that one who is wayward.

3. Look for ways to serve people

Jesus the King didn’t come to be served but to serve. We have the privilege of being his bond-servants and he tells us to serve one another. Paul tells us in Galatians 6 that as we have opportunity we are to do good to everyone, especially the household of faith - but not just other believers but do good to everyone.

4. Announce the good news of Jesus

In Mark 16:15 Jesus tells his disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. It’s the same commission given in Matt. 28. But we can think of preaching as a negative word, like we’re scolding or lecturing people about the truth. People today do not respond well to that.

But the Greek word preach means to announce. In the Old Testament there would be messengers or heralds who would bring news from the battlefield to the city. And the people of the city could tell by the messenger’s demeanor if it was good news or bad news.

Isa. 52:7 says, How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”

We have good news to announce. Let’s announce it as if it were good news because it is. We don’t ram it down people’s throats, or yell at them. If someone doesn’t want to hear it, respect that. Pray for them that the Lord might move in their heart and cause them to want to hear it.

4. The Psalmist speaks: don’t mess with the Son, run to him for refuge

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. Psalm 2:10-12

We must not forget that those who oppose Jesus will one day face his wrath. Jesus came in humility but Jesus is not a wimp. Revelation says there will be people who cry out to the mountains to fall on them and hide them from the wrath of the Lamb.

It’s wise to kiss the Son - form of reverence and worship. Love the Lord with fear - that is, reverence and awe. Those who reject and oppose him will one day be in deep trouble, but now be wise and be warned: take refuge in Jesus.

God made a way - only one way - for sinful mankind to be saved from the guilt of our sin. Everyone will one day stand before the Judgment Seat of God and those who rejected Jesus and his sacrifice will stand before God’s throne and be judged fairly and justly. And will face His righteous wrath for their sin. But no one needs to. He has made a way through Jesus that we might have refuge from judgment and wrath, by trusting in Christ and receiving forgiveness of our sins and the righteousness of Jesus.