Psalm 2 — Why have the gentiles raged?

^2:1^ Why have the gentiles raged, and the people devised vain things? ^2:2^ The kings of the earth stood up, and the princes met together, against the Lord and against his Christ.

^2:3^ Let us break their bonds apart, and let us cast away their yoke from us.

^2:4^ He who dwells in heaven shall laugh at them and the Lord shall deride them. ^2:5^ Then he shall speak to them in his anger, and trouble them in his rage.

^2:6^ Now, I am appointed king by him over Zion his holy mountain, preaching his commandment.

^2:7^ The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.

^2:8^ Ask of me, and I will give you the gentiles for your inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for your possession.

^2:9^ You shall rule them with a rod of iron, and shall break them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

^2:10^ And now, O kings, understand; receive instruction, you who judge the earth.

^2:11^ Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice in him with trembling. ^2:12^ Embrace discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry, and you perish from the just way.

^2:13^ When his wrath shall be kindled in a short time, blessed are all those who trust in him.

4. Having finished the psalm in which he described the state and progress of the human race generally, here he moves on to a specific matter, that is, its tribulations, which signify the tribulations of Christ.

And he makes three points concerning this.

First, by praying, he begs for divine help against impending tribulations.

Second, having been heard, he gives thanks; this is in the eighth psalm: *O Lord our Lord, how admirable is your name in the whole earth! (*Ps 8:2).

Third, he describes the trust inspired by this help, and he does this in the tenth psalm: in the Lord I trust; how then do you say to my soul, “Fly to the mountain like a sparrow?” (Ps 10:2).

Now a man can ask for two things in tribulation:

first, to be delivered;

second, that his enemies be put down, and he does this in the seventh psalm: O Lord my God, in you have I put my trust: save me from all those who persecute me (Ps 7:2).

In asking to be delivered, he begs for help first against those troubling him;

second, against those planning to mislead him, and he does this in the fifth psalm: give ear, O Lord, to my words . . . cast them out (Ps 5:2, 11).

About those troubling him, he makes three points.

First, he recalls the machinations of those who rose up against him in the past.

Second, he implores help against those rising up now, and he does this in the third psalm: why, O Lord, are those multiplied who afflict me? (Ps 3:1).

Third, trusting that he has been heard, he invites others to trust in God, and he does this in the fourth psalm: when I called upon him, the God of my justice heard me (Ps 4:2).

Now it should be noted that this entire psalm contains nothing about prayer, but only about the malice of those rising up.

It should be known about this psalm generally that there were two opinions about it.

For some have said that it is all part of the first psalm, and this was the opinion of Gamaliel. And they said that just as that psalm begins, blessed is the man, so this one ends like a part of it, blessed are all those who trust in him, so it is as though coming full circle.

But there are two arguments against this opinion.

The first is that then there would not be one hundred and fifty psalms. The response to this is that they add one which is found in many psalters, and it begins, I was small. (Thomas refers here to the apocryphal Psalm 151.)

But the second argument is that, in the Hebrew, the psalms are organized according to the order of the letters, so that the order is marked immediately where a psalm begins. For at the beginning of the first psalm is an aleph, to signify that it is first; in the second is a bet, to signify that it is second; in the third is a gimel; and so on with the others. Therefore, since bet, which is the second letter in the alphabet, is placed at the beginning of this psalm, it is clear that it is the second psalm, and Augustine holds this opinion. (Augustine, In primam psalmum annotatio (Patrologia Latina [Migne], 36:65–66).) Therefore, it must be said that this psalm is second in the order of the Psalms, but the first to have a title: and this is its title.

Now the word “psalm” comes from “psaltery,” which is a type of ten-stringed instrument played upon by the hand, so it is named from psallere, which means to play upon with the hand; it is touched from above. Thus a “psalm” means a song that David sang, or asked to be sung, to the “psaltery.” Now, mystically, the ten strings of the psaltery signify the law of God, which consists of ten precepts and should be played by hand (that is, with good works), and from above, since the precepts should be fulfilled because of hope of things eternal—otherwise it would be played from below. (Cf. Augustine, Expositions on the Psalms 32 (Corpus Christianorum Series Latina, 38:251) and 91 (CCSL, 39:1282).) And so the psalm is David’s since it was composed by him and treats of his kingdom as a figure of Christ’s. For Christ is fittingly signified through David, since David is said to be strong of hand and Christ the power of God (1 Cor 1:18). For David was attractive in appearance and Christ the brightness of glory (Heb 1:3), on whom the angels desire to look (1 Pet 1:12).

Why have the gentiles raged, and the people devised vain things? This psalm is divided into two parts.

In the first part, he narrates the machinations of those exerting themselves against the kingdom of David and of Christ.

In the second, he describes their suppression: he who dwells in heaven shall laugh at them.

Regarding the first, he narrates three things:

first, the rebellion of those plotting;

second, whom they are plotting against;

third, the purpose of those plotting.

The second begins at against the Lord.

The third begins at let us break their bonds apart.

First, therefore, we should understand that historically, when a people undertakes a rebellion, murmuring first arises among the people, and afterwards the help of powerful men is brought to bear to accomplish it.

Therefore, he first describes the efforts of the people who are murmuring;

second, he describes the help of powerful men: the kings of the earth stood up, and the princes met together.

Within a people there are some who have less reason—the impetuous ones—and some who have more, whom we call “cautious.”

The first are moved to rebel not by thought but rather by impulse, and therefore he says about these that they raged, which is bestial: as the roaring of a lion, so also is the anger of a king (Prov 19:12).

The second are moved by counsel, and so therefore he says about these, they devised vain things, since the thoughts of men . . . are vain (Ps 93:11).

A people is a multitude of men associated by agreement in law. (Cf. Augustine, City of God 19.21.) And so the Jews are called a people since they are with and under the law of God. Others are called gentiles because they are not under the law of God. (Or, literally, in the kingdom of David, there were gentile subjects and faithful Jews, and both exerted themselves against him.) So he says, why have the gentiles raged, and the people devised vain things? He does not question, but rebukes, as in Wisdom 5:8: what has pride profited us or what advantage has the boasting of riches brought us?

Also, the lesser could do nothing themselves unless they had the help of the greater, and so he describes those providing help.

First, through the power to help, and about this he says, the kings of the earth stood up, and the princes met together, against the Lord and against his Christ, as if to say, “Some raged but others stood up,” that is, they were party to this wickedness.

Also, some provided help by counseling wisdom, and about these he says that they met together, namely to consult. Jerome’s text has, they negotiated with each other. (Psalterum juxta Hebraios.) As Jeremiah 5:5 says, I will go therefore to the great men, and I will speak to them: for they know the way of the Lord, the judgment of their God.

Then, when he says, against the Lord and against his Christ, he is describing those suffering the rebellion. For he is setting out those against whom the rebellion was made—the Lord and his king—because kings are called “Christs,” that is, anointed ones: do not touch my Christs (Ps 104:15). Therefore, he who rebels against the king instituted by God rebels also against God. He that resists the power, resists the ordinance of God (Rom 13:2). And so he says, against the Lord and against his Christ. For they have not rejected you, but me (1 Sam 8:7).

Mystically, these things are said about Christ under the likeness of David. Lord, you said by the mouth of our father David, your servant, “Why did the gentiles rage, and the people meditate vain things? . . . For truly there assembled together in this city against your holy child Jesus, whom you have anointed” (Acts 4:25, 27). And, in accordance with this, it should be understood that the gentiles, namely, the soldiers, met together against Christ, and the people, namely the Jews, devised vain things, believing they would kill him completely (that is, that he would not rise again). And the kings of the earth indicates the first Herod of Ascalon, who killed the infants, and the later Herod Antipas, his son, who agreed with Pilate. And the princes indicates Pilate; he uses the plural in place of the singular through a synecdoche. Or the princes could be the leaders of the priests, who met together, that is, in the same depraved intention against the Lord and against his Christ.

5. Next, he describes the purpose of those plotting: let us break their bonds apart. This is fittingly phrased, for the dominion of the king is called a yoke. It is said to Rehoboam that he should lighten the yoke which Solomon had imposed on them (1 Kgs 12:4). For as oxen are harnessed for work with a yoke, so are men for the king’s lordship. Now a yoke cannot be removed unless the bonds are broken apart. But the bonds in a kingdom are those things by which the royal power is made firm in the kingdom, such as soldiers, fortresses, and arms. Therefore, these must first be broken apart before the yoke can be removed.

Spiritually, in Christ, the yoke is the law of charity: for my yoke is sweet (Matt 11:30). The bonds are the virtues of faith, hope, and charity: careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph 4:3); her bonds are a healthful binding (Sir 6:31). The human conscience cannot be under the yoke of Christ’s law unless these bonds are first broken apart. He does this who says to God, depart from us, we do not desire the knowledge of your ways (Job 21:14). From of old you have broken my yoke, you have broken my bonds apart, and you said, “I will not serve” (Jer 2:20).

Or this is said by Christ in the person of David to his servants. The gloss says, it is as though they themselves are struggling: but O my people, let us break apart; (Glossa interlinearis.) but this is not to the point.

6. Afterwards, when he says, he who dwells, the overthrow of those rebelling against the kingdom of David is described.

And regarding this, he shows how they are overthrown:

first, by the Lord;

second, by his Christ, at I am appointed.

They struggled against these, namely the Lord and his Christ, as has been said.

About the first, four things should be noted: laughter, derision, angry speech, and disturbance.

For just as a boy, lacking strength and power, would be laughed at by a giant if he fought against a giant, so if anyone lacking power desires to rebel against he who dwells in heaven, he is laughed at by him. Look up to heaven and see, and behold the sky, that it is higher than you. If you sin, in what shall you hurt him? (Job 35:5–6).

And if he, powerless, persists, then the more powerful one rebukes and derides him. Laughter is in the mouth, according to Jerome in the gloss, but derision is in the nose, wrinkled and contracted in petty indignation. (Peter Lombard, Magna glossatura (Patrologia Latina [Migne], 191:71); Jerome, Commentarioli in Psalmos 2.4 (Corpus Christianorum Series Latina, 72:182); cf. ST II-II, q. 75, a. 1.) I also will laugh in your destruction, and will mock when that which you feared comes to you (Prov 1:26).

Now, if he does not stop, he will continue on to vengeance, and so he says, then he shall speak to them in his anger, that is, he will pronounce the sentence of vengeance against them. For anger does not come upon God, but what belongs to creatures is sometimes attributed to the Creator through anthropomorphism in regard to the emotions, which is like a human propassion. (Cf. ST I, q. 3, a. 2; III, q. 15, a. 4.) O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger (Ps 6:2).

Finally, it is commanded that the sentence be carried out. And so he says, and he shall trouble them in his rage, with an eternal punishment in heart and soul—that is, he will punish them with his power. When he moves himself to seek bread, he knows that the day of darkness is ready at his hand. Tribulation shall terrify him, and distress shall surround him (Job 15:23–24).

These four things are found in the judgment: for he will laugh at them, setting them on his left: he shall deride them, saying, for I was hungry (Matt 25:42); rebuking: he shall speak in his anger; sentencing: go, you cursed, into everlasting fire (Matt 25:41); he shall trouble them, by carrying out the sentence: these shall go into eternal punishment (Matt 25:46).

7. Next, he shows how they shall be subdued by his Christ, when he says, now, I am appointed king. Now, the people, the gentiles, and the princes rose up against David the Christ.

Therefore, he shows first how the Christ conducts himself in regard to the people.

Second, how he conducts himself in regard to the gentiles: the Lord said to me.

Third, how he conducts himself in regard to the kings: and now, O kings, understand.

Therefore, he says, I am appointed king by him over Zion his holy mountain, preaching his commandment. Now, it should be noted that he was appointed king by God in Jerusalem, and he brought the people back by his preaching, as if to say, “They act in this way, but they cannot fulfill their intent, since I am appointed, that is, made firm, as king over Zion, that is, over the people of the Jews who were in Jerusalem, the stronghold of which is Zion, by him, namely, by God.” The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man can do to me (Ps 117:6). O Lord, set me beside you, and let any man’s hand fight against me (Job 17:3). Now, I am appointed king over Zion, his holy mountain, not for my own sake, but to rule the people according to God’s law, and so he says, preaching his commandment.

In the mystical sense, he was appointed king according to the following principle: a king shall reign, and shall be wise, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth (Jer 23:5).

Zion indicates the assembly of the Jews, which is called the holy mountain since it received the rays of the sun first. I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matt 15:24). Do not I know that this day I am made king over Israel? (2 Sam 19:22).

Preaching his commandment means the Gospel, or the special commandment which is mentioned in John 13:34, a new commandment I give to you: love one another, and John 15:12, this is my commandment, that you love one another. Now, he preached this commandment to the Jews personally, that is, in his own person. Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom (Matt 4:23). Now I say that Christ Jesus was minister of the circumcision for the truth of God (Rom 15:8).

8. Afterwards, when he says, the Lord, the same historical account shows how it relates to the gentiles.

Regarding this, he first shows that it is appropriate for Christ to have power over the gentiles;

second, he mentions the use of this power: you shall rule them.

Regarding the appropriateness of Christ’s having power over the gentiles, he first shows by what right Christ holds power over the gentiles;

second, he shows the reception of this power: I will give you the gentiles.

Therefore, he says, the Lord said to me. This is not completely fulfilled in David, and so it is understood about Christ, to whom dominion over the gentiles belongs by a double right: heredity and merit.

First, he describes the right;

second, he describes the merit: ask of me, and I will give.

Christ is the king of all things, as Hebrews 1 notes, and this is fitting to him because he is the Son. If a son, an heir also, through God (Gal 4:7). And so this passage treats of the eternal generation of Christ, in which three things should be noted.

First, the mode of generation;

second, the nature of his sonship;

third, the eternity of the Son who is generated.

He indicates the mode where he says, the Lord said, since the Son proceeds from the Father through an intellectual mode. (Cf. ST I, q. 34, a. 2, and Commentary on John 1, lect. 1.) The generation of any entity occurs through that entity’s mode. The mode of the divine nature is not carnal, but intellectual; indeed, it is the very act of intellection.

Second, this generation is a procession according to the origin which is found in intelligible realities, which is like the conception of the word proceeding from the intellect. And this is to speak a word in the heart, and so he says, the Lord said, as though, by speaking, he generated me. So the Son is the Word which the Father spoke, that is, which he produced by begetting.

Having treated the mode of generation, he shows the nature of his sonship where he says, my son—not adopted, as those about whom it is said, he gave them power to be made the sons of God (John 1:12), but by nature. So, you are my natural, only, and consubstantial son. This is my beloved son (Matt 17:5).

Finally, he expresses the Son’s eternity when he adds, this day I have begotten you, that is, eternally. For it is not a new but an eternal generation, and so he says, this day I have begotten you because this day signifies the present, and what is eternal always is. (Cf. ST I, q. 42, a. 2, and Commentary on John 1, lect. 1.) He says, I have begotten you, and not “I will have begotten you” in order to express the perfection of the generation; for when generation is without motion, to generate and to be generated are simultaneous. He says, this day, to express the presentness and clarity appropriate to Christ, who both inhabits inaccessible light (1 Tim 6:16) and who truly is, in whom nothing is past or future or obscure, but clear.

9. Above was described the privilege of eternal generation, by which dominion over the gentiles belongs to Christ by hereditary right; here he shows how he came to possess it by merit. Here it should be considered that just as forms are infused into natural things according to the disposition of the matter, in the same way does God grant his free gifts: it is God who works in you, both to will and to accomplish (Phil 2:13). And so he wills that we receive gifts by asking and praying. He wanted to give us the example of this in Christ, since he willed him to ask for what belonged to him by hereditary right.

Now, this petition for the calling of the gentiles can be understood in two ways.

First as a prayer, because he prayed for them. Not for them only do I pray, but for those also who through their word shall believe in me (John 17:20).

This petition can also be understood as the Passion: that by means of his death, for the redemption of those transgressions, which were under the former testament, they that are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance (Heb 9:15). And this petition was not in vain, since in all things he was heard for his reverence (Heb 5:7). So the next section follows, I will give you the gentiles.

Here it should be noted that no one comes to Christ except by the gift of the Father: no one can come to me, unless the Father who sent me draw him (John 6:44). The giving of the gentiles is a pure gift, for the Jews were, in a sense, returned, since they had been given already. I say that Christ Jesus was minister of the circumcision (Rom 15:8). And so he says, I will give you the gentiles so that they will be subject to you, and shall be your inheritance. That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth (Phil 2:10). For my inheritance is goodly to me (Ps 15:6).

He possesses them not as ministers like Peter and Paul do, but as the Lord. And Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be said, but Christ as the Son in his own house, which house we are (Heb 3:5–6). And so he says, for your possession. That you might possess the inheritances that were destroyed, that you might say to those who are bound, “Come forth,” and to those who are in darkness “Show yourselves . . . to the ends of the earth” (Isa 49:8–9; 40:28): since the Church has been built up throughout the whole world. But afterwards they returned to unbelief because of Nicholas the heretic and Mohammed. (This is probably a reference to the founder of the Nicolaitans mentioned in Rev 2:6.)

Alternatively, this means that its foundation is still in the future. It is a small thing for you to be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to convert the dregs of Israel. Behold, I have given you to be the light of the gentiles, that you may be my salvation even to the farthest part of the earth (Isa 49:6). Whom he has appointed heir of all things (Heb 1:2).

10. Afterwards, when he says, you shall rule, he describes the exercise of power; and it can be explained historically, since he was appointed king of the Jews, and he also ruled the other nations which he subjugated, as a figure of the universal rule of Christ. But because citizens are ruled in one way (for citizens are ruled with the rule of mercy), and subjugated enemies in another way (that is, the rule of severe justice), he says, with a rod of iron.

But it is better that this be referred to the spiritual rule of Christ, for it is necessary that he who rules should have a scepter: the scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness (Ps 44:7). For this reason it is necessary that there be kings, since they have the scepter of discipline by which they punish those doing wrong. And since Christ is appointed king by God to rule the peoples, he says, you shall rule them with a rod of iron. And he adds iron to specify the unbending discipline of justice. For the rod by which the Jews were ruled was not iron; they frequently threw it off by worshipping idols. But the rod by which he rules the gentiles is a rod of iron, since once the multitude of gentiles has entered in, they will not again withdraw themselves from Christ’s dominion: the woman brought forth a man, who was to rule all nations with an iron rod (Rev 12:12).

And shall break them in pieces like a potter’s vessel, which is explained in Jeremiah: I went down into the potter’s house, and behold! he was doing a work on the wheel. And the vessel was broken which he was making of clay with his hands, and turning he made another vessel, as it seemed good in his eyes to make it (Jer 18:3–4). And afterward, behold as clay is in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand (Jer 18:6). For when a potter’s vessel is newly made, if it is badly formed, it can be easily broken and restored to a good form. The Jews had been converted, so they did not need to be broken, for their faith is the same as ours. Now the gentiles were idolaters, and so they needed to be broken so that they might receive another form, that is, another—the true—faith.

Or with a rod of iron could be understood in another way, that is, as referring to good people, and like a potter’s vessel as referring to evil people, who ultimately must be crushed. Behold this one is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many (Luke 2:34). Its destruction shall come on a sudden, when it is not looked for, and it shall be broken small, as the potter’s vessel is broken all to pieces with mighty breaking (Isa 30:13–14). And so he who is just, let him be justified still, and he who is filthy, let him be filthy still (Rev 22:11).

11. Afterwards, when he says, and now, he describes how he conducts himself in regard to kings. He restrains them by admonishing them and drawing them to God’s service.

Regarding this, he first describes the admonition;

and second, he assigns the reason for the admonition: lest at any time he be angry.

Now he admonishes them to three things: to the truth of doctrine, to the humility of submission, and to the reception of correction.

The second is where he writes serve.

The third is at embrace.

Now, someone can know the truth in two ways: either through investigation—and those who know in this way are called “intelligent”—or through instruction, and such are called “teachable.”

The same is true of those who rule. To some, who are called kings, is entrusted universal governance. To others, who are called judges, is entrusted some particular judgment.

Therefore, the first are exhorted to understand, for he who understands shall possess governments (Prov 1:5).

The second are exhorted to be instructed, so that they may receive from others the form of judgment, and so he says, hear kings, and understand, learn, you who are judges of the ends of the earth (Wis 6:2).

12. Afterwards, when he says, serve, he fittingly puts serving after understanding, since the service of God, which is worship, is the profession of faith. And so one should first believe and afterwards profess and serve. With the heart, we believe for justice; but with the mouth confession is made for salvation (Rom 10:10).

He says, the Lord, for it is enough for him who serves a man to be subject to him externally by obedience, but it is necessary for him who serves God to be subject to him interiorly in his soul by having a good disposition. Now my soul shall be subject to God (Ps 61:2).

He says, with fear, for he who remains holy does not permit sin, such that he who thinks that he stands, should take heed lest he fall (1 Cor 10:12).

And it should be noted, following Augustine, that a king serves God insofar as he is a man by living justly, but insofar as he is a king by making laws contrary to those things which are contrary to God’s justice. (Augustine, Epistle 185, sect. 5 (Patrologia Latina [Migne], 33:801).) Thus, this psalm prefigures the state of the Church, since in the beginning, the kings of the earth made laws against Christ and Christians, but afterwards they established laws in favor of Christ.

And this is shown first when he said, they stood up,

second, at serve the Lord.

So that this service should not appear miserable, he adds, and rejoice in him with trembling, since the fear of the Lord is not miserable but joyful, on account of which Aaron answered Moses . . . “How could I please the Lord . . . having a sorrowful heart?” (Lev 10:19). But that this joy might not involve presumption or negligence, he adjoins, with trembling, which is sudden fear. With fear and trembling work out your salvation (Phil 2:12).

Having admonished to the truth of doctrine and the humility of submission, he finally admonishes to the reception of correction: embrace, that none might live as he pleases but rather as he ought.

And so he adds, discipline: embrace the precepts and good morals, or the adversities, as a guard and protecting wall. And your discipline has corrected . . . and shall teach me (Ps 17:36).

And he includes the reason for the admonition, lest at any time he be angry. And there are two reasons: to avoid punishment; and to attain glory: blessed are all those who trust in him.

He says, lest at any time, because of God’s patience, since in this age he holds back for a long time. As Psalm 7:12–13 says, will he be angry every day?, saying, unless you are converted, as if to say, “You should obey the admonition so that the time of punishment will not come.” Lest you perish from the just way, namely, the way of justice and of the society of the good, which would be very painful to those who have tasted the sweetness of justice.

The text of Jerome has, you perish from the way, without just. (Psalterum juxta Hebraios.) For when a man is in the world, it is as though he is “on the way,” for if he falls, he can get up. But what is said to perish cannot be repaired, even if it is falling not from the way but “on the way.” But if he perishes from the way, it is certainly irreparable. And because no one understands, they shall perish forever (Job 4:21). And so he says, when his wrath shall be kindled.

13. He adds another reason, which is to attain glory, as if to say, embrace discipline because his wrath shall be kindled. Blessed are all those who trust in him. When his wrath shall be kindled is well said, for he does not burn in this way when he punishes as a father, but in the future he will devour and burn when he punishes with eternal punishment. Behold the name of the Lord comes from afar, his wrath burns and is heavy to bear; his lips are filled with indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire (Isa 30:27).

He says, in a short time, because he will not judge individual sins separately, but all at the same time. So this judgment will be in a short time and will not last through a thousand years, as Lactantius said. (Lactantius, Epitome divinarum institutionum 72 (Patrologia Latina [Migne], 6:1091–92).) In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet (1 Cor 15:52). And then all the good will be changed into the glory of immortality. Thus, blessed are those who trust, as if to say, “Vengeance will certainly not touch those who trust, but they will be blessed, because they have reached the kingdom.” This beatitude or glory will appear greater in contrast to the punishment of the evil. Blessed be the man who trusts in the Lord, and the Lord shall be his confidence (Jer 17:7).