We have come to the last verses of our Psalm today and they are the point of the Psalm really.

Therefore, you kings, be wise;
be warned, you rulers of the earth.
¹¹ Serve the Lord with fear
and celebrate his rule with trembling.
¹² Kiss his son, or he will be angry
and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him. Psalm 2: 10-12

The whole Psalm has been about the second coming of the Lord in power and judgment. In light of that second coming the psalmist warns the rulers of the Earth (and frankly people everywhere) to be wise and to serve the Lord with reverent fear.

In verse twelve the psalmist uses an interesting word that our Bibles translate as “Kiss” the son. That word “Kiss” is actually the Hebrew word Nashaq.  understanding it is important to understanding  what we are to do in light of the Lord’s second coming.

Nashaq is to-

1) to put together, kiss

a) (Qal) to kiss

b) (Piel) to kiss

c) (Hiphil) to touch gently

2) to handle, be equipped with

a) (Qal) to be equipped

So as we look to the Lord’s second coming we must come together with the Son or the heir of God’s kingdom (Jesus). We must be close intimate with Him. We must be mindful in our dealings with him and most of all we are to be equipped with the Son.

You see it is not by our own works of righteousness that we will escape the wrath that is to come. We can never stand before God on our own merit. If we try we will only receive judgment. But we have the choice of  “Kissing the son” which is being equipped with the righteousness of Jesus.

“But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Rom. 3:21-24 NIV

So let me ask you, have you kissed the Son?

Tonight at the church we will be breaking down Psalm chapter 2 into its component parts. I thought we might do the same together here on Lillie-Put. Let’s start by reading the chapter in three diferent versions.

Psalm 2 NLT

¹ Why are the nations so angry?
Why do they waste their time with futile plans?
² The kings of the earth prepare for battle;
the rulers plot together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.
³ “Let us break their chains,” they cry,
“and free ourselves from slavery to God.”

⁴ But the one who rules in heaven laughs.
The Lord scoffs at them.
⁵ Then in anger he rebukes them,
terrifying them with his fierce fury.
⁶ For the Lord declares, “I have placed my chosen king on the throne
in Jerusalem,^[a] on my holy mountain.”

⁷ The king proclaims the Lord’s decree:
“The Lord said to me, ‘You are my son.^[b]
Today I have become your Father.^[c]
8 Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance,
the whole earth as your possession.
⁹ You will break^[d] them with an iron rod
and smash them like clay pots.’”

¹⁰ Now then, you kings, act wisely!
Be warned, you rulers of the earth!
¹¹ Serve the Lord with reverent fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
¹² Submit to God’s royal son,^[e] or he will become angry,
and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities—
for his anger flares up in an instant.
But what joy for all who take refuge in him!

KJVPsalm 2

King James Version (KJV)

2 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

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 break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

⁴ He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

⁵ Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

⁶ Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

⁷ I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

⁸ Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

⁹ Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.

¹⁰ Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.

¹¹ Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

¹² 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.

NIV Psalm 2

¹ Why do the nations conspire^[a]
and the peoples plot in vain?
² The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord and against his anointed, saying,
³ “Let us break their chains
and throw off their shackles.”

⁴ The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord scoffs at them.
⁵ He rebukes them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
⁶ “I have installed my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”

⁷ I will proclaim the Lord’s decree:

He said to me, “You are my son;
today I have become your father.
⁸ Ask me,
and I will make the nations your inheritance,
the ends of the earth your possession.
⁹ You will break them with a rod of iron^[b];
you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”

¹⁰ Therefore, you kings, be wise;
be warned, you rulers of the earth.
¹¹ Serve the Lord with fear
and celebrate his rule with trembling.
¹² Kiss his son, or he will be angry
and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

We begin our study with this question:

What words did you notice were different in each version?