Ps. 2:10-11

Ps. 2.10-11

Diag.

So now  /  O Kings  /  think carefully!
Be admonished  /  O earthly rulers!

Serve  /  the Lord  /  with fear
And rejoice  /  with trembling

The Psalmist has once again stepped forward. From verses 6-9 we have heard only the voices of the Enthroned One and his anointed. Here, the scene shifts back to the nations directly. One could chart the progression thus: in the beginning of the Psalm we were, by the steady questioning of the Psalmist (“Why….; Why….; Why…) moving further and further away from these nations, like the climbing of a mountain. This upward movement of alienation only increased with the absurdity of their words of rebellion (“Let us tear of….”). They had become to us comical and we were, and were supposed to be, superior to them. However, with the emerging or booming laughter of God we realized that, however far up the mountain we were, the Enthroned One was much further away. The laughter fell upon us just as it fell upon the nations. It was a terrible laughter. And then, the horrible words to match the laughter came like a hurricane blast and everything was scorched and laid low. In the aftermath we saw, up on the heights, the anointed one. The Lord never made “an appearance”. We only heard his voice. However, we do see the anointed one and he begins to speak to us. He has been in dialogue with the Enthroned One and we learn, not only is this man on intimate terms with Him—he is, in fact, his son. The Lord has actually begotten him in his office as his anointed one. He is, in his very being, like a child is in its nature, the king established by the King. He wields and enacts the Lord’s justice upon the earth. He is the one who will enact what the Voice shouted: complete judgment and an establishment of justice and righteousness. The sun has begun to rise with his begetting and anointing.

And now, from this summit on the mountain we turn our gaze back to the nations. We still occupy this “middle ground” between the anointed and the nations. We are certainly not on par with either of them, although we (certainly) stand on the side of the anointed. But, from this vantage, the entire story has altered. The atmosphere has changed. No longer are the nations seen as simply representing this question or absurdity. No longer are they simply a “Why….”. And, no longer are they speaking. Rather, directions are no being given to them. Their source is the anointed and his anointing. The Psalm began with their words ascending the mountain. Now, with our gaze turned back towards them, the directives flow from above.

They have been silenced and a space has opened up, through fear, within which true words of admonishment might find a place to take root. The ground has, so to speak, been cleared by the fear instilled by the Lord and his anointed, so as to begin a re-planting, and a re-orientation. Notice how the words begin. They start with a type of whispering (but forceful) caution...”Think carefully…”. The Psalmist is telling them to slow down, to keep this space that has been created open. It then moves forward, quickly, into “Be admonished…” He is imploring them to digest their fear and to allow it to continue penetrating their rebellion.

Then follows the ultimate reversal to their rebellious actions and words—“Serve the Lord with fear…” The arrogant men’s words have now been completely reversed. They had called out for freedom and liberation from the Lord and his anointed, “Let us tear off their fetters…”. On the far side of their experiences with the Lord and his anointed, though, comes this directive of service. The Psalmist is imploring them to become a vassal of the anointed, to become a servant, to take back upon themselves those fetters and bindings they had been so eager to remove. Notice how they are referred to as merely “earthly” rulers in contrast to this heavenly anointed one.

It would have seemed appropriate to stop at this point and immediately proceed into the next verse, but there is this one phrase that has been added, “Rejoice with trembling.” The nations are not being told to abandon their rejoicing and celebrations. They are, however, being told that there must always hang over (or within) such rejoicing this seed that has been planted in them: this trembling seed of that horrible voice and laughter. This is not to be an experience ever to be forgotten. It was not merely a reaction by the Lord, but a true revelation of his authority. The world always stands underneath this cloud and this authority bestowed upon the anointed. The position on the mountain will not change: the nations will be at the bottom with the anointed at the top.

Perhaps there is something more here too. Could it be that their rejoicing and celebration carried with it aspects that would engender their desire for rebellion? Or could it be that their acts of celebration somehow could cause them to forget that they are but earthly rulers and only serve the anointed one? From this perspective, the inclusion of this phrase is not so much a ‘cheerful reminder that the Lord and his anointed have not banished happiness’. Rather, it is a stern reminder that, even though these celebrations and rejoicing will inevitably continue, they should always carry within them a central note of humility and of trembling. Rejoicing and fear are not mutually exclusive. They can co-exist (and, arguably, fear can actually leaven rejoicing). It would be interesting to examine the ways in which the “feasts of nations” have been biblically portrayed to see how (or how not) this command has been embodied.

Finally, notice that the command is to “serve the Lord”. It does not say, “serve the Lord and his anointed”. Verse 12 will add to this in important ways, but an important point is here being made: their being made vassals of the anointed is an act of service to the Lord. I am not certain, but I would wager that this word of “service” is something similar to the word used of the Israelites when they request from Pharaoh permission to go out and “serve the Lord”. It carried with it connotations of liturgical service (i.e. the word that priests perform in their ritual enactments). If that is the case then this type of service cannot be rendered to a man (not even the anointed apparently). Rather, this sphere of activity is one reserved solely for the Lord.