Psalm 2/Full

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Hebrew (BHS)

לָ֭מָּה רָגְשׁ֣וּ גֹויִ֑ם וּ֝לְאֻמִּ֗ים יֶהְגּוּ־רִֽיק׃ יִ֥תְיַצְּב֨וּ ׀ מַלְכֵי־אֶ֗רֶץ וְרֹוזְנִ֥ים נֹֽוסְדוּ־יָ֑חַד עַל־יְ֝הוָה וְעַל־מְשִׁיחֹֽו׃ נְֽ֭נַתְּקָה אֶת־מֹֽוסְרֹותֵ֑ימֹו וְנַשְׁלִ֖יכָה מִמֶּ֣נּוּ עֲבֹתֵֽימֹו׃ יֹושֵׁ֣ב בַּשָּׁמַ֣יִם יִשְׂחָ֑ק אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י יִלְעַג־לָֽמֹו׃ אָ֤ז יְדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלֵ֣ימֹו בְאַפֹּ֑ו וּֽבַחֲרֹונֹ֥ו יְבַהֲלֵֽמֹו׃ וַ֭אֲנִי נָסַ֣כְתִּי מַלְכִּ֑י עַל־צִ֝יֹּ֗ון הַר־קָדְשִֽׁי׃ אֲסַפְּרָ֗ה אֶֽ֫ל חֹ֥ק יְֽהוָ֗ה אָמַ֘ר אֵלַ֥י בְּנִ֥י אַ֑תָּה אֲ֝נִ֗י הַיֹּ֥ום יְלִדְתִּֽיךָ׃ שְׁאַ֤ל מִמֶּ֗נִּי וְאֶתְּנָ֣ה גֹ֭ויִם נַחֲלָתֶ֑ךָ וַ֝אֲחֻזָּתְךָ֗ אַפְסֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃ תְּ֭רֹעֵם בְּשֵׁ֣בֶט בַּרְזֶ֑ל כִּכְלִ֖י יֹוצֵ֣ר תְּנַפְּצֵֽם׃ וְ֭עַתָּה מְלָכִ֣ים הַשְׂכִּ֑ילוּ הִ֝וָּסְר֗וּ שֹׁ֣פְטֵי אָֽרֶץ׃ עִבְד֣וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה בְּיִרְאָ֑ה וְ֝גִ֗ילוּ בִּרְעָדָֽה׃ נַשְּׁקוּ־בַ֡ר פֶּן־יֶאֱנַ֤ף ׀ וְתֹ֬אבְדוּ דֶ֗רֶךְ כִּֽי־יִבְעַ֣ר כִּמְעַ֣ט אַפֹּ֑ו אַ֝שְׁרֵ֗י כָּל־חֹ֥וסֵי בֹֽו׃

Greek (Rahlfs-Hanhart LXX)

1ἵνα τί ἐφρύαξαν ἔθνη καὶ λαοὶ ἐμελέτησαν κενά 2παρέστησαν οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες συνήχθησαν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ κατὰ τοῦ κυρίου καὶ κατὰ τοῦ χριστοῦ αὐτοῦ διάψαλμα 3διαρρήξωμεν τοὺς δεσμοὺς αὐτῶν καὶ ἀπορρίψωμεν ἀφ᾽ ἡμῶν τὸν ζυγὸν αὐτῶν 4ὁ κατοικῶν ἐν οὐρανοῖς ἐκγελάσεται αὐτούς καὶ ὁ κύριος ἐκμυκτηριεῖ αὐτούς 5τότε λαλήσει πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐν ὀργῇ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν τῷ θυμῷ αὐτοῦ ταράξει αὐτούς 6ἐγὼ δὲ κατεστάθην βασιλεὺς ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ Σιων ὄρος τὸ ἅγιον αὐτοῦ 7διαγγέλλων τὸ πρόσταγμα κυρίου κύριος εἶπεν πρός με υἱός μου εἶ σύ ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά σε 8αἴτησαι παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ καὶ δώσω σοι ἔθνη τὴν κληρονομίαν σου καὶ τὴν κατάσχεσίν σου τὰ πέρατα τῆς γῆς 9ποιμανεῖς αὐτοὺς ἐν ῥάβδῳ σιδηρᾷ ὡς σκεῦος κεραμέως συντρίψεις αὐτούς 10καὶ νῦν βασιλεῖς σύνετε παιδεύθητε πάντες οἱ κρίνοντες τὴν γῆν 11δουλεύσατε τῷ κυρίῳ ἐν φόβῳ καὶ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε αὐτῷ ἐν τρόμῳ 12δράξασθε παιδείας μήποτε ὀργισθῇ κύριος καὶ ἀπολεῖσθε ἐξ ὁδοῦ δικαίας ὅταν ἐκκαυθῇ ἐν τάχει ὁ θυμὸς αὐτοῦ μακάριοι πάντες οἱ πεποιθότες ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ

Figurative

Metaphor

• v.7c. The king is Yahweh's son (בְּנִי אַתָּה).,

Simile

• v.9b. כִּכְלִי יוֹצֵר – before the Davidic king’s awesome power, backed by almighty Yahweh, the rebellious nations are like fragile pottery, ready to be smashed to pieces if they persist in their rebellion.,

Metonymy

• v. 1b. יֶהְגּוּ is metonymic for “devising, planning, plotting” (see Ps. 38:12; Pr. 24:2).
• v. 4a. יוֹשֵׁב is used metonymically in this royal setting with reference to “sitting enthroned” (see Pss. 9:7; 29:10; 55:19; 102:12; 123:1).
• v. 12a. The verb נשׂק (“kiss”) refers metonymically to showing homage (see 1 Sam. 10:1; Hos. 13:2).
• v. 12bc. Anger is here used metonymically for judgment.,

Anthropomorphism

• v.4. Yahweh sits (Yahweh is a king)
• v.6. Yahweh is a craftsman (see above on נָסַכְתִּי).
• v.7cd. Yahweh is a father,

Hyperbole

• v. 2a. The phrase “kings of the earth” is hyperbolic.,

Rhetorical questions

• v. 1. לָמָּה

Psalm 2 begins emphatically with a double rhetorical question (the initial interrogative word לָמָּה is implicit in line B). Some interpreters construe the rhetorical “Why?” (לָמָּה) of v. 1 as applying also to v. 2, e.g., “[Why] do earth’s kings take their stand...” The psalmist expresses his outrage in defense of his God (YHWH) and chosen King—that the nations would have the audacity to rebel against them. DeClaissé et. al consider the first line to be “an exclamation of surprise” that indicates “puzzlement.” But that does not seem to be the correct connotation in this context; rather, these dramatic queries indicate a sharp warning and rebuke: How could these nations do such a foolish thing—they cannot win against the Almighty; they will most certainly fail—completely (יהגו ריק)!,

Idioms

• v. 12d. “Taking shelter” in the Lord is an idiom for seeking and enjoying his protection. This also demonstrates the subject’s loyalty to the Lord God. In the psalms those who “take shelter” in God are contrasted with the wicked and equated with those who love, fear, and serve him (Pss 5:11-12, 31:17-20, 34:21-22.)

Authorship

Although the Psalm itself is anonymous, it is attributed to David in the book of Acts (Acts 4:25-26).

Genre

Anderson classifies this psalm as a "Royal Psalm" The category “Royal Psalm” is based on content and not on form. Anderson’s categories can be reduced to three on the basis of the native tradition given in 1 Chronicles 16:4: (1) complaint / lament psalms, (2) hymns of praise, and (3) songs of thanksgiving. There is no formal basis for distinguishing communal versus individual laments but not communal versus individual songs of thanks. John Eaton argues that the person speaking in many of the psalms is the king.

Since Gerald Wilson’s work, The Editing of the Hebrew Psalter, scholars have also paid attention to the genres specified in the superscriptions. For classifying data in the superscriptions, cf. Daniel Bourguet. In terms of emic genre (the internal system of classifying Psalms in the superscriptions), Psalm 2 receives no classification.

Imagery

The nations see the rule of Yahweh and his anointed king as bonds to be broken (v. 3). Yahweh, who is depicted as a heavenly king in contrast to the earthly kings, responds to them with laughter and fiery indignation (v. 4-5). His response is cast in metallurgical imagery: Yahweh, like a craftsman, has cast the king as his idol in the temple of Zion (v. 6). Yahweh’s relationship to the king is further depicted with another image: that of a father begetting his son (v. 7), a metaphor which entails the legal image of inheritance (v. 8). The king (depicted in the LXX as a shepherd) wields an iron rod against the nations, who are depicted as fragile pottery (and implicitly in the LXX as sheep) (v. 9). The rebellious nations are summoned to become Yahweh’s servants (v. 11) and to kiss the Son to avoid his burning anger (v. 12). The Psalm concludes with the images of a pathway (cf. Psalm 1) and of refuge, two metaphorical schemas that generate a host of images that populate the Psalter’s iconic landscape.

Guide Questions for Analyzing and Translating Psalm 2

Whole Text

a) What is the genre of this psalm? Give reasons for your answer. Do you have a similar genre in your language (YL)? Can this genre be used as a model to follow when translating Psalm 2 in YL? Explain why—or why not.

b) Into how many parts (stanzas) would you divide Psalm 2? Which verses belong in each stanza? Tell how each stanza is related to the next in meaning.

c) Explain why you have divided the psalm in this way—what are the discourse “markers” in the text on which you are basing your decisions?

d) Give a one-sentence summary of each stanza. Then suggest a general theme (or title) for Psalm 2 as a whole.

e) How does the genre and content of this psalm relate to that of Psalm 1? Of Psalm 3?

v. 1

a) What sort of question do we find in v. 1? What is the expected answer to this question? Actually, there are two questions here, but the second one has been elided in line B. What is this elided question?

b) Are rhetorical questions commonly used in YL? How are they marked linguistically? Could RQs be used effectively (naturally) here at the beginning of Psalm 2 in YL? If not, how can their impact and intended implication be replaced?

c) Who are the “nations” referred to in v. 1? How are they different from the “peoples"? Would a literal translation suggest that two entirely different groups are involved here? If so, how would you clarify the intended sense in YL?

d) What do the verbs “conspire” (רגשׁו) and “plot in vain” (יהגו ריק) mean? What aspect of meaning is added in line B, and how can this be expressed in YL?

v. 2

a) How is verse 2 related in meaning to verse 1? What is different then with regard to content?

b) Are two different groups of political leaders referred to here, or just one? Explain—also how you would convey this in YL.

c) How do you express the two verbs of lines A&B?

d) How do you translate “Yahweh” (the Tetragrammaton—יהוה) in YL? Explain why this is a good—or not the best—choice. Are there any good alternatives that might be considered?

e) How do you translate “Anointed One” (משיח)? To whom does this term refer? There are two possibilities: Does one exclude the other? Explain. How do you express the concept of “anointing” in YL? Does this procedure have any special significance in your culture, whether traditional or contemporary? Explain.

v. 3

a) Who is speaking in verse 3? How do you know? Does this shift need to be marked in your translation? If so, how can this be done?

b) What do the kings of the earth propose to do in their speech of lines A&B? What sort of attitude is being expressed here, and how :can this be rendered in YL?

c) What kind of figure of speech do we find involving “chains” and “fetters”? Can this be translated literally in YL, or does some adjustment need to be made (specify)?

v. 4

a) Why is it reasonable to begin a new stanza at v. 4? List the various structural markers that indicate a break here.

b) What is the general figure of speech in v. 4 called? Is it common to describe or speak of “God” as a human being in your culture? Explain.

c) What does “the one who sits in the heavens” (יושב בשמים) mean? How can this concept be expressed in YL?

d) Does God ever “laugh” according to the religious traditions of your culture? If so, what does this signify? In this particular context, why does God laugh? How would you render this in YL?

e) How do you translate “Lord” (אדני) in YL?

f) What does it mean to say that God is “mocking” (ילעג) someone? Could the connotation of this concept present a problem in your sociocultural context? Explain.

g) Whom is God mocking and why? How do you know this?

v. 5

a) How does v. 5 intensify the thought of v. 4? How, in turn, does the B poetic line of v. 5 intensify the A line?

b) What is the best way to translate the initial adverb “then” (אז)—what is the rhetorical function of this particle?

c) The verb in the Hebrew line A is “he speaks” (ידבר); does a literal reproduction work in YL—that is, in conjunction with “anger” (אף)? Explain. If not, what verb better renders the sense?

d) How does “wrath” (חרון) differ from “anger”? Note: “The noun translated fury is used in the Old Testament only with God as subject. It means literally “burning,” that is, an anger that consumes and destroys the enemy (see Exo 15.7).” Are you able to convey the notion of “burning” with the same sense (cf. Chewa: amapya mtima “he burns [in] heart” – an idiom)?

e) Why is the Lord so angry? Is the intended sense and connotation clear in your translation? If not, how can you modify it to get the idea across?

v. 6

a) Who is speaking the words of this verse? How can you make this clear in YL without upsetting the poetic character of your translation?

b) Note the additional emphasis upon the initial Hebrew pronoun “and I” (אני). How can you convey this idiomatically in YL?

c) How do you express the idea of “installing a king” (נסכתי מלכי) in YL? What does God mean by saying “my king”? Does the semantic relationship implied by the possessive form need to be made explicit in your translation? If so, how would you do this?

d) Note the ellipsis in line B of this verse: what has been omitted as being understood from the context?

e) How do you translate the proper name “Zion” (ציון)? Note Handbook on Psalms: “The name Zion was applied to the hill (Mount Moriah) on which Solomon built the Temple; by extension the name was applied to the Temple, to the city of Jerusalem, and sometimes to the whole land of Israel. The hill is called holy because it belongs exclusively to God.”

f) Why is this “hill” called “holy” (הר קדשׁי)? How is the concept of “holiness” expressed in YL? Is an explanatory footnote needed to make the sense of this verse clear? If so, how would you word it?

v. 7

a) What text markers indicate that a new stanza begins at v. 7?

b) How many speakers appear to be saying something in this verse? Who are they, and how can you distinguish them in YL? In addition, is an explanatory footnote necessary?

c) How would you express the strong (cohortative) initial verb: “Let me announce" (אספרה)

d) What is a “decree” (חק) and where is it found in v.7?

e) Note the contrastive chiastic construction of the paralleled lines of the Lord’s pronouncement: x: my-son, y: you; y’: I, x’: today I-have-begotten-you (‎בְּנִ֥י אַ֑תָּה אֲ֜נִ֗י הַיּ֥וֹם יְלִדְתִּֽיךָ). Both lines are saying the same thing, but in different words. It is important to know the cultural background that acts as a frame of reference for these important words: “‘You are my son!’ The Davidic king was viewed as God’s “son” (see 2Sa 7:14; Ps 89:26- 27). The idiom reflects ancient Near Eastern adoption language associated with covenants of grant, by which a lord would reward a faithful subject by elevating him to special status, referred to as “sonship.” Like a son, the faithful subject received an “inheritance,” viewed as an unconditional, eternal gift. Such gifts usually took the form of land and/or an enduring dynasty” (NET Study Note). First of all then, how do you express the notion of being “begotten” in YL (note that a euphemistic expression may be needed here). Compare your version with translations in other languages to see if improvement can be made.

f) To which “day” or “time” does “today” (היום) refer to? How would you make this clear in your translation?

g) Note the comments of the Handbook on Psalms regarding this verse:

The major problem in translating verse 7b is making clear to whom the pronouns refer (moreover these references must not be confused with those of v. 6). This may often be done by using direct speech; for instance, “God said to me, ‘You, king, are now my son’” or indirectly “God told me that I the king am his son.” The expression today I have begotten you may create confusion, as a king is not normally begotten on the day he is made king. It may be necessary to relate this explicitly to the day of enthronement; for example, “On this the day of your becoming king I have become your father."

Are these observations helpful? What could you add to the preceding after translating this verse yourself?

v. 8

a) Who is speaking the words of verses 8-9? How can you make this clear in your translation?

b) What is being asked for in this verse? To whom does the term “nations” (גוים) refer? How does this differ in reference from "the ends of the earth" (אפסי ארץ) in line B? Is there a figurative way of saying this (cf. Chewa: kumphepo zonse zinai ‘to the four winds’)?

c) What is the difference in meaning between “inheritance" (נחלה) and "possession" (אחזה)? Does this difference need to be maintained in translation? Explain. Do the comments in the Handbook on Psalms give you any help?

"Heritage is a term often used in the Old Testament of what God gives his people; it involves the idea of permanent possession. Many times it refers to the land of Canaan as Israel’s gift from God (see Deut 4.21); the word possession is similarly used (see Gen 17.8; Deut 32.49). The noun “heritage” and the verb 'to inherit' do not, in a context like this, carry the meaning ordinarily associated with these terms, that is, of a gift or a right that is given someone at the death of the one who previously owned the gift or held the right. So GNT92.PSA.2.8 translates "I will give you."

v. 9

a) There is an important textual issue that must be resolved in this verse (see above on Textual Criticism). The Handbook on Psalms adds: “‘break’ and ‘shatter... in pieces.’" One of the most common techniques to achieve intensification in biblical parallelism is the use of the simile in the second clause. The intensification of poetic effect is made here also by the contrast of breaking with an iron rod and the shattering of a fragile clay pot.” Check some other versions and commentaries and explain whether you agree with this conclusion, or not.

b) What types of figurative language do we find in this verse? What is their meaning, and how does the B line intensify the A line? Do you have any difficulty conveying the imagery of this verse in YL? Explain.

v. 10

a) What are the indicators that a new stanza begins in v. 10 (also note the chiastic construction of lines A and B)?

b) Who is the speaker of verses 10-12? Why do you think so?

c) How can you duplicate the structural function of the initial connective expression “And now...” (ועתה) in YL?

d) Explain how the second main verb of this verse clarifies, or specifies, the first: “be wise...be warned” (NIV) (השׂכילו הוסרו). Is there a way of indicating in YL that this is a serious warning? If so, tell how (Chewa suggests this by the word order in the vocative phrases).

v. 11

a) What type of “serving” (עבד) and what sort of “fear” (יראה) is being referred to in line A?

b) The second line of v. 11 is difficult to understand in Hebrew (see above on Lexical Semantics). Compare the above explanation with several other versions and commentaries; then give your conclusion as to how you will translate this B line in YL. What difficulty would you have in rendering the NIV’s “rejoice with trembling”?

v. 12

a) There is another difficult exegetical problem in line A of this verse (see above on Textual Criticism). The Handbook on Psalms concludes: “Until more light is shed on the subject, the translator’s best course is to follow one of the standard translations. However, a literal translation of ‘kiss his feet’ in many languages will be misleading. It is therefore preferable in such cases to use a nonfigurative expression such as ‘bow down to him’, or the appropriate physical gesture for doing obeisance before a high-ranking person, such as ‘stoop before him’, ‘lower the head before him’, or ‘crouch in front of him’.” — Compare this explanation with several other versions and commentaries; then give your conclusion as to how you will translate this A line in YL. What difficulty would you have in rendering the NIV’s “Kiss the Son lest he be angry”?

b) What does the expression in line B “lest...you perish in your way" (‎פֶּן...תֹ֬אבְדוּ דֶ֗רֶךְ) mean—and how will you translate this?

c) How does line C connect with the preceding content: “when his anger quickly burns" (‎כִּֽי־יִבְעַ֣ר כִּמְעַ֣ט אַפּ֑וֹ)? How will you clarify this in your translation?

d) Why does the last line of this psalm (D) sound out of place? Compare with Psalm 1:1 and then suggest a possible explanation for its presence here (cf. also 1:6).

e) How do you express the concept of being “blessed" (אשׁרי)

f) What does it mean to “take refuge in” (חסה) someone? Note the comment in the Handbook on Psalms: “Take refuge in him translates a verb which appears some twenty-four times in Psalms and is always used with God as the protector. The expression take refuge in him must often be recast as a verbal phrase with the meaning of ‘covering’, ‘caring for’, or ‘helping’. The last line may sometimes be rendered, for example, ‘But how happy are the people God takes care of’ or ‘But how fortunate are the people God helps.'” Do you have a figurative way of expressing this in YL? If so, tell what this is.

g) have a figurative way of expressing this in YL? If so, tell what this is.