Psalm 2 Text

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Read along and listen to our audio recordings for Psalm 2. Choose between simple, unaffected audio recordings (in Hebrew or English), or a dramatized reading that takes into account our emotional and discourse analyses. You can also choose between a text-only view, or a view overlaid with our summary At-a-Glance, Expanded Paraphrase, or Participant Analysis tracking.

Text Only (Hebrew and English) The text below is divided according to the psalm's poetic lines. For additional information, see our Poetic Structure layer.

Text (Hebrew) Verse Text (CBC) The Close-but-clear translation (CBC) exists to provide a window into the Hebrew text according to how we understand its syntax and word-to-phrase-level semantics. It is not intended to be used as a stand-alone translation or base text, but as a supplement to Layer-by-Layer materials to help users make full use of these resources.
לָ֭מָּה רָגְשׁ֣וּ גוֹיִ֑ם
 1a
Why have nations thronged,
וּ֝לְאֻמִּ֗ים יֶהְגּוּ־רִֽיק׃
 1b
and why do peoples mutter emptiness?
יִ֥תְיַצְּב֨וּ ׀ מַלְכֵי־אֶ֗רֶץ
 2a
Kings of earth are standing,
וְרוֹזְנִ֥ים נֽוֹסְדוּ־יָ֑חַד
 2b
and rulers have conspired together
עַל־יְ֝הוָה וְעַל־מְשִׁיחֽוֹ׃
 2c
against YHWH and against his anointed one.
נְֽ֭נַתְּקָה אֶת־מֽוֹסְרוֹתֵ֑ימוֹ
 3a
“Let us tear off their bonds,
וְנַשְׁלִ֖יכָה מִמֶּ֣נּוּ עֲבֹתֵֽימוֹ׃
 3b
and let us throw their ropes from us.”
יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בַּשָּׁמַ֣יִם יִשְׂחָ֑ק
 4a
The one enthroned in the heavens laughs.
אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י יִלְעַג־לָֽמוֹ׃
 4b
The Lord mocks them.
אָ֤ז יְדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלֵ֣ימוֹ בְאַפּ֑וֹ
 5a
Then he speaks to them in his wrath,
וּֽבַחֲרוֹנ֥וֹ יְבַהֲלֵֽמוֹ׃
 5b
and he dismays them with his anger.
וַ֭אֲנִי נָסַ֣כְתִּי מַלְכִּ֑י
 6a
“But I have cast my king (as my image)
עַל־צִ֝יּ֗וֹן הַר־קָדְשִֽׁי׃
 6b
on Zion, my holy mountain.”
אֲסַפְּרָ֗ה אֶֽ֫ל חֹ֥ק
 7a
Let me recount the decree.
יְֽהוָ֗ה אָמַ֘ר אֵלַ֥י בְּנִ֥י אַ֑תָּה
 7b
YHWH said to me, "You are my son.
אֲ֝נִ֗י הַיּ֥וֹם יְלִדְתִּֽיךָ׃
 7c
I have become your father today.
שְׁאַ֤ל מִמֶּ֗נִּי
 8a
Ask me,
וְאֶתְּנָ֣ה ג֭וֹיִם נַחֲלָתֶ֑ךָ
 8b
and I will make the nations your inheritance
וַ֝אֲחֻזָּתְךָ֗ אַפְסֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃
 8c
and the ends of the earth your property.
תְּ֭רֹעֵם בְּשֵׁ֣בֶט בַּרְזֶ֑ל
 9a
You will crush them with an iron sceptre.
כִּכְלִ֖י יוֹצֵ֣ר תְּנַפְּצֵֽם׃
 9b
You will smash them like a potter’s vessel.
וְ֭עַתָּה מְלָכִ֣ים הַשְׂכִּ֑ילוּ
 10a
And now, kings, be wise.
הִ֝וָּסְר֗וּ שֹׁ֣פְטֵי אָֽרֶץ׃
 10b
Accept discipline, rulers of earth.
עִבְד֣וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה בְּיִרְאָ֑ה
 11a
Serve YHWH with fear
וְ֝גִ֗ילוּ בִּרְעָדָֽה׃
 11b
and rejoice with trembling.
נַשְּׁקוּ־בַ֡ר פֶּן־יֶאֱנַ֤ף ׀ וְתֹ֬אבְדוּ דֶ֗רֶךְ
 12a
Kiss the son, lest he become angry and you perish in your conduct,
כִּֽי־יִבְעַ֣ר כִּמְעַ֣ט אַפּ֑וֹ
 12b
for his anger rages easily.
אַ֝שְׁרֵ֗י כָּל־ח֥וֹסֵי בֽוֹ׃
 12c
Happy are all who take refuge in him.

Structure Overlay Below, the text has been overlaid with our summary structural analysis. For details on the structure, see the Structure At-a-Glance here.

SpeakerStructure Text (Hebrew) Verse Text (CBC) Addressee
Psalmist
Rebellion
 לָ֭מָּה רָגְשׁ֣וּ גוֹיִ֑ם 1a Why are nations in an uproar,
contempt
Audience
וּ֝לְאֻמִּ֗ים יֶהְגּוּ־רִֽיק׃ 1b and [why] do peoples plot emptiness?
יִ֥תְיַצְּב֨וּ ׀ מַלְכֵי־אֶ֗רֶץ 2a [Why] do earthly kings take a stand
וְרוֹזְנִ֥ים נֽוֹסְדוּ־יָ֑חַד 2b and [why] have rulers conspired together
עַל־יְ֝הוָה וְעַל־מְשִׁיחֽוֹ׃ 3a against YHWH and against his anointed one?
נְֽ֭נַתְּקָה אֶת־מֽוֹסְרוֹתֵ֑ימוֹ 3b "Let's tear off their bonds
Response
 וְנַשְׁלִ֖יכָה מִמֶּ֣נּוּ עֲבֹתֵֽימוֹ׃ 4a and throw their ropes away from us!"
contempt & awe
יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בַּשָּׁמַ֣יִם יִשְׂחָ֑ק 4b The one enthroned in the heavens laughs.
אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י יִלְעַג־לָֽמוֹ׃ 5a The Lord mocks them.
אָ֤ז יְדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלֵ֣ימוֹ בְאַפּ֑וֹ 5b Then he speaks to them in his anger
King
 וּֽבַחֲרוֹנ֥וֹ יְבַהֲלֵֽמוֹ׃ 6a and terrifies them in his wrath.
Earthly Kings
וַ֭אֲנִי נָסַ֣כְתִּי מַלְכִּ֑י 6b "But I have poured out my king
Decree
 עַל־צִ֝יּ֗וֹן הַר־קָדְשִֽׁי׃ 7a on Zion, my holy mountain."
confidence
אֲסַפְּרָ֗ה אֶֽ֫ל חֹ֥ק 7b I will tell about the decree;
יְֽהוָ֗ה אָמַ֘ר אֵלַ֥י בְּנִ֥י אַ֑תָּה 8a YHWH said to me, "You are my son.
אֲ֝נִ֗י הַיּ֥וֹם יְלִדְתִּֽיךָ׃ 8b I hereby father you today.
שְׁאַ֤ל מִמֶּ֗נִּי  וְאֶתְּנָ֣ה ג֭וֹיִם נַחֲלָתֶ֑ךָ 9a Ask me, and I will make nations your inheritance
וַ֝אֲחֻזָּתְךָ֗ אַפְסֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃ 9b and the ends of the earth your property.
Psalmist
Ultimatum
 תְּ֭רֹעֵם בְּשֵׁ֣בֶט בַּרְזֶ֑ל 10a You will crush them with an iron scepter.
contempt
כִּכְלִ֖י יוֹצֵ֣ר תְּנַפְּצֵֽם׃ 10b You will smash them like clay pottery."
וְ֭עַתָּה מְלָכִ֣ים הַשְׂכִּ֑ילוּ 11a And now, kings, wise up!
הִ֝וָּסְר֗וּ שֹׁ֣פְטֵי אָֽרֶץ׃ 11b Accept discipline, earthly rulers!
עִבְד֣וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה בְּיִרְאָ֑ה 12a Serve YHWH with fear
וְ֝גִ֗ילוּ בִּרְעָדָֽה׃ 12b and rejoice with trembling!
נַשְּׁקוּ־בַ֡ר  פֶּן־יֶאֱנַ֤ף ׀  וְתֹ֬אבְדוּ דֶ֗רֶךְ 12c Kiss the son, or else he will become angry and you will perish in your way,

Expanded paraphrase The expanded paraphrase seeks to capture the implicit information within the text and make it explicit for readers today. It is based on the CBC translation and uses italic text to provide the most salient background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences.

Text (Hebrew) Verse Expanded Paraphrase
לָ֭מָּה רָגְשׁ֣וּ גוֹיִ֑ם וּ֝לְאֻמִּ֗ים יֶהְגּוּ־רִֽיק׃ 1 YHWH and his anointed king rule over the nations and their rulers. But the nations and their rulers want freedom and independence from the imperial rule of YHWH and his anointed one, and so they are attempting to rebel. But there is no point! They will certainly be defeated. Why do they even bother? Why are nations in an uproar, like an agitated crowd or like a turbulent sea, and [why] do peoples make plots that result only in emptiness?
יִ֥תְיַצְּב֨וּ ׀ מַלְכֵי־אֶ֗רֶץ וְרוֹזְנִ֥ים נֽוֹסְדוּ־יָ֑חַד 2 [Why] do earthly kings who govern the nations as vassals to YHWH and his king take a stand against their suzerains, and [why] have rulers conspired together against YHWH and against his king whom he anointed as the one to rule his people?
עַל־יְ֝הוָה וְעַל־מְשִׁיחֽוֹ׃ נְֽ֭נַתְּקָה אֶת־מֽוֹסְרוֹתֵ֑ימוֹ 3 The rebels say, "Let's stop serving them! Let's tear off their bonds and throw their ropes away from us! Let's achieve independence!"
וְנַשְׁלִ֖יכָה מִמֶּ֣נּוּ עֲבֹתֵֽימוֹ׃ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בַּשָּׁמַ֣יִם יִשְׂחָ֑ק 4 The one enthroned in the heavens, far above the earthly kings, is not threatened by their rebellion. Instead, he laughs at them, an expression of mockery and disdain. The all-powerful Lord whom they ought to be serving mocks them.
אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י יִלְעַג־לָֽמוֹ׃ אָ֤ז יְדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלֵ֣ימוֹ בְאַפּ֑וֹ 5 Then he speaks to them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath.
וּֽבַחֲרוֹנ֥וֹ יְבַהֲלֵֽמוֹ׃ וַ֭אֲנִי נָסַ֣כְתִּי מַלְכִּ֑י 6 He says in response to their words (v. 3): "You can plot all you like, but it will not work. I have poured out my king as my image, just as a craftsman pours liquid metal into a mold to make an image, and I have placed him on Zion, the city of David, my holy mountain, the place where heaven and earth meet, to represent my heavenly rule on the earth. Nothing that you do can alter this reality."
עַל־צִ֝יּ֗וֹן הַר־קָדְשִֽׁי׃ אֲסַפְּרָ֗ה אֶֽ֫ל חֹ֥ק 7 Listen up, you rebellious nations! I the king whom YHWH anointed and cast as his image, will tell about the covenant YHWH made with my father, David, which he has confirmed to me as a decree, a decree that you must heed; YHWH said to me on the day of my enthronement, "You are my son. You resemble me in terms of character, you represent my rule, and you will always receive my paternal care. With this speech, I hereby father you today, on the day of your enthronement, causing you to be born into a royal existence, thus fulfilling what I promised your father, David, when I told him, 'I will raise up your offspring after you... and I will establish his kingdom... I will become his father, and he will become my son' (2 Sam 7:12-14).
יְֽהוָ֗ה אָמַ֘ר אֵלַ֥י בְּנִ֥י אַ֑תָּה אֲ֝נִ֗י הַיּ֥וֹם יְלִדְתִּֽיךָ׃ 8 Ask me, my son, for your inheritance, and I will make nations your inheritance and the ends of the earth your property. For the whole world is mine, and you, my only son, will inherit it all.
שְׁאַ֤ל מִמֶּ֗נִּי וְאֶתְּנָ֣ה ג֭וֹיִם נַחֲלָתֶ֑ךָ וַ֝אֲחֻזָּתְךָ֗ אַפְסֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃ 9 If they try to rebel against your rule, I will be with you to strengthen you, and you will crush them with an iron scepter and smash them like fragile clay pottery that, once it is smashed, cannot be put back together."
תְּ֭רֹעֵם בְּשֵׁ֣בֶט בַּרְזֶ֑ל כִּכְלִ֖י יוֹצֵ֣ר תְּנַפְּצֵֽם׃ 10 And now, you foolish kings, having heard YHWH's decree, wise up! Accept YHWH's discipline and submit to him, earthly rulers!
וְ֭עַתָּה מְלָכִ֣ים הַשְׂכִּ֑ילוּ הִ֝וָּסְר֗וּ שֹׁ֣פְטֵי אָֽרֶץ׃ 11 Serve YHWH, the heavenly Lord, with fear. Live according to his requirements, especially his "decree" (v. 7). Celebrate his rule and rejoice at his good kingship, but do so with fear and trembling, for he can destroy you in a moment if you step out of line!
עִבְד֣וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה בְּיִרְאָ֑ה וְ֝גִ֗ילוּ בִּרְעָדָֽה׃ נַשְּׁקוּ־בַ֡ר פֶּן־יֶאֱנַ֤ף ׀ וְתֹ֬אבְדוּ דֶ֗רֶךְ 12 Kiss the son as a sign of honor and submission, or else he will become angry and you will perish in your way of rebellion that you have chosen to walk, for his anger easily ignites and burns everything in its path . You will not stand a chance if you oppose him! But if you submit to him, then you and your peoples will flourish under his righteous rule. Happy are all who take refuge in him, for he is a good king who takes care of his people!

Participant Tracking Text Participant Analysis focuses on the characters in the psalm and asks, “Who are the main participants (or characters) in this psalm, and what are they saying or doing? Our full analysis can be found in the Participant Analysis layer.

  Participant Color-Coding

Hebrew Line English
לָ֭מָּה רָגְשׁ֣וּ גוֹיִ֑ם 1a Why are nations in an uproar
וּ֝לְאֻמִּ֗ים יֶהְגּוּ־רִֽיק׃ 1b and [why] do peoples plot emptiness [Why] do
יִ֥תְיַצְּב֨וּ׀מַלְכֵי־אֶ֗רֶץ 2a earthly kings take a stand
וְרוֹזְנִ֥ים נֽוֹסְדוּ־יָ֑חַד 2b and [why] have rulers conspired together
עַל־יְ֝הוָה וְעַל־מְשִׁיחֽוֹ׃ 2c against YHWH and against his anointed one
נְֽ֭נַתְּקָה אֶת־מֽוֹסְרוֹתֵ֑ימוֹ 3a Lets tear off their bonds
וְנַשְׁלִ֖יכָה מִמֶּ֣נּוּ עֲבֹתֵֽימוֹ׃ 3b and throw their ropes away from us
יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בַּשָּׁמַ֣יִם יִשְׂחָ֑ק 4a The one enthroned in the heavens laughs
אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י יִלְעַג־לָֽמוֹ׃ 4b The Lord mocks them
אָ֤ז יְדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלֵ֣ימוֹ בְאַפּ֑וֹ 5a Then he speaks to them in his anger
וּֽבַחֲרוֹנ֥וֹ יְבַהֲלֵֽמוֹ׃ 5b and terrifies them in his wrath
וַ֭אֲנִי נָסַ֣כְתִּי מַלְכִּ֑י 6a But I have poured out my king
עַל־צִ֝יּ֗וֹן הַר־קָדְשִֽׁי׃ 6b on Zion my holy mountain
אֲסַפְּרָ֗ה אֶֽ֫ל חֹ֥ק 7a I will tell about the decree
יְֽהוָ֗ה אָמַ֘ר אֵלַ֥י בְּנִ֥י אַ֑תָּה 7b YHWH said to me You are my son
אֲ֝נִ֗י הַיּ֥וֹם יְלִדְתִּֽיךָ׃ 7c I hereby father you today
שְׁאַ֤ל מִמֶּ֗נִּי וְאֶתְּנָ֣ה ג֭וֹיִם נַחֲלָתֶ֑ךָ 8a Ask me and I will make nations your inheritance
וַ֝אֲחֻזָּתְךָ֗ אַפְסֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃ 8b and the ends of the earth your property
תְּ֭רֹעֵם בְּשֵׁ֣בֶט בַּרְזֶ֑ל 9a You will crush them with an iron scepter
כִּכְלִ֖י יוֹצֵ֣ר תְּנַפְּצֵֽם׃ 9b You will smash them like clay pottery
וְ֭עַתָּה מְלָכִ֣ים הַשְׂכִּ֑ילוּ 10a And now kings wise up
הִ֝וָּסְר֗וּ שֹׁ֣פְטֵי אָֽרֶץ׃ 10b Accept discipline earthly rulers
עִבְד֣וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה בְּיִרְאָ֑ה 11a Serve YHWH with fear
וְ֝גִ֗ילוּ בִּרְעָדָֽה׃ 11b and rejoice with trembling
נַשְּׁקוּ־בַ֡ר פֶּן־יֶאֱנַ֤ף׀ 12a Kiss the son or else he will become angry
וְתֹ֬אבְדוּ דֶ֗רֶךְ 12b and you will perish in your way
כִּֽי־יִבְעַ֣ר כִּמְעַ֣ט אַפּ֑וֹ 12c for his anger quickly ignites
אַ֝שְׁרֵ֗י כָּל־ח֥וֹסֵי בֽוֹ׃ 12d Happy are all who take refuge in him