Commentary for Psalms 2:13

Why have nations gathered Our Sages (Ber. 7b) expounded the passage as referring to the King Messiah, but according to its apparent meaning, it is proper to interpret it as referring to David himself, as the matter is stated (II Sam. 5:17): “And the Philistines heard that they had anointed David as king over Israel, and all the Philistines went up to seek, etc.,” and they fell into his hands. Concerning them, he says, “Why have nations gathered,” and they all gathered.

Why do the nations rage: – The Psalm is the second; and so we find it in all the more accurate books, that (these words) are the beginning of a Psalm. And in enumeration they inscribe it as the second. But some of our teachers have said (Babli, Berakhoth 9b) that Happy is and why do the nations rage form a single Psalm. And they have said (ibid. 10a) "Every section which was (specially) dear to David, he opened and closed with 'Happy is (are).' And this section he opened with 'Happy is the man,' and closed with 'Happy are all they that put their trust in Him.'" The reason why this Psalm follows immediately the other is not known to us; nor why he arranged them in the order in which they are connected, for they are not arranged in historical order. For instance, the third Psalm is concerned with the affair of Absalom, and after it occur many Psalms whose subject-matter is earlier by a considerable period than the incident of Absalom. Notice also, at the end of the book, Psalm cxlii., "When he was in the cave; a Prayer," (has reference to events) in the days of Saul. Therefore we cannot explain the arrangement of the Psalms according to the historical order.David composed and recited this Psalm in the opening of his reign, when the nations were gathered against him, as it is said (2 Sam. 5:17) "and when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel all the Philistines went up to seek David." And this is his meaning in saying Why do they tumultuously assemble (רגשׁו)? because all the Philistines had come up. And רגשה has the sense of gathering and great multitude, as (Ps. 64:3), "from the throng (רגשתי) of the workers of iniquity;" and the Targum of the passage (Ez. 30:10) "I will also make the multitude (המון) of Egypt cease," is, "and I will make of no avail the raging (איהרגושת) of Egypt."

<<in progress="">>"WHY?" After the Psalmist explained the loss of the wicked person, who is like chaff that is blown away* by the wind and has no hope unless he protects...

and kingdoms think vain things in their heart.

And the peoples imagine a vain thing? – for when they came to make war they were saying proud things, because they had conquered Israel in the wars of Saul, and Saul and his sons were dead, and the people had been severely smitten. And from Saul's death until now there had not been another king for Israel. And he says, a vain thing is (the sum of) all their words.

and kingdoms Heb. ולאמים. Menachem interprets לאמים, אמות, and גוים as all closely related.

Kings of a land stand up and nobles take counsel, etc. Heb. רוזנים, senors (seigneurs) in Old French, lords.

The kings of the land take their stand: – for all the satraps of the Philistines had taken their stand with one consent and in agreement to come to fight with David. And he calls them "kings" and "rulers," although we have not seen any other passage where he describes them otherwise than as "satraps" of the Philistines, who in their pride were imagining themselves kings, though they were not so. Possibly also there were assembled with them other kings from the nations.

take counsel Heb. נוסדו, an expression of counsel (סוד), furt konsilez in Old French (furent conseilles), they hold counsel (see below 55:15). And what is the counsel?...

And rulers take counsel (יַוסדו) together: – They had all consulted together as one. Counsel also is expressed in the word יסוד (foundation), for counsel is to actual performance as the foundation to a building.

Against the Lord and against His anointed: – for they knew that David was king by the appointment of the Lord, and Samuel the prophet of the Lord had anointed him king.

Let us break their bands Deronproms lor koyongles in Old French (as in Jer. 27:2). These are the bands with which the yoke is tied.

Let us break their bands asunder: – They were saying: "Let us break the bands of Israel and their league (lit. binding) in which they have bound themselves and agreed to make David king." For there had elapsed seven years in which Israel as a whole had not agreed about him to make him king, and now when they had all agreed about him the Philistines said "let us break their bands asunder."

their cords Heb. עבתימו, lor kordes (leur cordes) in Old French.

And cast away their cords from us: – He repeats himself in different words, while the meaning is the same for such is the idiom of the language. And the "bands" and "cords" denote the strongest ropes, and are a figure for counsel and firm agreement.

laughs...mocks...speaks They are meant as the present tense.

He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall have them in derision. – As he has said that they have taken counsel together against the Lord, to nullify His word, (so now) he says that He sits in heaven, and hears their words, and laughs at and derides them. And when he says of God - Blessed be He ! - He shall laugh at and deride (them), it is metaphorical, an accommodation to human language; for a man laughs at and mocks one whom he despises and esteems as nothing at all. And so: "And Thou, Lord, shalt laugh at them, Thou shalt mock at all the nations" (Ps.lix. 9); "The Lord shall laugh at him, for He sees that his day is coming" (Ps. 37:13). And when he says: He that sitteth in the heavens, the meaning of "sitting" is abiding (enduring), as "and Thou, Lord, remainest (lit. sittest) for ever" (Ps. 102:13). And so every expression of sitting, when it is used of God - Blessed be He ! - as, "O Thou that sittest in the Heavens" (Ps. 123:1); "That hath His seat on high" (Ps. 113:5). And when he says in the heavens, it is because they are stable and endure for ever, and their individualities do not come to an end like those of the earth.

Then He speaks to them Heb. אלימו, like אליהם. And what is the speech?...

Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath: – Then, when He shall hear their words and their pride, He shall speak unto them in His wrath.

And vex them in His sore displeasure: – And His words with them are His anger and sore displeasure which He shall hurl at them. Some interpret ידבר (speak) in the sense of דבֶר (plague) [in the passage] "a plague (דבר) grievously heavy" (Exod. 9:3). And so (also) "and she destroyed (ותדבר) all the seed royal" (2 Chron. 22:10); and they interpret אלימו (to them) as in the verse "the אילי (chief men) of the land" (2 Kings 24:15), of which the meaning is the powerful ones of the land. But the former is nearer (to the right meaning).

But I have enthroned My king Why have you gathered together? I have appointed this one for Me to govern and to reign on Zion, My holy mount.

Yet I have set My king: – He says: They, forsooth, are purposing to root out the kingdom from the house of David, though I have made him king and set him up ! And the word נסכתי connotes chieftainship and greatness, as (in the verse) "the princes (נסיכי) of Sihon" (Josh. 13:21); and also "their gods with their princes" (נסכיהס) (Dan. 11:8). My king - he means to say, The king that is Mine in that I have made him king; just as it is said (1 Sam. 16:1) "For I have provided among his sons a king for Myself." He means by for Myself, for My worship, and so he says My king. And conversely it is said (Ps. 74:12): "And God is my King from of old," where the meaning is, who rules over me. Thus is the usage of the pronominal suffixes. And so (in the verse) "Remove Thy stroke from me" (Ps. 39:11); "Aloof from My plague do they stand" (Ps. 38:12); "and I will make them joyful in My house of prayer" (Is. 56:7); "I have heard thy prayer" (1 Kings 9:3; 2 Kings 20:5; Is. 38:5; 2 Chron. 7:12), and other similar (examples), as we have explained in the book Miklol in the grammatical section of it. And he says:

Upon My holy hill of Sion: – Because the stronghold of Sion was not conquered until David came to subdue it, therefore Sion with Jerusalem is called the City of David. And after he had subdued it the Philistines gathered together to fight against him.

I will tell of the decree Said David, “This is an established decree, and [one] that I have received to tell this and to make known.”

Let me declare it for a decree: – This is the utterance of David, who says, I will make this declaration a decree and rule. And what is the declaration? That

The Lord said to me through Nathan, Gad, and Samuel.

The Lord said unto me, Thou art My son: – and the kingdom has come to me from Him, and therefore let no man stir up strife against it, for the Lord hath chosen me for a son, as He said to Samuel (1 Sam. 16:1): "For I have provided among his sons a king for Myself." It is as though to say, "This king is Mine and he is My son and servant and obeys Me" - for everyone who is obedient in the service of God He calls His son, just as a son obeys his father and is ready for his service. And so (in the verse) "ye are sons of the Lord your God" (Deut. 14:1), and "I will be his Father and he shall be My son" (2 Sam. 7:14); and it says (Hos. 2:1), "the sons of the living God."

You are My son The head over Israel, who are called “My firstborn son.” And they will endure through you, as is stated concerning Abner (II Sam. 3:18): “for God said, etc., ‘By the hand of My bondsman David shall I deliver...Israel.’” And for their sake, you are before Me as a son because they are all dependent upon you.

This day have I begotten thee: – The day when he was anointed was the day God took him to Himself for a son, as it says ( 1 Sam. 16:1), "to Me a king." And he says, This day have I begotten thee, for on that day there was born in him the spirit of God, as is written (1 Sam. 16:13), "And the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day and onward." And from that day onward he gave expression to songs and psalms by the Holy Spirit, which was born in him and imparted to him by God. Moreover, the spirit of might was added to him from that day onward; and so it says (Deut. 32:18), "Of the rock that begat thee thou art unmindful" which made thee great and put wisdom in thine heart and intelligence, in the day of the station at Mount Sinai. And so it says {ibid. 6), "Is not He thy Father that hath bought thee?" For if he had said begotten thee, bought thee in reference to (the act of) creation, this would have been no more true of Israel than the rest of men. Do you not see what he says, "Do ye thus requite the Lord?" {ibid.), meaning, "This is the requital you make Him for all the good He has done to you! Surely He is thy Father who bought thee!" And he says, "Of the rock that begat thee thou art unmindful and hast forgotten the God that gave thee birth" (ibid. 18), just as he says thy Father, for He is to you as a father, and the one that gave thee birth - that is, the mother.

this day have I for I have enthroned you over them.

begotten you to be called My son and to be beloved to Me as a son for their sake, as it is stated (II Sam. 7:14) concerning Solomon: “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to Me a son.” We find further concerning David (Ps. 89:27) “He shall call Me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’”

Request of Me Pray to Me whenever you come to battle your enemies.

Ask of Me: – And He says to me, Ask of Me.

and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance: – as He said to him, "And 1 have cut off all thine enemies from before thee; and I will make thee a great name like unto the name of the great ones that are in the earth" (2 Sam. 7:9); and it says (ibid. 8:14), "And all the Edomites became servants to David"; and it says (ibid. 8:6), "And the Syrians became servants to David"; and it says (1 Chron. 19:17), "and the fame of David went out into all the lands, and the Lord brought the fear of him upon all the nations." And this is what he means when he says, I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance."

And the uttermost parts (אפסי) of the earth for thy possession: – They are the ends (קצות) of the earth, and (the Hebrew words) אפס and קץ are approximate in meaning.

You shall break them Heb. תרעם [like] תרוצצם.

Thou shalt break (הרעם) them with a rod of iron: – And so He says to me of all the nations that shall rise up against me, Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron.

with an iron rod That is the sword.

Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel: – The word תרעם has the same meaning as תשברם (Thou shalt break them). And so, " Can one break (ירע) iron?" (Jer. 15:12); "He breaketh in pieces (ירע) mighty men" (Job 34:24); so also תנפצם (Thou shalt dash them in pieces) has the meaning of "break," but with (the added idea of) "scattering," for when one breaks an earthenware vessel its broken pieces are scattered. And so (in the verse) "and dashed in pieces the pitchers" (Judges 7:19); and the maker of an earthenware vessel is called a potter.

you shall shatter them Heb. תנפצם, you shall break them, and that is the expression of נפוץ throughout the Scriptures, a potsherd that is bro ken into fine pieces.

And now, [you] kings, be wise The Jewish prophets are merciful people. They reprove the heathens to turn away from their evil, for the Holy One, blessed be He, extends His hand to the wicked and to the righteous.

Now therefore, O ye kings: – David said to them, to the kings who came to fight him, " O kings ! "

be wise: – and know that you have no power to nullify God's work, since He it is who commissioned me to be king. And how have ye dared to meet together against the Lord? Be wise and give heed, for ye are not able to nullify the Lord's work.

Be instructed, ye judges of the earth: – If hitherto ye have been foolish and ill-advised, now be wise and receive instruction, and be not haughty.

and rejoice with quaking When the quaking, about which it is written (Isa. 33:14): “Trembling seized the flatterers,” comes, you will rejoice and be happy if you have served the Lord.

Serve the Lord: – Take pleasure in what He takes pleasure in, and serve Him

with fear: – because ye should be in awe of Him, and know that power and might are His, and not with you who have come up with much people;

And exult: – Be not angry at (the fact of) my kingdom, but be glad and exult, because it is the good pleasure of God;

with trembling: – and tremble because of Him.

Arm yourselves with purity Arm yourselves with purity of the heart. Some explain נשקו as garnimont in Old French, equipping. (This is from the verb, garnir. Garnimont means to provide, as in Gen. 41:40). Menachem (p. 179) interprets it as an expression of desire, as (in Gen. 3:16): “Your longing (תשוקתך) shall be for your husband.”

Kiss the son: – as (in the verse) "and he kissed all his brethren" (Gen. 45:15). And (the word) בר is the same as בן; and so "What, my son (בני)? "; and "what, O son (בר) of my womb?" (Prov.xxxi. 2). Or it may be interpreted by "the pure (ברי) of heart" (Ps. 73:1). If its meaning is "son," this will be its interpretation: Kiss this son whom God has called "son," as He says (above): Thou art My son. And the command is Kiss, because it is the custom for a servant to kiss the hand of the master. And if its meaning is "pure," its interpretation is, "What have I to do with you, for I am pure in heart and there is no wickedness in me that ye should come and fight against me? Your duty is to kiss me and to confess that I am king by the command of God." And בר may also be fittingly interpreted from (the verse) "Choose (ברו) you a man for you" (1 Sam. 17:8), upon the analogy of "Saul the chosen of the Lord" (2 Sam. 21:6).

Kiss the son - Behold and serve the Lord in contrast to. . .

lest He become angry Heb. יאנף, lest He become angry.

lest He be angry: – If ye turn not speedily from your evil ways God will be angry with you.

. . .Kiss the son against his anointed; and behold the interpretation 'How pure and also how pure my insides' (Proverbs 31:2); and it is also written 'you are my son.' It is a custom in the nations of the world to place their hands under the hand of the king as the brother of Solomon or the slave under the thigh of his master or to kiss the king. This is the custom in India to this day.

and you perish in the way Like the matter that is stated (above 1:16): “but the way of the wicked shall perish.”

and ye perish in the way, For His wrath will soon be kindled: – Soon, because ye continue in your wickedness, His anger will burn upon you, as if to say, If ye do not quickly repent. And the interpretation of and ye perish in the way is as (in the verse) "and the way of the wicked shall perish" (Ps. 1:6). And behold the way perishes and they are perishing because of their way which is perishing, as "an oak fading as to its leaves" (Is. 1:30). Because the leaves are fading the oak is called a fading one. And so, "the torn of clothes" (2 Sam. 13:31(2)), and elsewhere, for the clothes are torn and not they (i.e. the wearers), and they are called torn because of their clothes which are torn. And so (Jer. 41:5), "Shaven as to their beards and rent of clothes" and other similar instances. And he says:

for in a moment His wrath will be kindled For in a short moment His wrath will suddenly be kindled against them, and at that time, the praises of all those who take refuge in Him will be discerned, the praises of all who take refuge in Him.

Happy are all they that put their trust in Him: – as I am this day, because I have put my trust in Him, and am saved by Him while ye perish; but if ye trust in Him they shall likewise say of you, " Happy are ye ! "

And there are some who interpret this Psalm of Gog and Magog, and the anointed one is King Messiah: and so our teachers of blessed memory have interpreted (Babli, Berakhoth 7b). And the Psalm can be explained in this way, but the better is that David uttered it concerning himself, as we have interpreted.

And the Nazarenes interpret it of Jesus; and the verse they adduce by way of proof and make a support of their error is really their stumbling-block: it is The Lord said unto me, Thou art My son. For if they should say to you that he was the Son of God, answer that it is not proper to say "Son of God" in the manner of flesh and blood; for a son is of the species of his father. Thus it would not be proper to say, This horse is the son of Reuben." If this be so, he to whom the Lord said, Thou art My son, must necessarily be of His species, and be God like Him. And further, He says, I have this day begotten thee; and the begotten is of the same species as the begetter. Say (also) to them that of the Godhead it is unfitting (to speak of) father and son; because the Godhead cannot be divided, for it is not a body that it should be divided; but God is one in every aspect of unity; He cannot be increased, decreased, or split up. And further say to them that a father is prior to a son in time, and the son issues from the father's vigour; and although it is not proper to use one term without the other as regards nomenclature, for one is not called father until he have a son, and a son is not so called unless he have a father, nevertheless he who is called father when he has a son is prior in time without any doubt. And if this be so, the God whom you speak of and call "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit" the portion you call Father existed before the other portion you call Son. For if they had been always together they should have been called twin brothers, and you would not call them Father and Son, nor begetter and begotten. For the begetter is prior to the begotten without doubt.

And if they say that it is not fitting to say " Son of God " of anything which is not of the divine species, say to them that we are unable to speak of God Blessed be He ! except in metaphorical language, as it is said of Him "mouth of the Lord," " eyes of the Lord," " ears of the Lord," and such like, and it is understood that such (language) is metaphorical only. And so it is by way of metaphor when it says " son of God " or " sons of God"; for he who does His commands and commission is called " son," as the son does the father's commands. So He calls the stars sons of God, as (in the verse) "and all the sons of God shouted for joy" (Job 38:7).

So man, by reason of the higher spirit which is in him, when he does the commandments of God because of the wise soul which teaches him, He calls "son"; and therefore He says, Thou art My son, this day have I begotten thee." He says also "Israel is My son, My first-born" (Exod. 4:22); it says also "Ye are sons of the Lord your God" (Deut. xiv. i); and it says (ibid, 32:6) " Is not He thy Father which hath bought thee?" and " I will be to him a Father and he shall be to Me a son" (2 Sam. 7:14).

And further say to them, Has the God whom you describe as "the Father" said to His Son, Ask of Me and 1 will give the nations for thine inheritance? How should the Son ask from the Father? Is he not God like Him? And has he not power over the nations and the ends of the earth even as He? And further, before this request, were not the nations already his possession? If so, was God less powerful at the beginning and afterwards of greater power? This cannot be said of God. And if they say to you that it is spoken in regard to the flesh, after the Godhead had taken flesh, and to (the Son in) the flesh He says that he should ask from Him and He would give the nations for his inheritance this is not the case, for (Jesus in) the flesh had no kingdom nor any authority over any nation of the nations. And if they say to you that it is about the (spread of the) faith (religion) he speaks which should be accepted, behold the great number of nations, Jews and Mohammedans, who have not accepted his faith.

Behold I have taught you what to reply to them in this Psalm, and you can add of your own after the tenor of these words. And if they ask you its meaning, then interpret it in one of these two ways as you choose, either of David or King Messiah, as I have interpreted it for you.