PSALM II. However some 'Jehovah.' Adoni, My Lord,' which I conceive must manuscripts have be Messiah; it appears distinguished from Jehovah, (v. 2.) and is similar to Ps. cx. 1. "Jehovah said unto Adoni, Sit thou at my right hand," &c. To this cxth Psalm the second Psalm may refer, as it probably was Townsend's Har- written about the same time. See Hales' and mony, and comp. Ps. ii. 5, 12, with Ps. cx. 5. Hales. Rom. i. 3. (3.) Upon the supposition of the Sept. being correct, Adonai is regularly introduced as the speaker; on the other view, the Father is somewhat abruptly introduced, and the Son then speaks without any introduction at all. Hales says, "The sole application of this illustrious prophecy to the Messiah was the unquestionable doctrine of the primitive Jewish Church; the only question at that time was, whether the character corresponded to Jesus of Nazareth."* His proofs will be found in the notes. * 1. The Talmud Cod. Succa, cap. 5, declares, " Our masters deliver, that the blessed God said unto Messiah, Son of David, (who is shortly to be revealed in our days,) "Ask of me somewhat, and I will give it thee," as it is said, Ps. ii. 7, 8. 2. The Midrash Tillim understands the Gentiles, v. 1, of Gog and Magog, alluding to Balaam's prophecy, Numb. xxiv. 7; and, in a curious critical remark on the divine decree, v. 7, it states, that he is styled, "MY SON," (absolutely), not " to me a Son," or "as a Son," (relatively), as in Nathan's prophecy. This higher title was conferred on Christ the day of his resurrection, when He was ordained "SON OF GOD with power, according to the Spirit of holiness." 3. R. Obadiah Gaon observes, that this psalm alludes to the days of Christ, when mankind shall be converted to the worship of God. And he explains the inauguration of the Messiah, PSALM II. Jarchi. The Targum expressly applies this Psalm to Messiah. Rabbi Solomon Jarchi, in his Jari on Ps. ii. comment, affirms, that whatever is sung in this Psalm, our masters interpreted of Messiah the King; but, saith he, according to the sound of the words, and for the confutation of the Heretics (i. e. Christians), it is convenient, that we expound it of David. Ps. ii. 7, is interpreted in the Zohar, fol. 88, Zohar. col. 348, This Son is the faithful Shepherd, and he is the Prince of Israel. The Lord of things below, the Lord of minis- Comp. Heb. i. 14. tering Angels; the Son of the Highest; the Son of the God of the universe; the Gra- Luke i. 32. cious Shekinah; He is the King Messiah: Marianne Neville. Micah v. ii. But the most striking testimony is from an edition of Jonathan's Paraphrase, preserved by Dr. Holmes: "Here are two, the Father and the Son, and three in one, viz. in the Holy Spirit : and these three are one; I say, one essence, one substance, one God;" and this, the said v. 6, "My God hath made me to reign upon Sion, my mount, PSALM 11. Jonathan saith, he had revealed, for the honour and glory of God's name." Cuninghame's Jewish Letters. Ps. xxxiv. 8. In Jer. xvii. 5. Translation of Indeed, that it relates to Messiah, is sufficiently evident from the Psalm itself; Blessed are all they, that trust in him." This, says Cuninghame, "is the very same blessing pronounced on those, who trust in Jehovah... trust, or affiance, is the same with faith, and is of the nature of adoration, and cannot, in an absolute sense, be placed in any creature, without our incurring thereby the guilt of idolatry. Accordingly, it is written, "Cursed be the man, who trusteth in man," &c. The following translation is from comparing the writers already mentioned, together with Ainsworth, Hammond, the Dutch Assemblies, &c. Why did the Gentiles tumultuously rage? And the rulers have conspired together And against his Messiah; "Let us break their bands," "And cast their cords from us." He, sitting in the heavens, shall scornfully laugh, Adoni will mock at them. Then shall he speak to them in his anger, And in his burning wrath shall suddenly terrify them. PSALM 11. (MESSIAH.) Yet as for me, I am anointed king This day have I begotten thee; The Gentiles thine inheritance, And thy firm possession, the utmost limits of the land; Thou shalt rigorously rule them with a rod of iron, Like a potter's vessel thou shalt dash them in pieces. PSALMIST. Now, therefore, O ye kings, be wise, Be instructed, ye rulers of the land; And ye perish [from] the way; For within a little shall his wrath blaze forth. 66 Interpretation of Why did the Gentiles tumultuously See Acts iv. 27. rage? &c." we know, had its fulfilment in Herod and Pontius Pilate; "The kings of Ps. ii. the land," with the Gentiles (i. e. the Romans), gathering together against Christ; "the Peoples," in the following clause of the Psalm, answers to "the peoples of Israel," in Acts. Here," says Ainsworth, "the Ainsworth. Hebrew changeth the time, will meditate,' PSALM II. 1 Thess. i. 7, 8. noting by such a phrase, a continuance of the action." This may imply the continued unbelief of the Jews. "The Rulers" are the Sanhedrim. "He sitting in the heavens," I apprehend to be Messiah, ascended on high, and this sitting embraces the whole period (Ps. cx.), until his enemies are made his footstool. "Then," as the Psalmist records, "he shall terrify them in his burning wrath;" "he shall be revealed in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them, that know not God," &c. At which appearing to judgment, he will also enter upon his kingdom, (2 Tim. iv. 1.) saying, " Yet I," although you thus oppose me, "I am anointed king over Zion, the hill of my holiness." Messiah, then, as I apprehend, declares' his right to his "inheritance," in consequence of the donation in decree (but not the introduction into actual possession) made at his resurrection; for "the decree" appears to be of Messiah's Sonship, his decreed Sonship, which seems to have been announced by Jehovah to Messiah at the resurrection, Heb. v. Acts xiii.; the declaration by Messiah is subsequent, for the one is in the past tense, the other is in the future, "I will declare concerning a decree, Jehovah said unto me;" and though "Thou art my Son," is applied Heb. v. Acts xiii. to his resurrection, yet "Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel," appears, by Rev. ii. 27, to run down to the time of the Second Advent, and thus to fix Rev. ii. 27. |