Why Do the Heathen Rage?
Psalm 2 is attributed to David in Acts 4:25 and is called the second Psalm in Acts 13:33. The introductory rhetorical
question, Why do the heathen rage? In verse 1, is shown in the following verses to be a question of incredulity: Why
do the nations attack God's anointed king when their attack is doomed to failure? Historically, his anointed (verse 2)
referred to David or to the Messiah who, as Son of David, also experienced opposition (Acts 4:25-27) The fact that
God shall laugh (verse 4) at the world's opposition to the Anointed (verse 2)
One presages their calamity because the Lord has installed His King upon...Zion (verse 6) and adopted Him as His
Son; therefore the nations maybe taken as an inheritance at the son's request (v.8) Every Davidic ruler was an
adopted son (2 Samuel 7:14), but the real significance of the promise is fulfilled only in Christ, the eternal Son of
God (Acts 13:33; Hebrews 1:5; 5:5). The wise alternative is to submit to this Son (verse 10-12).