לָמָּה רָגְשׁוּ גוֹיִם ולְאֻמִּים יֶהְגּוּ רִיק

Why do nations rage and stir up a great commotion, and peoples meditate in vain? Why do they deliberate and make declarations that ultimately are no more than empty threats?

יִתְיַצְּבוּ מַלְכֵי אֶרֶץ וְרוֹזְנִים נוֹסְדוּ יָחַד עַל ה' וְעַל מְשִׁיחוֹ

The kings of the earth have assembled, and rulers are gathered together against the Lord and against His anointed one, the king. Those in power consult with one another, gathering together in order to plot against God and His anointed one, as described in the following verse.

נְנַתְּקָה אֶת מוֹסְרוֹתֵימוֹ וְנַשְׁלִיכָה מִמֶּנּוּ עֲבֹתֵימוֹ

Let us snap off their chains, a metaphor for the rule and control that Israel exerts over them, and throw off their bonds. The main objective of their rebellion against the king is to be free of God, as the king represents the nation’s connection to God.

יוֹשֵׁב בַּשָּׁמַיִם יִשְׂחָק אֲדֹנָי יִלְעַג לָמוֹ

He whose seat is in heaven will laugh; the Lord will ridicule them. All those rulers’ plans will come to naught, for they are void of any true substance. What actually will come to pass is punishment from on high.

אָז יְדַבֵּר אֵלֵימוֹ בְאַפּוֹ וּבַחֲרוֹנוֹ יְבַהֲלֵמוֹ

Then He will talk to them in His anger; in His wrath He will frighten them and say:

וַאֲנִי נָסַכְתִּי מַלְכִּי עַל צִיּוֹן הַר קָדְשִׁי

Yet I have anointed My king on Zion, My holy mountain. The continuation of the psalm is spoken by the king himself:

אֲסַפְּרָה אֶל חֹק ה' אָמַר אֵלַי בְּנִי אַתָּה אֲנִי הַיּוֹם יְלִדְתִּיך

I will tell of the decree. I will set forth the basic premise of all my actions. The Lord said to me: You are My son; today I begat you. The king, chosen by God, can be likened to a man’s beloved son. When he ascends to the throne, it is as if he is being reborn.

שְׁאַל מִמֶּנִּי וְאֶתְּנָה גוֹיִם נַחֲלָתֶךָ וַאֲחֻזָּתְךָ אַפְסֵי אָרֶץ

God has told me: Make your request of Me, and I will make nations your inheritance; the ends of earth will be your portion. You will reign over many nations; your sovereignty will extend to the ends of the earth.

תְּרֹעֵם בְּשֵׁבֶט בַּרְזֶל כִּכְלִי יוֹצֵר תְּנַפְּצֵם

You will smash them with an iron rod, shatter them like a potter’s vessel. You will destroy all your enemies as easily as one shatters a clay vessel.

וְעַתָּה מְלָכִים הַשְׂכִּילוּ הִוָּסְרוּ שֹׁפְטֵי אָרֶץ

So now, kings, be wise; accept admonishment, judges of the earth. Understand that God has placed the privilege of sovereignty in my hands, and consequently you are powerless against me. For this reason, one should follow the advice given in the next verse:

עִבְדוּ אֶת ה' בְּיִרְאָה וְגִילוּ בִּרְעָדָה

Serve the Lord with reverence, aware of the consequences that await you if you do not serve Him, and rejoice with trembling. Although you will be able to rejoice under the rule of the king, this joy must be tempered with a trembling awe, as a hidden threat will always be present: If you do not serve God, you will be punished in various ways.

נַשְּׁקוּ בַר פֶּן יֶאֱנַף וְתֹאבְדוּ דֶרֶךְ כִּי יִבְעַר כִּמְעַט אַפּוֹ אַשְׁרֵי כָּל חוֹסֵי בוֹ

Kiss the son. Most commentators define bar here as “son,” which is the meaning of this word in Aramaic, referring to the king, as God said: “You are My son” (verse 7). The kiss is an expression of homage and affection. Lest He be angry and you lose your way, even if His anger burns only slightly. You cannot withstand God’s fury; you cannot weather even His slightest anger. By contrast, happy are all who rely on Him. Those who put their faith in God will find the world beautiful and full of goodness.