Psalm 2 Emotional
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My king on Zion
Psalm 2
Emotional Analysis
This layer explores the emotional dimension of the biblical text and seeks to uncover the clues within the text itself that are part of the communicative intent of its author. The goal of this analysis is to chart the basic emotional tone and/or progression of the psalm.
For a detailed explanation of our method, see the Emotional Analysis Creator Guidelines.
Emotional Analysis Chart
If an emendation or revocalization is preferred, that emendation or revocalization will be marked in the Hebrew text of all the visuals.
| Emendations/Revocalizations legend | |
|---|---|
| *Emended text* | Emended text, text in which the consonants differ from the consonants of the Masoretic text, is indicated by blue asterisks on either side of the emendation. |
| *Revocalized text* | Revocalized text, text in which only the vowels differ from the vowels of the Masoretic text, is indicated by purple asterisks on either side of the revocalization. |
| Verse | Text (Hebrew) | Text (CBC) | The Psalmist (or primary speaker) Feels | Emotional Analysis Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | לָ֭מָּה רָגְשׁ֣וּ גוֹיִ֑ם | Why are nations in an uproar, | Contemptuous for the rebels • The nations feel frustration at serving YHWH and his anointed one (v. 3) and defiance towards them |
In vv. 1-3, the psalmist expresses contempt. There are three reasons for seeing contempt as the primary emotion here: • The use of the interrogative למה ("why?"). As BDB notes, למה "with an impf., [is] often deprecating..." • The use of the word ריק ("emptiness"), "literally: empty; hence: = state in which an event does not serve a useful purpose and is bound to fail" (SDBH). The word choice indicates how the psalmist perceives the rebellion: it is futile, bound to fail. Contempt is the emotion most appropriate for this idea. • Contempt is exactly what YHWH expresses when he responds to the rebels (v. 4: "laughs at... mocks," see below)." |
| וּ֝לְאֻמִּ֗ים יֶהְגּוּ־רִֽיק׃ | and [why] do peoples plot emptiness? | |||
| 2 | יִ֥תְיַצְּב֨וּ ׀ מַלְכֵי־אֶ֗רֶץ | [Why] do earthly kings take a stand | ||
| וְרוֹזְנִ֥ים נֽוֹסְדֽוּ־יָ֑חַד | and [why] have rulers conspired together | |||
| עַל־יְ֝הוָה וְעַל־מְשִׁיחֽוֹ׃ | against YHWH and against his anointed one? | |||
| 3 | נְֽ֭נַתְּקָה אֶת־מֽוֹסְרוֹתֵ֑ימוֹ | "Let's tear off their bonds" | ||
| וְנַשְׁלִ֖יכָה מִמֶּ֣נּוּ עֲבֹתֵֽימוֹ׃ | "and throw their ropes away from us!" | |||
| 4 | יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בַּשָּׁמַ֣יִם יִשְׂחָ֑ק | The one enthroned in the heavens laughs. | Contemptuous and anger towards the rebels; awe at YHWH's immense power and authority • YHWH feels contempt and anger towards the rebels (v. 6) |
• SDBH, ישׂחק: "literally: to laugh (at someone); hence: = action by which humans or deities express their lack of respect for (other) humans, often accompanied by laughter" |
| אֲדֹנָ֗י יִלְעַג־לָֽמוֹ׃ | The Lord mocks them. | • SDBH, ילעג: "action by which humans or deities express their disdain of others with words, sounds and/or gestures" | ||
| 5 | אָ֤ז יְדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלֵ֣ימוֹ בְאַפּ֑וֹ | Then he speaks to them in his anger, | • SDBH: "anger"—"state of extreme displeasure; ≈ often associated with fire and smoke" | |
| וּֽבַחֲרוֹנ֥וֹ יְבַהֲלֵֽמוֹ׃ | and terrifies them in his wrath. | • SDBH: "wrath"—"process by which deities experience extreme displeasure, ◄ described as an internal fire" | ||
| 6 | וַ֭אֲנִי נָסַ֣כְתִּי מַלְכִּ֑י | "But I have poured out my king | ||
| עַל־צִ֝יּ֗וֹן הַר־קָדְשִֽׁי׃ | on Zion, my holy mountain."" | |||
| 7 | אֲסַפְּרָ֗ה אֶֽ֫ל חֹ֥ק | I will tell about the decree; | Convinced that YHWH's decree is true; superior to the earthly kings; contempt and anger at the rebels • YHWH feels affection toward his son (vv. 7bβ-9), delight in his son, determined to secure his son's success |
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| יְֽהוָ֗ה אָמַ֘ר אֵלַ֥י בְּנִ֥י אַ֑תָּה | YHWH said to me, "You are my son. | • The father-son relationship implies delight, love and affection (cf. Gen 37:3; 2 Sam 14:1; Ps 103:13) | ||
| אֲ֝נִ֗י הַיּ֥וֹם יְלִדְתִּֽיךָ׃ | I hereby father you today. | |||
| 8 | שְׁאַ֤ל מִמֶּ֗נִּי וְאֶתְּנָ֣ה ג֭וֹיִם נַחֲלָתֶ֑כָה | Ask me, and I will make nations your inheritance | ||
| וַ֝אֲחֻזָּתְךָ֗ אַפְסֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃ | and the ends of the earth your property. | |||
| 9 | תְּ֭רֹעֵם בְּשֵׁ֣בֶט בַּרְזֶ֑ל | You will crush them with an iron scepter. | ||
| כִּכְלִ֖י יוֹצֵ֣ר תְּנַפְּצֵֽם׃ | You will smash them like clay pottery." | |||
| 10 | וְ֭עַתָּה מְלָכִ֣ים הַשְׂכִּ֑ילוּ | And now, kings, wise up! | Contemptuous and anger towards the rebels | • The exhortation to "wise up" and "accept discipline" implies that the psalmist thinks the nations are acting foolishly. We are probably to imagine the same feeling of contempt from vv. 1-6 continuing here. |
| הִ֝וָּסְר֗וּ שֹׁ֣פְטֵי אָֽרֶץ׃ | Accept discipline, earthly rulers! | |||
| 11 | עִבְד֣וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה בְּיִרְאָ֑ה | Serve YHWH with fear, | ||
| וְ֝גִ֗ילוּ בִּרְעָדָֽה׃ | and rejoice with trembling! | |||
| 12 | נַשְּׁקוּ־בַ֡ר פֶּן־יֶאֱנַ֤ף ׀ וְתֹ֬אבְדוּ דֶ֗רֶךְ | Kiss the son, or else he will become angry and you will perish in your way, | ||
| כִּֽי־יִבְעַ֣ר כִּמְעַ֣ט אַפּ֑וֹ | for his anger quickly ignites. | |||
| אַ֝שְׁרֵ֗י כָּל־ח֥וֹסֵי בֽוֹ׃ | Happy are all who take refuge in him! | Admiration for those who have taken refuge in the king | • SDBH on אשרי: "= state of being considered fortunate and blessed by God; ≈ accompanied by an attitude of admiration" |
Summary Visual
(Click visual to enlarge).
