Psalm 2 Exegetical Issues

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Psalm 2/Exegetical Issues
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Exegetical Issues Video

Introduction to Exegetical Issues

Presented here are the top three Exegetical Issues that any interpreter of the psalm—whether they’re reading the text in Hebrew or looking at a number of translations—are likely to encounter. These issues usually involve textual criticism, grammar, lexical semantics, verbal semantics, and/or phrase-level semantics, though they sometimes involve higher-level layers as well.

Exegetical Issues for Psalm 2

This exegetical issue will focus on the meaning of the word נָסַכְתִּי (a qal 1cs qatal verb from the root נסך). It will discuss the following options for interpreting the term:
  1. God establishes his king upon Mount Zion.
  2. God anoints his king, thereby ordaining him.
  3. God makes one king with a drink offering (libation).
  4. God pours out/casts his king (as a statue/image) on Zion.


The second line of Ps 2:11 (גִילוּ בִּרְעָדָה) is difficult, since the verb גִּיל usually means "rejoice," which is a joyful act, whereas רְעָדָה ("trembling") is usually associated with fear or terror (e.g., Exod 15:15; Job 4:14; Ps 48:6; 55:5).[3] To "rejoice" in "terror" thus creates an apparent contradiction in terms.
This portion of the text, particularly the phrase נַשְּׁקוּ בַר in v. 12, is the crux interpretum of Ps 2." Translations, both ancient and modern, differ significantly from one another at this point, and many include footnotes indicating that the Hebrew text is uncertain.