Why Does the World Rebel Against God?

Psalm 2 reveals the world’s rebellion against God, the certain reign of Jesus Christ, and the only path to true blessing.

Why Do the Nations Rage? (Psalm 2:1-3)

David begins Psalm 2 by asking why the nations rage, the peoples plot in vain, and the rulers gather against the Lord and His Anointed. Their opposition is a useless and futile effort because opposition to God’s Messiah is opposition to God Himself and His sovereign plans. Yet the nations violently attack the Lord, His Christ, and His church like the waves of a stormy sea. They noisily assemble and work together as if they could successfully make war against the God of heaven. The true Son of David will reign forever, so opposing God and His Christ is a fool’s errand.

The word translated “plot” has the same root as the word “meditate” in Psalm 1:2. The righteous meditate upon God’s Word, but the unrighteous meditate upon rebellion against God’s authority. They mock His Word, ignore it, reject it, and proudly defy it. The kings and rulers of the earth counsel one another in their rebellion, becoming the counsel of the wicked and sitting in the seat of the scoffer described in Psalm 1. Although the world’s nations may fight against one another, they are united in their unwillingness to submit to the authority of Jesus Christ.

The world sees God’s commands, His Word, and life under His lordship as bondage and restriction. People do not want to be controlled or ruled by God and His Christ, so they seek to cast away the cords that bind them to His authority. They want to live according to their own sinful desires rather than according to God’s design, His Word, and His glory. What the world fails to understand is that the cords with which God binds us are loving rather than burdensome (Hosea 11:4). Submission to God protects us, works for our good, and brings the true life that can come only from Him.

God’s Word provides guardrails that keep us from wrecking in the ditch, and His commands free us from the sin that destroys life rather than taking life away from us (Romans 6; 1 John 5:3). We must not look only at the world’s rebellion without also examining ourselves. We must see ourselves in Psalm 2:1–3 because we also push for our way instead of God’s way. Do we love the Word of God, His design, His ways, and His commands? Or do we see His authority as a burden and wish to cast it away?

God Is Not Threatened by Rebellion (Psalm 2:4-6)

God responds to the rebellion of the nations without fretful fear or concern. He sits upon the throne of heaven in total sovereign authority and laughs at their useless plotting against Him. He does not even rise from His seat with the slightest sense of concern. In complete sovereign confidence, He scoffs at the scoffers and their foolish, vain ways. The plans and threats of this world may sound intimidating to us, but they do not intimidate the omnipotent God.

Worldwide efforts to prevent the reign of the true Son of David or escape His authority are useless. God has established His King, and nothing will prevent the fulfillment of what He has declared. God may appear silent while people rebel against Him, and some may believe that they are getting away with their wickedness because His judgment has not yet come. But God will not remain silent forever. He will speak in His wrath and terrify those who have resisted Him, assuring them that His Anointed King will reign.

The reign of David’s throne through Jesus Christ is a settled matter. The One against whom the nations rage will rule forever, and every attempt to oppose Him will fail. Continued defiance will only bring God’s terrifying wrath upon those who reject His Son (Romans 1:18). Jesus is the only One who can reconcile sinners to God, so to rebel against Him is to reject the cure and remain under judgment. God now speaks to the nations in grace and calls them to trust His Son, but the day will come when He speaks in wrath.

This truth should bring comfort to those who love Christ, His righteousness, and His Kingdom. We live in a world that rages against God and sometimes appears threatening to believers, but God remains sovereign, strong, and unmoved. Nothing and no one will overcome Him or prevent His holy plans. This is more than a pep talk intended to make the church feel better for a moment. We can rest with confident peace and hope in the truth that God is in control and Jesus will reign forever.

Jesus Is the True Son and Eternal King (Psalm 2:7-9)

The earthly kings who descended from David had a special relationship with God as His anointed kings. They were sons of David with a legal right to his throne, and their coronation pictured being begotten into a special relationship with God as His royal sons. Through these kings, God ruled His people and defeated their enemies. Psalm 2, however, looks beyond those earthly kings to the true Son of God and eternal King, Jesus Christ. He is the greater Son of David who will inherit God’s Kingdom and rule forever.

Jesus has the same essential nature as God because He is God Himself. Being called God’s begotten Son does not mean that Jesus was created. He is the uncreated, eternally preexistent God who took on flesh and was born into this world. He has been anointed and coronated as the true eternal King and heir over God’s Kingdom, with eternal authority to carry out the Father’s will. Jesus is everything the former kings could never fully and finally be.

The New Testament connects the words, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you,” with the resurrection of Jesus (Acts 13:32–33). His resurrection declared Him to be the Son of God in power and demonstrated that He has been coronated as the eternal King (Romans 1:3–4). After making purification for sins, He rose from the dead, ascended, and sat down at the right hand of God (Hebrews 1:1-9). Jesus has been appointed heir of all things, His throne is forever, and His righteous rule will extend over every nation and to the ends of the earth. He is the True Son of David, begotten of the Lord through His resurrection and exaltation, manifested as the True Son of God, the True King who will rule forever. People from every nation and tribe will come to Him in faith, find their blessing in Him, and live with Him forever.

The nations and their rulers may continue plotting against the rule of Christ, but God has declared that the kingdom of this world will become the Kingdom of the Lord and His Christ (Revelation 11:15–18). Nations that rebelled against Him will ultimately be ruled by Him in righteousness. Jesus will return, judge the world, and rule universally. The nations will be His inheritance, and all judgment will belong to Him (John 5:22-27). The true Son of David will reign forever, and nothing will stop Him.

Be Wise and Submit to the Son (Psalm 2:10-12)

Because the reign of God’s Anointed King is certain, the rulers of the world are commanded to be wise and receive instruction. Those who appear worldly, powerful, influential, and wise are not as wise as they believe themselves to be. They need the wisdom of the godly and the church because their rebellion against God is spiritual foolishness. We must not become so infatuated with those of the world, their "wisdom," power, popularity, influence, and perceived benefit to us that we allow their spiritual foolishness to influence our lives. A person may be politically powerful, popular, wealthy, entertaining, or successful while remaining foolish about the things of God.

The world does not possess the wisdom that leads to life. True wisdom begins with recognizing the authority of the Lord and submitting to His King. Psalm 2 gives rebellious rulers and nations a patient and gracious invitation to stop plotting against God. They are commanded to serve the Lord with holy fear and rejoice with trembling. There is joy in God’s presence, but there must also be appropriate reverence, awe, and fear because He is the Lord.

The rulers are also commanded to “kiss the Son,” showing Him allegiance, honor, submission, friendship, and affection in a reflection of being reconciled to Him. The rebellious are called to come to Jesus, give Him worship and love, and submit to Him as Savior and Lord. Jesus is not only Savior; He is also Lord, and those who are saved by Him are ruled by Him. He is the only way to peace, friendship, and reconciliation with God. To resist His authority is foolish, but to submit to Him is the path to true life and blessing.

Take Refuge in Jesus Christ

We are sinners who deserve the wrath of a holy God. But Jesus Christ, the Son of God in the flesh, suffered upon the cross and paid the punishment for our sins. He was raised on the third day and exalted to the right hand of God. Salvation, forgiveness, justification, righteousness, and eternal life are found in Him alone. Jesus took the wrath for our sin so that those who trust Him would not have to bear it.

1 John 4:9–10: In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

The gospel can be seen throughout Psalm 2. In verses 1–3, the nations rage against Jesus, and they did rage against Him and put Him to death (see Acts 4:23-28). Verse 7 points to His resurrection, verse 6 to His exaltation as King, and verses 8–9 to His return and universal rule. The Christ who died for sinners and rose from the grave will return to reign and judge the world. The gospel is right here in Psalm 2.

Christ is the only way to escape God’s anger against our sin and the eternal destruction it deserves. God’s wrath is consuming, and it can come suddenly (1 Thessalonians 5:1-4). We will not be able to withstand it on our own. The only path to blessing is to stop raging against the Son, submit to Him as Savior and Lord, and take refuge in Him. This is the only sane, wise, and logical choice.

Like Psalm 1, Psalm 2 presents two roads. One leads to blessing, while the other leads to wrath and destruction. Those who continue defying God will be broken, but those who depend upon Him will be blessed. As we wait for Jesus to return and establish His Kingdom, we praise Him because He will right every wrong and rule in righteousness. We pray for rebellious people and nations—including our own nation—to turn to Christ while there is still time, and we fearlessly proclaim repentance and faith in Jesus as the only path to blessing.

Those who believe can praise God that by His grace He has given us refuge and blessing in His Son. We do not need to fear when we see the world raging against Christ and His church. God is still upon His throne, His plans cannot be stopped, and His Anointed King will reign forever. We go to this raging world with the cure for what causes it to rage. We proclaim Jesus Christ so that rebellious sinners may turn to Him and become part of His gracious and eternal Kingdom.

Questions for Reflection

• In what areas of your life are you pushing for your way instead of submitting to God’s way?
• Do you view God’s commands as loving protection or as burdensome restrictions?
• How does God’s sovereign response to the nations’ rebellion give you comfort?
• Are you allowing the spiritual foolishness of influential people to shape your thinking?
• What does the resurrection of Jesus reveal about His identity and future reign?
• Are you trusting Jesus Christ alone for forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal life?
• Have you stopped rebelling against the Son and taken refuge in Him?
• Who in your family, community, or nation needs you to pray for them and boldly point them toward Christ?