Psalm 2–3

Psalm 2

¹Why do the nations gather together? 

Why do their people devise useless plots? 

²Kings take their stands. 

Rulers make plans together 

against the Lord and against his Messiah^aby saying, 

³“Let’s break apart their chains 

and shake off their ropes.” 

⁴The one enthroned in heaven laughs. 

The Lord makes fun of them. 

⁵Then he speaks to them in his anger. 

In his burning anger he terrifies them by saying, 

⁶“I have installed my own king on Zion, my holy mountain.” 

⁷I will announce the Lord’s decree. 

He said to me: 

“You are my Son. 

Today I have become your Father. 

⁸Ask me, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance 

and the ends of the earth as your own possession. 

⁹You will break them with an iron scepter. 

You will smash them to pieces like pottery.” 

¹⁰Now, you kings, act wisely. 

Be warned, you rulers of the earth! 

¹¹Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 

¹²Kiss the Son, or he will become angry 

and you will die on your way 

because his anger will burst into flames. 

Blessed is everyone who takes refuge in him. 

Psalm 3

A psalm by David when he fled from his son Absalom. 

¹O Lord, look how my enemies have increased! 

Many are attacking me. 

²Many are saying about me, 

“Even with God ⸤on his side⸥, 

he won’t be victorious.” 

Selah 

³But you, O Lord, are a shield that surrounds me. 

You are my glory. 

You hold my head high. 

⁴I call aloud to the Lord, 

and he answers me from his holy mountain. 

Selah 

⁵I lie down and sleep. 

I wake up again because the Lord continues to support me. 

⁶I am not afraid of the tens of thousands 

who have taken positions against me on all sides. 

⁷Arise, O Lord! 

Save me, O my God! 

You have slapped all my enemies in the face. 

You have smashed the teeth of wicked people. 

⁸Victory belongs to the Lord! 

May your blessing rest on your people. 

Selah