John Calvin Commentary Psalms 2:3

"Let us break their bonds asunder, And cast away their cords from us." — Psalms 2:3 (ASV)

We know how many conspired against David and tried to prevent his coming to the throne. From their hostile attempts, if he had judged according to the eye of sense and reason, he might have been so full of apprehension as to immediately give up all hope of ever becoming king.

And, undoubtedly, he often had to struggle sorrowfully with very severe temptations. But, having the testimony of an approving conscience that he had attempted nothing rashly nor acted as ambition and depraved desire impel many to seek changes in government, and being, on the contrary, thoroughly persuaded that he had been made king by divine appointment when he desired no such thing, nor even thought of it, he encouraged himself with strong confidence in God against the whole world. In these words, he nobly pours contempt on both kings and their armies.

He confesses, indeed, that he had a hard battle to fight, since it was no small party, but whole nations with their kings, who had conspired against him. But he courageously boasts that their attempts were futile, because they waged war not against a mortal man, but against God himself.

It is not certain from the words whether he speaks only of enemies in his own kingdom or extends his complaints to foreign invaders. But, since enemies rose up against him from all quarters, and as soon as he had settled the disturbances among his own people, the neighboring states, in turn, became hostile to him, I am inclined to think that both classes of enemies are meant—Gentiles as well as Jews.

It would be a strange way of speaking to refer to many nations and people when only one nation was meant, and to speak of many kings when he had only Saul in mind. Besides, it agrees better with the completeness of the type to suppose that different kinds of enemies were joined together. We know that Christ had to deal not only with enemies in his own country but also with enemies in other nations, as the whole world entered into a common conspiracy to accomplish his destruction.

The Jews, indeed, first began to rage against Christ as they had formerly done against David; but afterwards, the same kind of madness seized other nations. The sum is that, although those who tried to overthrow him might be strengthened by powerful armies, their tumults and counsels would prove futile and ineffective.

By attributing commotion and uproar to the people, and the holding of assemblies to take counsel to kings and rulers, he has used very appropriate language. Yet he suggests that when kings have consulted long and extensively, and the people have poured forth their utmost fury, all of them united would achieve nothing.

But we should carefully note the basis of such confidence: David had not thrust himself forward to be king rashly or of his own accord, but had only followed the call of God.

From this, he concluded that in his person God was assailed, and God could not but show Himself the defender of the kingdom of which He was the founder. By honoring himself with the title of Messiah, or the Anointed, David declared that he reigned only by the authority and command of God, since the oil brought by Samuel’s hand made him king, who before was only a private person.

David’s enemies did not, indeed, think they were making a violent attack against God—yes, they would resolutely deny having any such intention. Yet it is not without reason that David places God in opposition to them and speaks as if they directly aimed their attacks against Him. For by seeking to undermine the kingdom God had established, they blindly and ferociously waged war against Him.

But it is now time to come to the substance of the type. That David prophesied concerning Christ is clearly evident from this: he knew his own kingdom to be merely a shadow. And to learn to apply to Christ whatever David, in times past, sang concerning himself, we must hold this principle, which we find everywhere in all the prophets: that he, with his posterity, was made king not so much for his own sake as to be a type of the Redeemer.

We will often have occasion to return to this later. For now, I would briefly inform my readers that David’s temporal kingdom was a kind of pledge to God’s ancient people of the eternal kingdom. This eternal kingdom was eventually truly established in the person of Christ. Consequently, those things David declares concerning himself are not forcefully or even allegorically applied to Christ, but were truly predicted concerning him.

If we attentively consider the nature of the kingdom, we will perceive that it would be absurd to overlook its ultimate purpose and to rest in the mere shadow. That the kingdom of Christ is here described by the spirit of prophecy is sufficiently attested to us by the apostles, who, seeing the ungodly conspiring against Christ, armed themselves in prayer with this doctrine (Acts 4:24). But to place our faith beyond the reach of all objections, it is plainly made evident from all the prophets that those things David testified concerning his own kingdom are properly applicable to Christ. Let this, therefore, be held as a settled point: all who do not submit themselves to the authority of Christ make war against God. Since it seems good to God to rule us by the hand of his own Son, those who refuse to obey Christ himself deny the authority of God, and it is futile for them to profess otherwise. For it is a true saying, He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father which hath sent him (John 5:22).

And it is of great importance to hold fast to this inseparable connection: as the majesty of God has shone forth in his only begotten Son, so the Father will not be feared and worshipped except in his Son’s person.

A twofold consolation may be drawn from this passage:

1. As often as the world rages to disturb and put an end to the prosperity of Christ’s kingdom, we only have to remember that in all this there is just a fulfillment of what was long ago predicted, and no changes that can happen will greatly trouble us.

   Indeed, it will be highly profitable for us to compare those things which the apostles experienced with what we witness at the present time. Of itself, the kingdom of Christ would be peaceable, and from it true peace issues forth to the world. But through the wickedness and malice of men, it never rises from obscurity into open view without disturbances being excited. Nor is it at all wonderful or unusual if the world begins to rage as soon as a throne is erected for Christ.

2. When the ungodly have mustered their forces, and when, depending on their vast numbers, their riches, and their means of defense, they not only pour forth their proud blasphemies but also furiously assault heaven itself, we may safely laugh them to scorn, relying on this one consideration: He whom they are assailing is the God who is in heaven.

   When we see Christ nearly overwhelmed by the number and strength of his enemies, let us remember that they are making war against God, over whom they will not prevail. Therefore, their attempts, whatever they may be and however they increase, will come to nothing and be utterly ineffective. Let us learn, further, that this doctrine runs through the whole gospel, for the prayer of the apostles which I have just quoted manifestly testifies that it should not be restricted to the person of Christ.

Let us break, etc. This is a prosopopoeia, in which the prophet introduces his enemies as speaking; and he employs this figure to better express their ungodly and traitorous design. Not that they openly declared themselves rebels against God (for they rather covered their rebellion with every possible pretext and presumptuously boasted of having God on their side). But since they were fully determined, by all means, fair or foul, to drive David from the throne, whatever they professed with their mouths, the whole of their consultation amounted to this: how they might overthrow the kingdom which God himself had set up.

When he describes his government using the metaphorical expressions of 'bonds' and a 'yoke' on his adversaries, he indirectly condemns their pride. For he represents them speaking scornfully of his government, as if submitting to it were a slavish and shameful subjection—just as we see with all the enemies of Christ who, when compelled to be subject to his authority, consider it no less degrading than if the utmost disgrace were put upon them.