John Calvin Commentary Psalms 2:8

"Ask of me, and I will give [thee] the nations for thine inheritance, And the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." — Psalms 2:8 (ASV)

Ask of me. Christ, it is true, asked his Father (John 17:5) to glorify him with the glory which he had with him before the world was; yet the more obvious meaning is that the Father will deny nothing to his Son which relates to the extension of his kingdom to the farthest ends of the earth.

But, in this wonderful matter, Christ is introduced as presenting himself before the Father with prayers, in order to illustrate the free liberality of God in conferring upon men the honor of constituting his own Son governor over the whole world. As the eternal Word of God, Christ, it is true, has always had in his hands by right sovereign authority and majesty, and as such can receive no additions to it; but still he is exalted in human nature, in which he took upon himself the form of a servant.

This title, therefore, is not applied to him only as God, but is extended to the whole person of the Mediator; for after Christ had emptied himself, there was given to him a name which is above every name, that before him every knee should bow (Philippians 2:9). David, as we know, after having obtained significant victories reigned over a large territory, so that many nations became tributaries to him; but what is said here was not fulfilled in him.

If we compare his kingdom with other monarchies, it was confined within very narrow boundaries. Unless, therefore, we suppose this prophecy concerning the vast extent of the kingdom to have been uttered in vain and falsely, we must apply it to Christ, who alone has subdued the whole world to himself and embraced all lands and nations under his dominion.

Accordingly, here, as in many other places, the calling of the Gentiles is foretold, to prevent all from imagining that the Redeemer who was to be sent by God was king of one nation only. And if we now see his kingdom divided, diminished, and broken down, this proceeds from the wickedness of men, which renders them unworthy of being under a reign so happy and so desirable. But although the ingratitude of men hinders the kingdom of Christ from prospering, it does not make this prediction of no effect, since Christ collects the dispersed remnants of his people from all regions and, in the midst of this wretched desolation, keeps them joined together by the sacred bond of faith, so that not one corner only, but the whole world is subjected to his authority. Besides, however insolently the ungodly may act, and however they may reject his sovereignty, they cannot, by their rebellion, destroy his authority and power. To this subject also belongs what immediately follows: