The Eastern Cross/Bible/Psalms/Psalm 2
The Book of Psalms · the Psalter
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Wherefore did the heathen rage, And the nations imagine vain things?
Ἱνατί ἐφρύαξαν ἔθνη, καὶ λαοὶ ἐμελέτησαν κενά;
"Why do the heathen rage, and the people meditate vain things?". "The kings of the earth have stood up, and the rulers taken counsel together, against the Lord, and against His Christ". It is said, "why?" as if it were said, in vain. For what they wished, namely, Christ's destruction, they accomplished not; for this…
The kings of the earth stood up, And the rulers gathered themselves together, Against the Lord, and against his Christ;
Παρέστησαν οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς, καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες συνήχθησαν ἐπιτοαυτὸ κατὰ τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ κατὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ αὐτοῦ.
Saying, Let us break through their bonds, And cast away their yoke from us.
Διαῤῥήξωμεν τοὺς δεσμοὺς αὐτῶν, καὶ ἀποῤῥίψωμεν ἀφʼ ἡμῶν τὸν ζυγὸν αὐτῶν.
"Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yoke from us". Although it admits of another acceptation, yet is it more fitly understood as in the person of those who are said to "meditate vain things." So that "let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yoke from us," may be, let us do our…
He that dwells in the heavens shall laugh them to scorn, And the Lord shall mock them.
Ὁ κατοικῶν ἐν οὐρανοῖς ἐκγελάσεται αὐτοὺς, καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἐκμυκτηριεῖ αὐτούς.
"He that dwelleth in the heavens shall laugh them to scorn, and the Lord shall have them in derision". The sentence is repeated; for "He who dwelleth in the heavens," is afterwards put, "the Lord;" and for "shall laugh them to scorn," is afterwards put, "shall have them in derision." Nothing of this however must be…
Then shall he speak to them in his anger, And trouble them in his fury.
Τότε λαλήσει πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐν ὀργῇ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν τῷ θυμῷ αὐτοῦ ταράξει αὐτούς.
"Then He shall speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure". For showing more clearly how He will "speak unto them," he added, He will "vex them;" so that "in His wrath," is, "in His sore displeasure." But by the "wrath and sore displeasure" of the Lord God must not be understood any mental…
But I have been made king by him On Zion his holy mountain,
Ἐγὼ δὲ κατεστάθην βασιλεὺς ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ Σιὼν ὄρος τὸ ἅγιον αὐτοῦ,
"Yet am I set by Him as King upon Sion, His holy hill, preaching His decree". This is clearly spoken in the Person of the very Lord our Saviour Christ. But if Sion signify, as some interpret, beholding, we must not understand it of anything rather than of the Church, where daily is the desire raised of beholding the…
Declaring the ordinance of the Lord: The Lord said to me, Thou art my Son, today have I begotten thee.
διαγγέλλων τὸ πρόσταγμα Κυρίου· Κύριος εἶπε πρὸς μὲ, υἱός μου εἶ σὺ, ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά σε.
"The Lord has said unto me, You are My Son, today have I begotten You". Although that day may also seem to be prophetically spoken of, on which Jesus Christ was born according to the flesh; and in eternity there is nothing past as if it had ceased to be, nor future as if it were not yet, but present only, since…
Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, And the ends of the earth for thy possession.
Αἴτησαι παρʼ ἐμοῦ, καὶ δώσω σοι ἔθνη τὴν κληρονομίαν σου, καὶ τὴν κατάσχεσίν σου τὰ πέρατα τῆς γῆς.
"Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the nations for Thine inheritance". This has at once a temporal sense with reference to the Manhood which He took on Himself, who offered up Himself as a Sacrifice in the stead of all sacrifices, who also maketh intercession for us; so that the words, "ask of Me," may be referred to…
Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces as a potter’s vessel.
Ποιμανεῖς αὐτοὺς ἐν ῥάβδῳ σιδηρᾷ, ὡς σκεῦος κεραμέως συντρίψεις αὐτούς.
"You shall rule them with a rod of iron," with inflexible justice, and "You shall break them like a potter's vessel"; that is, "You shall break" in them earthly lusts, and the filthy doings of the old man, and whatsoever has been derived and inured from the sinful clay.
Now therefore understand, ye kings: Be instructed, all ye that judge the earth.
Καὶ νῦν βασιλεῖς σύνετε, παιδεύθητε πάντες οἱ κρίνοντες τὴν γῆν.
"And now understand, you kings". "And now;" that is, being now renewed, your covering of clay worn out, that is, the carnal vessels of error which belong to your past life, "now understand," you who now are "kings;" that is, able now to govern all that is servile and brutish in you, able now too to fight, not as "they…
Serve the Lord with fear, And rejoice in him with trembling.
Δουλεύσατε τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐν φόβῳ, καὶ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε αὐτῷ ἐν τρόμῳ.
"Serve the Lord with fear;" lest what is said, "You kings and judges of the earth," turn into pride: "And rejoice with trembling". Very excellently is "rejoice" added, lest "serve the Lord with fear" should seem to tend to misery. But again, lest this same rejoicing should run on to unrestrained inconsiderateness,…
Accept correction, lest at any time the Lord be angry, And ye should perish from the righteous way: Whensoever his wrath shall be suddenly kindled, Blessed are all they that trust in him.
Δράξασθε παιδείας, μή ποτε ὀργισθῇ Κύριος, καὶ ἀπολεῖσθε ἐξ ὁδοῦ δικαίας· ὅταν ἐκκαυθῇ ἐν τάχει ὁ θυμὸς αὐτοῦ, μακάριοι πάντες οἱ πεποιθότες ἐπʼ αὐτῷ.
"Lay hold of discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry, and you perish from the righteous way". This is the same as, "understand," and, "be instructed." For to understand and be instructed, this is to lay hold of discipline. Still in that it is said, "lay hold of," it is plainly enough intimated that there is…
Every note is a real passage, quoted word for word from a published English translation, with its source. Nothing here is summarised or written by us. Some verses have many notes and some have none, because the Fathers wrote more on some passages than others.
All of these translations are in the public domain. The passages were matched to their verses by the Historical Christian Commentaries project, which also hosts the full texts we link to. The Fathers are a treasury of the Church's mind, and they are best read alongside the life of the Church: if a passage raises a question, bring it to your priest.