Psalms 2:3-5

2:3 They say, ¹  “Let’s tear off the shackles they’ve put on us! ² 

Let’s free ourselves from ³  their ropes!”

2:4 The one enthroned ⁴  in heaven laughs in disgust; ⁵ 

the Lord taunts ⁶  them.

2:5 Then he angrily speaks to them

and terrifies them in his rage, ⁷  saying, ⁸ 

[2:3]  ¹ tn The words “they say” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The quotation represents the words of the rebellious kings.

[2:3]  ² tn Heb “their (i.e., the Lord’s and the king’s) shackles.” The kings compare the rule of the Lord and his vice-regent to being imprisoned.

[2:3]  ³ tn Heb “throw off from us.”

[2:4]  ⁴ tn Heb “sitting.” The Hebrew verb יָשַׁב (yashav) is here used metonymically of “sitting enthroned” (see Pss 9:7; 29:10; 55:19; 102:12; 123:1).

[2:4]  ⁵ tn As the next line indicates, this refers to derisive laughter. The Hebrew imperfect verbal forms in vv. 4-5 describe the action from the perspective of an eyewitness who is watching the divine response as it unfolds before his eyes.

[2:4]  ⁶ tn Or “scoffs at”; “derides”; “mocks.”

[2:5]  ⁷ sn And terrifies them in his rage. This line focuses on the effect that God’s angry response (see previous line) has on the rebellious kings.

[2:5]  ⁸ tn The word “saying” is supplied in the translation for clarification to indicate that the speaker is the Lord (cf. RSV, NIV).