Psalm 2

“Choice” is literally translated “anointed.” In the original language of Hebrew, the word is messiah. Many Christians see this as a foreshadowing of Jesus the Messiah a thousand years before he came to earth. But to the readers in King David’s day, the word simply meant their king. Israel’s kings were presented to the nation as God’s chosen leader, literally God’s anointed one. The ritual of crowning someone king involved an anointing—pouring olive oil over the ruler’s head. Samuel anointed young David as Israel’s king (1 Samuel 16:12-13). The ritual sounds messy, but the olive oil would have felt refreshing poured onto someone who had been traveling in ancient Middle Eastern heat.

“Zion” is a term of endearment, and another name for Jerusalem. It’s a bit like “The Big Apple” for New York City, “The City of Love” for Paris, and “Sin City” for Las Vegas, though some wouldn’t call that a term of endearment.

More literally, as many scholars would prefer to say it, “today I have begotten you.” In the agreement (covenant) God made with Israel, the Jewish people were to obey God just as a child would obey their father. And God was to respond by protecting them the way a father would protect his children. The Jews were God’s children. That relationship included the king, a unique son, uniquely chosen to lead the Chosen Nation. The prophet Nathan told David what God had said about him: “I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me” (2 Samuel 7:14 New American Standard Bible). Many Christians say they see Jesus foreshadowed in this statement, too (Luke 3:22; Acts 13:33).