Rejoice with Trembling—Psalm 2:11–12

Show Notes

Mr. Chris Kessick

Serve the LORD with fear,

and rejoice with trembling.

Kiss the Son,

lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,

for his wrath is quickly kindled.

Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

(Psalm 2:11–12 ESV

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We exist to exalt, proclaim, and treasure the Lord Jesus Christ that He may have devoted followers throughout the world. A congregation in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) located in Hudson, Ohio.

Speaker 0: You're listening to a sermon from the pulpit of Redeem church, a Pc. In hudson, Ohio. For more information, visit us at redeem Ohio dot org. And

Speaker 1: Good evening. Don't you love watching those videos on Youtube of soldiers coming home to surprise their family. And just the joy you see on it just gets me tear up every time. I was watching a couple in prep for this. The the mother just falls in the kitchen, trembling.

Can't move paralyzed with joy. With the little kids, they run up to their daddy and just hug them. Say daddy, daddy, your home. I love those videos. I even think if pastor Scott was a couple of them.

He might even shed a here. It, I don't know. I don't know. But those videos strike at the core of who we are, just and how we were created to be in relationship. And the greatest most important relationship we were created for was relationship with our creator Jesus Christ.

I've been marvel at psalm 2 verse 11 for months as I consider my relationship with God. And we're gonna discuss this passage in detail, but I'd like for us to read together all 12 verses of psalm 2 first to get a context. So turn to me if you will, to Psalm chapter 2, which is found on page 448 in the Pew Bible. As you're turning there, although Psalm 2 doesn't have a particular heading, It is attributed to the writing of David in the new testament. Acts chapter 4 verse 25 and 26, quote psalm 2, but in that passage says, who through the mouth of our father, David your servant said by the holy spirit then quoted Psalm 2.

So David the author here, Psalm 2, we're gonna read the entire psalm. Why do the nations rage and the people's plot in vain? The kings of the Earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together? Against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us. He who sits in the Heavens laughs.

The Lord holds them in der vision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath and terrify them in his fury saying, as for me, I have set my king on Zion. My holy hill. I will tell of the decree. The lord said to me.

You are my son, Today, I have beg forgotten you. Ask of me and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth, your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a pot vessel. Now there 4 0 kings, Be wise, be warned o rulers of the Earth, serve the Lord with fear. And rejoice with trembling.

Kiss the sun, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way. For his wrath is quickly kindle, blessed are all who take refuge in him. Where to go? First a really quick context an overview of Psalm 2 just real quickly, the psalm is a kinship psalm. That David wrote as a healthy warning, addressed to the kings and rulers.

It's broken up into 4 sections First 3, talk about the disobedience of the kings and rulers, the next 3 share god's response. Versus 7 through 9, talk about the sun's response, and then the final 3 versus David gives a final warning. In verses 9 through 12. 1 of the things I love most about this psalm is saying the prophecy of Jesus nearly a thousand years before the birth of Christ divine sun is found in verse 7, where it says, the lord said to me. You are my son.

Today, I have beg begun you. And for that reason, Psalm 2 is quoted and alluded to substantially throughout the new testament. This psalm is a chilling warning to the kings and rulers and to us today about the fear of the lord. While also giving tremendous hope in the divine king, the anointed 1. I think it's interesting, 1 comment, Taylor said, Psalm 2 likely functioned as a psalm that accompanied the inauguration of the divine appointed David vi Hair who was who occupied the throne to Jerusalem.

He goes on to say about these kings that they would have encouraged the use of this song, during their inauguration, no matter how hypo might have been in terms of their own hearts and actions. Can you even begin to imagine this song being read for the inauguration for... Many of those evil kings in the david line. Owe the irony. Now let's look at the first half of verse 11.

Serve the Lord with fear. These kings and rulers, David was addressing, needed a wake up call. As kings, they had everything they ever wanted and needed, except the most important thing in life, a relationship with god. David is pleading with them. You must fear god, which is sun solomon, we'll pick up later and reiterate when he writes proverbs 1 7, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

And again, in Proverbs 09:10, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. David not only knew that it was like, He not only knew what it was like being a king, but also what it was like being broken to his core. He was warning these kings. You may think you are all that because everyone in your sphere serves you. But you better check yourself before you wreck yourself, whereas Kendrick Lamar would say today, be humble.

What about us today? I wonder if there's someone here who doesn't fear God or who hasn't yet? Because the truth is that everyone will 1 day, whether they want to or not. Back in verse 4 says he who sits in the heaven's laughs. God has a sense of humor.

He's laughing at the ways and the arrogance of the wicked. This reminds me of when God mocked Job in Job 38 4 when he said to Job, Were you there when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me if you have such understand. You no, that's right. You weren't.

Job was not there and neither were any of us. I have to share Spur commentary on verse 4 just real quickly. He says, Ph imagined that by drowning the Israel light males, he had found a way to root their name from the Earth. But when at the same time, his own daughter in his own court gave Prince education to Moses, their deliver, did not god laugh. God just laughs at the waves of the wicked.

But then, He declares victorious in his wrath and fury to the wicked in verse 6. I have set my king on Zion. As if to say, if you only knew what's coming, just wait. I'm sending the king of Kings. The cloud rider, the line of Judah, and he will rule over all the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron.

Don't you fear God You better. Just look around, look up. Do you think all of this was a giant cosmic accident? Where if we are honest with ourselves? We suspect deep, in our heart of hearts that there is a god that we need a savior.

These kings had everything they wanted or needed except for what they wanted and needed most. We live in a very affluent part of the world which is quite a blessing on the 1 hand. But on the other hand, for many of us and those in our community, having everything we want and need blinds us from what we want and need most. It is quite easy being content, being the kings of our lives. Years ago, I sat on a flight next to a lovely younger non christian couple who had been traveling the world, As they shared their experiences with me, I quickly gathered, they traveled a lot of places and they were rather wealthy.

I tend to be claustrophobic and in a moment of honesty I just shared, isn't it crazy? We're in a small metal tube, 30000 feet over the ground and 1 little thing goes wrong and boom. The wife said to me confidently, yeah, but I'm not going out like that. I can't remember what I said exactly at that moment, but I remember thinking, are you sure about that? I also remember praying to myself, please, Lord.

I know you're probably laughing right now, but could you please not take it out on her today? So I will ask it 1 more time. If you've never bent your need to the God of the universe don't you fear God? Now is the day of salvation. And if you do fear God, and let us serve him what a privilege it is for believers to serve The God we love and fear.

So the second half of the verse says rejoice with trembling. Isn't that cool, verbiage? Rejoice with trembling. I love this passage. And if I ever decide to get a tattoo, this is a verse I personally would get.

I ran across it during my internship reading the book. With reverence and awe. And it was a couple lines into the introduction, let me read it to you. The Biblical idea of re with trembling Psalm 02:11. The bible regards reverence, and joy, not as opposites that we turn on and offering during worship, but as mutually reinforcing, just as the death, and resurrection of Christ nurture both humility and celebration.

I love this, And I've been chewing on it ever since, trembling only appears 6 times in the old testament. It's a hebrew word for shutter, For instance, in Psalm 48 6, trembling to colder them there anguish as of a woman in labor. Rejoice appears 44 times in the old testament. Str concord says to spin round, under the influence of any violent emotion. To be glad, joy.

Be joyful. Rejoice. Both rejoice and trembling are very strong words, and we can't truly experience 1 without the other. Matthew Henry says, whatever we rejoice in, In this world, it must always be with trembling. Lest we grow vain in our joy and be puff up with the things we rejoice in.

And because of the uncertainty of them. If all we have is trembling on the other hand, we have no hope or joy and our serving becomes sla. Through Christ's death and resurrection, we have both revere joy as a christian. Martin Luther pointed this out that I thought was really good. Both need to happen in the life of the believer.

After all, he said, Proverbs 28 14 says, blessed is the 1 who fears the Lord always. And also Philippians 4 4 says rejoice in the lord always. Think about examples of people in the Bible rejoice and trembling. Peter experienced Revere joy the passage we read earlier from Luke 5, the miraculous catch Peter's entire life until that point. Up until that moment in history was built on fishing.

Let me pause for a second and ask you. What are you building your life upon. But then a Jewish rabbi turns, Peter's World upside down. Peter was a god fearing jew who affected this rabbi enough to put out for a catch and let down the nets 1 more time, even though they've been fishing all night and hadn't caught anything. Then all of a sudden, boom, the catch of a lifetime.

Both boats filled with fish to where they both were sinking. And what's Peter's reaction? He fell at Jesus feet. Said go away from me because I'm a sinful man Although he was joyful astonished at the miraculous catch, he also recognized that he was in the presence of the anointed 1. He rejoice with trembling.

Or how about the woman who wash Jesus feet in Luke 7. Just gonna read it to you. It says and behold, a woman of the city who was a sinner when she learned that he Jesus was declining a table in the Far house, brought an a pastor flask ointment. And standing behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wipe them with the the hair of her head and kissed his feet. And annoyed them with the ointment.

She was re with trembling. I'm reminded that time I surrendered my life to Christ, and I recognize that everyone's conversion is different, I was a week from entering into high school. Sports were everything to me. I heard Cleveland Cavalier or mark price. Share the gospel at a friend's house to a bunch of my classmates of mine.

I heard about my sin and need for a savior. And Mark Price prayed with me, to receive christ that evening. I remember crying tears of joy trembling because I felt the weight of my sin for the first time. And the gravity of the decision ahead of me. But re knowing that I was forgiven, because of what Christ did for me.

I rejoice with trembling. So what's the application? So what cast? You found 2 really nice paradox feeling words in the bible? How does that apply to us today, especially at this church.

Remember we're reformed, be careful putting too much stock into feelings. Let me just by... Let me start by saying what I've been grateful for and then what I'm personally convicted by in this passage. First off. I'm so grateful for our church.

Practice this a couple of times. I didn't think I get choked up right there. And how our and worship services model for us, the idea of re with trembling, how we lift up scripture, worship, sac weekend, week out, and it's serious. And it's fun. And how it models for us, how to approach God with revere joy.

We're so fortunate at redeem. Now for what I personally am convicted by this passage. I wanna experience revere joy more often. Too often I come to church, check the box, check in and check out. I wanna rejoice with trembling when worshiping the God of the universe, and not just a church.

In my daily life as well with my family, my work and friends. What am I afraid of? Why am I so anxious After all, I'm saved by Jesus Christ. After Peter and the disciples had the miraculous catch, the catch of the lifetime, It says in verse 11. And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

Peter left everything he thought he needed and wanted to follow Jesus. Why do I cling to so much in this world when I have everything I truly want in Jesus Christ. So what am I saying then? I guess what I'm trying to say is What David says in Psalm 51 12. Lord.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation. I don't wanna just go through the motions. I wanna rejoice with trembling. In his epic work, regeneration and red d history, author Scott, our right says regarding psalm 51 12. This is really good.

Not just the throw away. This actually is really good. David was pleading with God for more san simplification. He then says, David is not asking for new birth, but great san simplification. I guess that's my takeaway from this passage.

Lord? Please give me more san simplification. But you might be wondering how do you get it? How can you enter into a spirit of re with trembling with the lord? Unfortunately, you can't just must it San is a work of God's free grace.

It is kind of like asking, how can I feel that love toward my spouse I had when we first started dating? You can't just make that happen. But the good news and the charge for us is found in the last first of psalm 2 verse 12. Kiss the sun, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way for his wrath is quickly kindle. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

So although we can't necessarily stir up reverend joy in our hearts, we can kiss the sun. We can choose to focus on jesus in the means of grace. For when we focus on Jesus and seek him out verse 12 says, all will be blessed who take refuge in him. This Just like if we are more proactive spending time with our spouse and getting to know them, perhaps those feelings will begin to res. That analogy is imperfect though because we are imperfect human beings as compared to a relationship with a perfect loving god.

But if we draw close to Jesus and get to know him more through the means of grace. Perhaps the holy spirit will see fit to grant to us. More san simplification. Because 1 day, the soldier is coming back. The commander of the Lord's army.

And if you know him, When you see him, you will kiss the sun and rejoice with Trembling. Let me pray. Dear God, first we pray that if there's anyone here who has never bent their need to your kings ship in their lives, that your holy spirit would convict them of their sin. And they would kiss the sun and find refuge in Jesus Christ. And for those of us who know you We pray for greater san vacation.

We rejoice with trembling at the fact that you set your son to die on a cross. Death that we deserve. Our hearts explode with gratitude that we can now approach your throne of grace with confidence, that can only be found through your son. It's in Jesus name that we pray amen.

Speaker 0: Thank you for listening. For more information or to connect with us, visit us, redeem Ohio dot org.