perhaps properly · verb, piel imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular
wrath
בְאַפּ֑וֹve.'a.Po
H639
properly · preposition + noun, common masculine singular construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine singular
vex
יְבַהֲלֵֽמוֹye.va.ha.Le.mov
H926
to tremble inwardly (or palpitate) · verb, piel imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine plural
displeasure
וּֽבַחֲרוֹנ֥וֹu.va.cha.ro.No
H2740
a burning of anger · conjunction + preposition + noun, common masculine singular construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine singular
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Isaiah 11:4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod…
Revelation 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treade…
Psalms 21:9 Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them…
Psalms 110:5-6 The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.
Psalms 78:49-50 He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.
Luke 19:27 But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.
Isaiah 66:6 A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompence to his enemies.
Zechariah 1:15 And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Psalms 2:1-6
We have here a very great struggle about the kingdom of Christ, hell and heaven contesting it; the seat of the war is this earth, where Satan has long had a usurped kingdom and exercised dominion to such a degree that he has been called the prince of the power of the very air we breathe in and the god of the world we live in. He knows very well that, as the Messiah's kingdom rises and gets ground, his falls and loses ground; and therefore, though it will be set up certainly, it shall not be set up tamely. Observe here,
I. The mighty opposition that would be given to the Messiah and his kingdom, to his holy religion and all the interests of it, Psa 2:1-3. One would have expected that so great…
Then shall he speak--His righteous indignation as well as contempt is roused. For God to speak is for Him to act, for what He resolves He will do (Gen 1:3; Psa 33:9).
vex them--agitate or terrify them (Psa 83:15).
John Gill on Psalms 2:5
Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath,.... Or, "and he shall speak to them"; so Noldius: that is, the Lord that sits in the heavens, and laughs, and has the Heathen, the people, the kings and rulers in derision, shall not only silently despise their furious and concerted opposition to him and his Messiah, but shall at last speak out unto them, not in his word, but in his providences; and not in love, as to his own people, when he chastises them, but in great wrath, inflicting severe and just punishment. It seems to refer to the destruction of Jerusalem, after the crucifixion, sufferings, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ; and after the pouring out of the Spirit, and when the…
Psalm 2:4-6
4. He who dwelleth in heaven will laugh at them; the Lord [26] will have them in derision. 5. Then will he speak to them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. 6. I have anointed my King upon my holy hill of Sion.
After David has told us of the tumult and commotions, the counsels and pride, the preparation and resources the strength and efforts of his enemies, in opposition to all these he places the power of God alone, which he concludes would be brought to bear against them, from their attempting to frustrate his decree. And, as a little before, by terming them kings of the earth, he expressed their feeble and perishable condition; so now, by the lofty title of H…
The Church Fathers
These are words of destruction that are pronounced in anger. Moreover, the evils that God had said he was going to inflict, he promises that he will withdraw if the listeners will become penitent. God in his anger spoke through Jonah to the Ninevites, and since they repented in ash and sackcloth, they endured nothing of those things about which they had heard. Actually, God knew beforehand when he sent Jonah that they were going to repent if he sent Jonah for their deliverance. Right now he also is speaking deliverance to those sinners who are in his wrath. For it did not say, "He will punish those in his wrath even if they will repent."
God judges without getting upset, and he causes distress for others while maintaining his affection for them. He does not become enraged when some emotion rises within him against the wicked, but he withholds from them the influence of his grace. Since the blessed Godhead, which always remains the same, eternal and immovable, does not experience emotions, therefore the wrath of God refers to God's retribution against sinners. But such a change of emotion is characteristic of human weakness so that someone becomes sad after being happy, irritated after being at peace, offended after being of good intentions. The phrase "then he will say" indicates the time when he will come to judge the world. Therefore the text speaks appropriately about wrath and rage since obstinate sinners will receive all that they deserve.
"Then He shall speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure" [Psalm 2:5]. 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 perturbation; but the might whereby He most justly avenges, by the subjection of all creation to His service. For that is to be observed and remembered which is written in the Wisdom of Solomon, "But You, Lord of power, judgest with tranquillity, and with great favour orders us." [Wisdom 12:18] The "wrath" of God then is an emotion which is produced in the soul which knows the law of God, when it sees this same law transgressed by the sinner. For by this emotion of righteous souls many things are avenged. Although the "wrath" of God can be well understood of that darkening of the mind, which overtakes those who transgress the law of God.
Dictionary and topics
Anger Of God, The · Extreme, against those who oppose the gospel — Extreme, against those who oppose the gospel
Kings · Judgments upon, when opposed to Christ — Judgments upon, when opposed to Christ
Persecution · OF JESUS — OF JESUS
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
Above the scene of this wild tumult of battle and imperious arrogance the psalmist in this six line strophe beholds Jahve, and in spirit hears His voice of thunder against the rebels. In contrast to earthly rulers and events Jahve is called יושׁב בּשּׁמים: He is enthroned above them in unapproachable majesty and ever-abiding glory; He is called אדני as He who controls whatever takes place below with absolute power according to the plan His wisdom has devised, which brooks no hindrance in execution. The futt. describe not what He will do, but what He does continually (cf. Isa 18:4.). למו also belongs, according to Psa 59:9; Psa 37:13, to ישׂחק (שׂחק which is more usual in the post-pentateucha…
The Lord finds the human threat insignificant. He provided a solution long before their rebellion. He will end their agitation through the appointment of a human agent, a descendant of David’s line who will rule the nations.
2:4 rules in heaven: The Lord’s place in the universe is so certain that he scoffs at humans who boast that they can rebel against his power and authority (see 37:13; 59:8).
Spurgeon's Treasury of David on Psalms 2:5-6
Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
After he has laughed he shall speak; he needs not smite; the breath of his lips is enough. At the moment when their power is at its height, and their fury most violent, then shall his Word go forth against them. And what is it that he says?—it is a very galling sentence— "Yet, " says he, "despite your malice, despite your tumultuous gatherings, despite the wisdom of your counsels, despite the craft of your lawgivers, 'yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion'." Is not that a grand exclamation! He has already done that which the enemy seeks to prevent.…
