Structure and Caution in Psalm 2

April 7, 2022

This is my personal study on Psalm 2 using groupings from my structure analysis. These are color coded in my book, Psalms in Motif Visualization. I have taken these groupings of the Psalm and put them together. So, the entirety of the Psalm will be listed, but these structure groupings will present the text in a different order.

In music, compositions are arranged into forms, or structure. There are many forms and many ways to arrange them. Many times, musicians will refer to these forms as A, B, or C sections when communicating with other musicians. There are other terms such as bridge or refrain or coda, etc… The Psalms are songs and poems. In my motif, structure, visualization, I have labeled the motifs as sections according to musical terms as well.

The Motif Structure

The motif structure pattern of Psalm 2 rises and falls from a center point, or center idea. I label this as an ABCD and E pattern. There is one verse with the D motif being the center point and one refrain of D and E. The refrain is a bigger picture truth. A refrain could go anywhere as many times as desired. The D in the refrain is directly linked to the D that is the center point of the verse.

I will repeat the motif refrain after each grouping. You will not find this in the original Psalm, but it is appropriate. My goal is to highlight the structure patterns and intent over strict translation. I hope it gives fresh encouragement, but I strongly recommend the Psalm to be read as is for proper understanding.

I will start with the central point of the structure. The patterns point to this, and the refrain reinforces it. It is the tone for the entirety of the Psalm.

[ Psalm 2 ]

Regrouped and modified for clarification

Motif Verse 1
[God declares:]
“I have set my King on my holy hill of Zion.”
I will tell of the decree:
Yahweh said to me, “You are my son.
Today I have become your father.

Refrain:
Serve Yahweh with fear,
Give sincere homage to the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish on the way,
    for his wrath will soon be kindled.
    rejoice with trembling.
    Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.

Motif Verse 2
Why do the nations rage,
    and the peoples plot a vain thing?
The kings of the earth take a stand,
    and the rulers take counsel together,
    against Yahweh, and against his Anointed
Now therefore be wise, you kings.
    Be instructed, you judges of the earth.

Motif Verse 3
[The nations and kings of the earth say:]
“Let’s break their bonds apart,
and cast their cords from us.”
The Son, God’s king, shall break them with a rod of iron.
He shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

Motive Verse 4
He who sits in the heavens will laugh.
    The Lord will have them in derision.
Then he will speak to them in his anger,
    and terrify them in his wrath:
[God says to His son:]
Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance,
    the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.

Motif Verse 5
[God declares:]
“I have set my King on my holy hill of Zion.”
“You are my son.
Today I have become your father.”

Refrain:
Serve Yahweh with fear,
    rejoice with trembling.
Give sincere homage to the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish on the way,
    for his wrath will soon be kindled.
    Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.

Musicians communicate with each other by relating to an understood structure. People present stories and lectures according to structure as well. Understanding structures according to applicable genre, like in the Psalms, helps understand the authors intended message. It still matters to consider passages in context, consider plain sense meaning, and other theological tools to understand what is God-breathed for living as people of God. Reconstructing the ABC elements has helped me gain greater clarity that secures me deeper into the refuge of God. That security is the only security that produces life, tapped from the very Nature of Joy.

Resources and Notes

All scripture in this article is from the WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE (WEB). The World English Bible (WEB) is a Public Domain (no copyright) Modern English translation of the Holy Bible. The World English Bible is based on the American Standard Version of the Holy Bible first published in 1901, the Biblia Hebraica Stutgartensa Old Testament, and the Greek Majority Text New Testament.

For more related to this blog, check out my post on Unity in the Bible Truths About God.

This is a reliable translation, but it is always good to read other translations as well. Biblegateway.com has a multitude of translations to read from. It is a great resource.

Another great resource is Biblehub.com. There are multiple translations, commentaries, and so much more. Great research can be done on this platform.

One more I use regularly is Gotquestions.org. This is a great site to answer questions and find threads of related questions.

There are many resources. The key is that God wants relationship directly with you, the individual. His primary source for revealing who He is and growing in intimacy is His word, the scriptures. Don’t just read for instruction. Analyze and read for understanding. Explore, ask questions, and be transformed in Jesus every moment you possibly can. There is no dispute this is a key desire of God. People are brough to the Father, in the Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit. This… This is the Nature of Joy.

Jeremy is an author, musician, and business intelligence manager. His mission is to equip and encourage those in Christ, to equip and encourage others in Christ. Jesus, Christ, is the Nature of Joy and melody of the heart. Jeremy unites business analytics (business intelligence), songs, and Scripture for Christian living in the power of the Holy Spirit.