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Psalm 2 | King James Audio Bible
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Psalm 2 explores interaction between human desires and the authority of a higher power, shedding light on the tensions that can arise. Imagine leaders and nations pursuing their own plans, seemingly detached from divine considerations. This psalm paints a portrait of their ambitions and the contrast between their aspirations and the greater divine scheme.
At its core, Psalm 2 explores the idea that while humans may seek autonomy from spiritual guidance, there’s a universal authority that oversees all. It’s as if the psalm invites us to witness the grand tapestry of human ambition and then pans out to reveal a cosmic laughter, almost as if the universe finds these human pursuits a bit amusing in light of the divine plan.
The psalm introduces the concept of the ‘Anointed One’, someone chosen with a special role that’s divinely ordained. This figure becomes a focal point, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and aligning with this unique connection to the divine.
Psalm 2 serves as a gentle reminder that amid the hustle and bustle of human endeavours, there’s a higher order, a sort of celestial symphony, orchestrating events. It invites us to reflect on the interplay between our actions and the greater purpose that exists beyond our immediate goals. The psalm reminds us that understanding our place within this grand narrative involves respecting the wisdom that comes from a source beyond our own.
Psalm 2 | King James Audio Bible KJV
Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying,
Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
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.
I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
Key Themes Of The Psalm For Reflection | Love Revealed
- Human Ambition vs. Divine Authority: The psalm contrasts the ambitions and plans of human rulers and nations with the supreme authority of a higher power.
- Rebellion and Opposition: It explores the idea of people and rulers rebelling against divine guidance and pursuing their own paths, symbolizing human resistance to spiritual authority.
- Divine Laughter and Sovereignty: The psalm portrays a sense of divine amusement or irony in the face of human arrogance, highlighting the ultimate sovereignty and control of a higher power.
- Recognition of the Anointed One: The psalm introduces the concept of an ‘Anointed One’, a figure chosen by God with a special role. This underscores the significance of acknowledging and respecting divine appointments.
- Divine Plan and Higher Purpose: Psalm 2 touches on the idea that human aspirations, though they may seem significant, are part of a larger divine plan. It encourages humility in recognizing our place within this greater narrative.
- Respect and Submission: The psalm encourages respect for the divine and submission to its wisdom, implying that aligning with divine guidance leads to a harmonious existence.
- Universal Themes: The themes presented in Psalm 2 have universal relevance, transcending time and culture, and prompting reflection on the nature of power, authority, and spirituality.
- Cosmic Perspective: It invites readers to consider the cosmic perspective, reminding us that while human actions might hold importance, there’s a higher order that oversees all events.
- Message of Harmony: Overall, the psalm suggests that finding harmony involves acknowledging the presence of a divine plan that extends beyond individual pursuits, and aligning our actions with this higher purpose.
Pope Saint Leo the Great’s meditation on love and charity in Lent is both a scriptural and theological reflection on the essence of Christian life. Drawing from Christ’s command to love and the apostolic teachings on charity, he urges believers to examine their hearts, forgive as they have been forgiven, and give generously. Lent, in his view, is a season to embody these virtues, aligning the believer with the mercy and generosity of God [ … ]
The more we love God, the better we come to know him. Jesus continues to assert his knowledge of the Father, and too his eternal coexistence with the Father from before all time [ … ]
On Tuesday, His Grace turns to the theme of Jesus’ hidden years. His Grace asks the students to consider questions concerning what really happened: ‘Who, for instance, was Joseph? Was he indeed a carpenter, or has Joseph’s true role in the society in which he lived been misconstrued and forgotten to us? Though it be a beautiful, simplifying image to grasp, which offers to us much that is of value in Catholic faith… ‘A wise elder, which carpenter could mean, or a great engineer, an architekton, which in the Greek does not mean carpenter. But carpenter in the Hebrew could mean a wise man…’ His Grace turns the pages of his Bible back and forth, as if to itemize the paucity of information. Then he says: ‘What I think I can say to you with confidence is that it is of profound significance that we simply don’t know what Jesus was doing for most of his earthly life. There are some very different possibilities. One idea cherished by the Church is that Jesus worked with his father Joseph as a carpenter. Another possibility is that Jesus lived and prayed and studied closely with John the Baptist. They were cousins, and very close, almost the same, in age. Luke’s Gospel tells us clearly that Jesus and John knew each other from within the womb before they were born. So there may have been something quite important happening there. You see, we don’t know – it is an impossible mystery to us – just how much Jesus had to learn. This is because, if Jesus knew everything, humanly speaking, even as a tiny baby, then how can we say he is fully human? We simply can’t probe too far into this mystery, but we can draw extraordinary truth and healing from this thought, which becomes of immense relevance in our own lives. Jesus came to know and to understand himself not merely as a son of God, but as God the Son, and so as self-identical with his Father. It is not an adoptive relationship. Jesus is God. Now so much is hidden here. But this is a great gift. If you think about it, how do we come to know that we are loved by God, that we have our relationship with God? What are we born with in here’ – his chest – ‘and what do we have to learn? This is to say, what is gifted to us by other Christians at our baptism? ‘Jesus must have studied, and experienced profound revelation about who and what he truly was, and, so it seems to be, these studies cannot have been confined to the Semitic world. But this is the important point: there is a hiddenness about all of this. No matter which schools and which sects our Lord might have encountered all these years, this to us is as a desert space. What this means is that we can enter into the hidden life of Jesus, and there we can discover our own being with God, our own sonship. Our own particular being loved by God can come to us, if we can enter within this great unknown – into this desert space, where we are loved by Jesus. I firmly believe that there may be a great Lenten mystery in this period of our Lord’s life.’ A Bishop’s Lenten Homily | Extracted From The Gospel According To Tomàs | Faith And Hope And Love And Sexuality | Part 1 A Bishop’s Lenten Homily | Extracted From The Gospel According To Tomàs | Faith And Hope And Love And Sexuality | Part 2 A Bishop’s Lenten Homily | Extracted From The Gospel According To Tomàs | Faith And Hope And Love And Sexuality | Part 3 A Bishop’s Lenten Homily | Extracted From The Gospel According To Tomàs | Faith And Hope And Love And Sexuality | Part 4 | King James Audio Bible | KJV A Bishop’s Lenten Homily | Extracted From The Gospel According To Tomàs | Faith And Hope And Love And Sexuality | Part 5 A Bishop’s Lenten Homily | Holy Week | Extracted From The Gospel According To Tomàs | Faith And Hope And Love And Sexuality | Part 6
