Psalm 2:7 reads, “I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.'” This verse has been understood to refer to Jesus Christ as the Son of God in the New Testament (Acts 13:33; Hebrews 1:5; 5:5). However, it is important to examine the original context and meaning of this Psalm to fully understand its significance.
Psalm 2 is considered a royal psalm due to its subject matter focusing on the king of Israel. Many scholars believe it was used during the coronation ceremonies of the Davidic kings in Jerusalem. The overall theme of the psalm is that God has established the Davidic king in Zion despite the rulers of the nations rebelling against the Lord’s anointed king (Psalm 2:1-3). God responds to this rebellion stating that He has installed His king in Zion and will enable him to break the nations with a rod of iron (Psalm 2:4-9). The psalm ends with the king being exhorted to “Kiss the Son” and submit to him lest the Lord be angry (Psalm 2:10-12).
With this background in mind, Psalm 2:7 finds the king recounting the words spoken over him by the Lord during his coronation ceremony. God declares “You are my son, today I have begotten you.” This emphasizes the special relationship between God and the king. The Davidic king had the privilege of being considered a “son” of God in a unique sense (2 Samuel 7:14). The word “begotten” does not imply that the king was actually biologically fathered by God, but rather describes his installment on the throne as analogous to the begetting of a son. The king was God’s “son” in that he was chosen by God to represent Him as the theocratic ruler over Israel. God promised to establish the throne of David’s kingdom forever (2 Samuel 7:12-16). The coronation ceremony marked the day where this sonship became a reality as the king was enthroned in Jerusalem.
While the original context refers to the human Davidic king, the language of Psalm 2:7 finds further Messianic fulfillment in Jesus Christ. As the ultimate Son of God and heir to David’s throne, Jesus is the Messiah who will establish the kingdom of God forever (Luke 1:32-33). Several New Testament passages apply Psalm 2:7 to Jesus:
- Acts 13:33 – Peter preaches that this psalm was fulfilled in Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Jesus is the ultimate holy “Son” of God as displayed in the resurrection.
- Hebrews 1:5 – The author argues that Jesus is superior to the angels. Though angelic beings are called “sons of God”, Jesus is distinguished by the Father calling him “my Son” as Psalm 2:7 states.
- Hebrews 5:5 – Jesus did not take the honor of being High Priest for himself, but was appointed by God who declared Him to be His Son. Psalm 2:7 is quoted to support this.
- Revelation 2:26-27 – Jesus promises that He has received authority from the Father to rule the nations with a rod of iron from Psalm 2:8-9. As the Son, the Father has granted Him dominion.
In conclusion, Psalm 2:7 originally referred to the coronation of the Davidic king in Jerusalem whom God called His son. While the human king was a typological son, Jesus Christ is the ultimate fulfillment as the eternal Divine Son of God who will establish His kingdom forever. The New Testament applies Psalm 2:7 to Jesus to emphasize His deity and messianic reign.
The Messianic Interpretation of Psalm 2:7
As discussed above, Psalm 2 was originally written concerning the Davidic king’s enthronement in Jerusalem. However, both Jewish and Christian interpreters have also viewed the psalm as possessing a future messianic meaning. Several features have contributed to this messianic understanding of Psalm 2:
- The eternal language of Psalm 2:7 – The begetting of the king points beyond the human monarch to the establishment of an enduring dynastic line culminating in the Messiah.
- The theme of universal dominion – Though partially fulfilled in David’s kingdom, the subduing of the nations awaits a future ultimate fulfillment under the Messiah (Psalm 2:8-9).
- The development of the concept of the Davidic Messiah – 2 Samuel 7 promised that the offspring of David would rule on the throne forever. This hope developed into an expectation that God would send a future anointed king from David’s line to institute a kingdom characterized by peace and righteousness.
- The unshakable nature of the king’s reign – Psalm 2:4-6 declare that the attempts of earthly rulers to thwart God’s king will fail. This prophesies the enduring victory of the Messiah’s kingdom.
- Rebellion against the Lord’s anointed – This points to the Messiah’s rejection and suffering as depicted in other texts like Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53.
By the first century A.D., many Jewish interpreters regarded Psalm 2 as having messianic implications. This is reflected in the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Targums, the Talmud, and the Midrash on the Psalms. The New Testament authors inherited and applied this messianic perspective to Jesus as the long-awaited Davidic Messiah.
Dead Sea Scrolls
Several manuscripts found at Qumran cite Psalm 2 and associate it with a royal, Davidic Messiah. 4QFlorilegium interprets Psalm 2:1 as the nations challenging the Messiah. The scroll connects Psalm 2:2 to the “shoot of David” who will “arise with the Interpreter of the Law.” This refers to a Davidic king aided by a priestly figure, likely interpreted as the Messiah and High Priest. 11QPsalmsa applies Psalm 2:1 to the “King Messiah” who will subdue Israel’s enemies.
Targums
The Aramaic Targums also reflect a messianic reading of Psalm 2. Targum Psalms paraphrases Psalm 2:7, “You are beloved to me like a son, O King Messiah.” It explicitly identifies the son as the Messiah. Targum on Chronicles declares that God will intervene to install “my Messiah King” on Mount Zion.
Talmud and Midrash
The Babylonian Talmud (Sukkah 52a) states that Psalm 2:7 refers to the Messiah based on the mystical interpretation of “begetting” as God calling the Messiah’s name. Midrash Tehillim (commentary on Psalms) quotes Psalm 2:7 and applies it to the anticipated Messiah. The majority rabbinic opinion was that Psalm 2 contained messianic prophecy.
This Jewish interpretive tradition regarding Psalm 2 formed the context for the New Testament use of this psalm with reference to Jesus. The early Christian community inherited and developed these messianic insights into their understanding of Christ’s identity and mission.
New Testament Application of Psalm 2:7 to Jesus
The New Testament contains five quotations of Psalm 2:7 all applied to Jesus Christ:
Acts 13:33
In Acts 13, Peter preaches to the Jews in Antioch in Pisidia. He summarizes Israel’s history and God’s promises to the fathers (Acts 13:17-22). Peter then turns to proclaim Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophetic expectation as the descendant of David raised up to be the Savior (Acts 13:23). To prove this, Peter cites Psalm 2:7 and states that it finds its ultimate meaning in Christ’s resurrection: “And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you'” (Acts 13:32-33). Jesus’ status as God’s Son was eternally confirmed in His resurrection victory over death. The early church saw Jesus’ resurrection as the decisive event demonstrating His messianic identity from Psalm 2.
Hebrews 1:5
The Book of Hebrews begins by arguing for the supremacy of the Son as the divine revelation of God in these last days (Hebrews 1:1-4). To support this, the author quotes Psalm 2:7 along with 2 Samuel 7:14 to contrast Christ with the angels: “For to which of the angels did God ever say, ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you’? Or again, ‘I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son’?” (Hebrews 1:5). Though angelic beings can be termed “sons of God” (Psalm 89:6; Job 1:6), Jesus the Son is in a class of His own. As the Messiah of Psalm 2, He is exalted as both “Son” and eschatological “firstborn” over creation in a unique sense (Hebrews 1:6).
Hebrews 5:5
After establishing Jesus’ superiority over the prophets (Hebrews 1:1-3) and angels (Hebrews 1:4-2:18), the author highlights Christ’s superiority over Moses as the faithful Son over God’s house (Hebrews 3:1-6). Jesus is the ultimate High Priest who offers the perfect sacrifice for sins (Hebrews 5-10). The writer alludes to Psalm 2:7 again to support this: “So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you'” (Hebrews 5:5). Jesus did not take the honor of priesthood upon himself, but was appointed by God as His Son. His sonship ordained Him as High Priest just as the Davidic kings combined priestly and royal offices (Psalm 110).
2 Peter 1:17
2 Peter 1:16-18 describes the apostolic eyewitness testimony to Christ’s majesty and honor when He was transfigured before them and received honor and glory from God the Father (Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36). 2 Peter 1:17 explains that this event fulfilled the Father’s declaration in Psalm 2:7: “For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,’ we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.” As the Messianic Son, Jesus is the glorious revelation of the Father.
Revelation 2:26-27
Jesus’ letter to the church in Thyatira promises that the one who conquers and keeps His works until the end will be given authority to rule the nations with a rod of iron, even as Jesus received this authority from the Father (Revelation 2:26-27). This alludes to Psalm 2:8-9 concerning the Messiah’s prerogative to dash the rebel nations to pieces. As the prophesied Son in Psalm 2, Jesus possesses supreme authority over the kings of the earth.
These New Testament quotations demonstrate that the inspired apostles and authors identified Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Messiah and Son proclaimed in Psalm 2:7. God’s declaration over the Davidic king found its climactic fulfillment in Christ’s resurrection and exaltation to God’s right hand.
Jesus as the Eternal Son
But how can Psalm 2:7 which speaks of “begetting” the Son have relevance for Jesus Christ who is the eternal Son of God? Did there come a point when the Second Person of the Trinity was “begotten”? This question has been answered by making a distinction between Christ’s eternal Sonship in His deity and His messianic Sonship in His humanity. Jesus has always existed as the eternal Son in relation to the Father from eternity past. But the incarnation marked a new phase in the Son’s mission of revelation and redemption when He entered into creation and took on human nature as the Son of David. It is this messianic Sonship that Psalm 2:7 emphasizes.
The New Testament witness indicates that Jesus was not “begotten” through the Virginal Conception. Rather, He who is eternally God the Son took on human flesh in the incarnation when He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1-14). Jesus as man was not eternally pre-existent, but came into being at a point in time in union with the eternal Son. Psalm 2:7 refers to this moment when the pre-existent Son of God entered into creation as the Davidic Messiah “begotten” as a human being. This messianic Sonship commenced at the incarnation but was powerfully displayed for all to recognize when God raised Messiah Jesus from the dead and exalted Him to His right hand as Lord – hence the connection with the resurrection in Acts 13:33.
Therefore, Psalm 2:7 does not mean there was ever a time when the Second Person of the Trinity was not the Son or had to become the Son. Rather, it refers to the earthly manifestation and dramatic confirmation of the Son’s messianic identity for the sake of fulfilling God’s redemptive promises. Jesus is the eternal Son who became the Messianic Son for our salvation.
Implications of Jesus as the Royal Messianic Son
What are some of the key implications that follow from identifying Jesus as the royal, messianic Son of Psalm 2:7?
- Jesus is the prophesied Son of David who inherits the messianic kingdom. As the Gospels emphasize, Jesus claimed the messianic title “Son of David” as rightful heir to the throne (Matthew 12:23; 21:9, 15; Mark 10:47-48). As David’s greater Son, Jesus is King of God’s kingdom.
- Jesus fulfills the destiny of Israel. In Exodus 4:22, the Lord calls the nation of Israel collectively “my firstborn son.” Jesus as Messiah represents true Israel and obediently accomplishes what old covenant Israel failed to do.
- Jesus is the messianic King-Priest. Like Melchizedek in the Old Testament, Jesus combines royal and priestly offices. Psalm 2:7 and 110:4 give biblical warrant for Jesus as the royal priest.
- Jesus possesses supreme authority. As the messianic Son, God has granted Jesus dominion to subdue all enemies and rule over the nations with a rod of iron (Psalm 2:8-9).
- Jesus is the unique, beloved Son of the Father. The Father testified from heaven that He is well-pleased with His beloved Son Jesus, in whom He delights (Matthew 3:7; 17:5).
- Faith in Jesus as the Son is required. Psalm 2:12 warns the rulers of earth to submit to the Lord’s anointed Son. To reject Jesus as the Son of Psalm 2 is to perish eternally.
Recognizing Jesus Christ as the royal Davidic Son prophesied in Psalm 2 impacts how we understand His messianic identity and mission. This Sonship also requires our faithful obedience and surrender to His supreme authority as Lord of all.
Conclusion
Psalm 2:7 originally spoke of the Davidic king’s enthronement in Jerusalem whom God called His “son” due to the close covenant relationship between the dynasty and the Lord. But the begetting of the king also anticipated the Messiah who would fulfill the promise of an enduring throne. The New Testament applies Psalm 2:7 to Jesus Christ as evidence that He is the long-awaited Messiah and Son of God come in the flesh. This Sonship was epitomized in His resurrection victory. When the pre-existent eternal Son took on human flesh, He assumed the role of the Davidic Messiah who would accomplish salvation as God’s royal Son over all creation. To reject or disregard this Son is to perish. But to embrace and worship Christ as the Son of Psalm 2 is to find life and bliss for all eternity.
