Psalm 2:12 says “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.” This verse raises an important question – what does it mean to “kiss the Son”?
To understand this verse, we first need to understand the context and background of Psalm 2. This psalm is considered a royal psalm, meaning it is about the king of Israel. In this psalm, David speaks prophetically about the rebellion of the nations against God and His Anointed One, the Messiah. The psalm describes the futility of challenging God’s sovereign authority.
In verses 1-3, David describes how the Gentile nations are in an uproar and plotting rebellion against the Lord. The rulers of the earth are trying to assert their independence from God and seek to break free from His restraints. But their rebellion is vain – God sits enthroned in the heavens and scoffs at their feeble efforts (v. 4).
In verses 5-6, God speaks and declares that He has already installed His King in Zion. This is a prophecy about the coming Messiah who will reign over God’s people. Though the nations rage against Him, God affirms the kingship of His Anointed One.
In verses 7-9, the Anointed One, the Messiah, speaks and declares what God has said to Him – that He is God’s begotten Son and the rightful heir who will rule the nations with a rod of iron. God has appointed Him as King and will crush any resistance to His rule.
Then in verse 10, David urges the kings and rulers of the earth to humbly submit to God’s appointed King. Rather than rebelling foolishly, they should act wisely by yielding to the Son’s rightful authority. This leads up to the key verse 12.
The Meaning of “Kiss the Son”
The command to “kiss the Son” is set in contrast to the foolish rebellion depicted earlier in the psalm. To “kiss” someone is an act of homage, respect, reverence, allegiance, and submission. The picture is of one king or ruler bowing before another and kissing him as an act of honor and deference.
Specifically, to “kiss the Son” means to:
- Recognize Christ’s sovereignty and lordship
- Submit humbly to His authority and rule as King
- Show honor, allegiance, and loyalty to King Jesus
- Worship and adore Christ as God’s appointed Ruler
Kissing was a common cultural sign of obedience and loyal devotion. The kiss demonstrated acceptance of the other person’s authority. For example, when Samuel anointed Saul and David as kings of Israel, he kissed them as a sign that they were now the lords and masters over the people (1 Samuel 10:1, 2 Samuel 19:39).
So in Psalm 2, kings are urged to “kiss the Son” as a symbolic pledge of obedience and loyalty to God’s chosen King. Just as Samuel kissed Saul and David when anointing them as kings, so must the rulers of the earth kiss the Son to show their allegiance to Him.
Why We Must Kiss the Son
Psalm 2:12 gives us an urgent reason why we must submit to Christ – “lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled.” To refuse honoring the Son in this way will stir up His wrath. The Son has been granted all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). To rebel against Him is to call down His anger and judgment.
As Psalm 2 makes clear, all resistance against God’s appointed Ruler is futile. God has firmly installed His King in Zion and made His enemies a footstool (Psalm 110:1). Just as God said to Pharaoh who resisted Moses, so He says to those who reject Christ – “How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me?” (Exodus 10:3).
Psalm 2 is a sobering warning not to spurn God’s gracious offer of reconciliation through Christ. The day will come when King Jesus will shatter His enemies with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like pottery (Psalm 2:9). But it is still a day of grace where we may humbly submit to the Son and take refuge in Him.
Kissing the Son in the New Testament
The New Testament applies Psalm 2 and the image of kissing the Son to Christ:
- Jesus is the “beloved Son” that the Father affirms and commands the disciples to “listen to him” (Matthew 17:5).
- Peter declares Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16).
- The Father testifies from heaven that Jesus is His beloved Son (Matthew 3:17, Mark 9:7).
- Jesus declares He has been given all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18).
- The book of Hebrews applies Psalm 2 to Jesus as the divine Son who will judge the nations (Hebrews 1:5).
- The book of Revelation calls Jesus the “ruler of kings on earth” (Revelation 1:5).
Kissing the Son means humbly submitting to Jesus and His supreme lordship. Just as kings surrender their power and prestige when kissing a king, so we must yield everything to King Jesus and worship Him alone.
How Do We Kiss the Son Today?
So how do we “kiss the Son” and demonstrate our loyalty to King Jesus in a practical way? Here are some suggestions:
- Repentance and faith: We kiss the Son by turning from sin and trusting in Christ alone for salvation (Acts 20:21). Faith in Christ is an act of submission and homage to Him as Savior and Lord.
- Obedience: We kiss the Son by obeying His commands and walking in holiness (John 14:15, 1 John 5:3). Wholehearted obedience honors Christ’s authority over us.
- Worship: We kiss the Son through heartfelt worship, praise and adoration of Jesus’ name (Psalm 2:11, Philippians 2:10-11).
- Service: We kiss the Son by dedicating our lives, gifts and talents to serving His kingdom purposes (2 Corinthians 5:15, Romans 12:1).
- Generosity: We kiss the Son by supporting Christ’s work through sacrificial giving and charity (2 Corinthians 8:1-5).
- Perseverance: We kiss the Son by remaining faithful even in the face of persecution, knowing Christ is our true king (Revelation 2:10).
- Proclaiming the gospel: We kiss the Son by spreading the good news about King Jesus far and wide (Romans 10:14-15).
- Prayer: We kiss the Son as we come to His throne of grace, seek His face, and make our requests known to Him (Hebrews 4:16).
Kissing the Son encompasses living our whole lives under His loving lordship and majestic sovereignty as our King of kings and Lord of lords.
The Blessing of Taking Refuge in the Son
Psalm 2 concludes with a wonderful promise – “Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” To take refuge means to put our trust and hope completely in someone else for protection. The Bible compares God to a mighty fortress or secure shelter that shields us from danger (2 Samuel 22:3, Psalm 18:2).
The Son is our divine sanctuary where we can find mercy and grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16). When we kiss the Son in repentance and faith, we receive forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life. By taking refuge in Him, all God’s covenant blessings become ours – adoption, the Holy Spirit, the privilege of prayer, and the hope of sharing in Christ’s glory (Ephesians 1:3-14).
No matter what storms of judgment may come upon the earth, those who have kissed the Son and taken refuge in Him will be spared from God’s wrath. They have submitted to the King of kings who alone can grant salvation through His redemptive work on the cross. Blessed indeed are all who trust in the Son!
How NOT to Kiss the Son
Since Psalm 2:12 is a call to submit to Christ’s authority, it also reveals attitudes and actions that do NOT constitute truly kissing the Son:
- Paying mere lip service to Jesus while rebelling in our hearts.
- Calling Him ‘Lord’ without doing what He says (Luke 6:46).
- Serving Him temporarily when it is convenient.
- Having feelings of devotion that don’t translate into lifelong obedience.
- Focusing on honoring Christ’s name while disobeying His commandments (Matthew 7:21-23).
- Giving Christ a superficial kiss while clinging to idols and false saviors.
- Ignoring Christ’s moral instructions while offering loud worship.
- Serving self, money, fame or power while playing church.
Mere outward acts of homage towards Christ – without sincere heart submission – are just hypocrisy. Judas kissed Jesus but betrayed Him (Luke 22:47-48). True allegiance to the Son must permeate all areas of life and produce tangible acts of service and obedience.
Kissing the Son in the Psalms
Though Psalm 2:12 contains the only direct command to “kiss the Son,” the Psalms contain other related imagery of submission to God that reinforce this concept:
- Psalm 18: David describes God as his rock, fortress, deliverer, shield and horn of salvation in whom he takes refuge (verses 1-2).
- Psalm 31: The righteous run to God and take refuge in Him like a strong tower (verse 2). Kissing the Son means putting our complete trust in Him.
- Psalm 63: David longs to worship God and “kiss him with the kisses of my mouth” (verse 3). Wholehearted devotion and affection for God is described as “kissing” Him.
- Psalm 84: The sons of Korah speak of intimacy with God by kissing His doorposts (verse 10). They long to be in God’s presence.
- Psalm 91: “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty” (verse 1). Abiding under God’s protection by faith is seen as taking refuge in Him.
- Psalm 119: Turning away from falsehood and lies is described as choosing “the way of faithfulness” and setting God’s rules before oneself (verse 30). Obedience flows from kissing the Son.
These related psalms portray the posture of submission, reverence, loyalty, and affection captured in the phrase “kiss the Son.” Our lives are to be marked by taking refuge in Christ our King and sticking faithfully to His way of truth.
Kissing False Gods
Since kissing demonstrates allegiance, the Bible also contains shocking descriptions of people “kissing” idols and false gods rather than the true God:
- Hosea 13:2 says Israel kissed calf idols and offered human sacrifices to them.
- 1 Kings 19:18 depicts people kissing Baal idols and worshiping them instead of God.
- Job 31:27 talks about kissing one’s hand in reverence to the sun and moon.
In addition, the Bible warns against:
- Kissing one’s own hands in self-adulation rather than worshiping God (Job 31:27).
- Kissing deceitful and lying lips instead of speaking truth (Psalm 5:9, Proverbs 24:28).
- Kissing an adulteress with one’s lips – a picture of betraying God through spiritual adultery (Proverbs 7:13).
These negative examples provide a sobering contrast to kissing the Son. God wants wholehearted allegiance, not mere token kisses while our heart chases after idols. Our kisses and affection should be directed fully towards the Son.
Kissing in the New Testament
While the New Testament does not directly quote Psalm 2:12, it includes other mentions of kissing that reinforce its imagery of affection and honor:
- Mary kissed Jesus’ feet in an act of devotion (Luke 7:38).
- The sinful woman’s kisses of Jesus’ feet demonstrated her faith in Him as Lord (Luke 7:45).
- The prodigal son was welcomed home with joyful kisses from his father (Luke 15:20).
- The Ephesian elders fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him in farewell (Acts 20:37).
- In the parable of the unforgiving servant, the forgiven servant should have responded in love by having mercy on his fellow servant (Matthew 18:28).
- Believers are to greet one another with a holy kiss as a sign of Christian affection (Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12).
- The Thessalonians are commended for receiving the gospel “not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction” (1 Thessalonians 1:5).
These examples portray the heartfelt love, affection, honor, devotion, allegiance, and reconciliation embodied in the act of kissing. As we kiss the Son through loyal faith in Christ, we receive grace, mercy, forgiveness, and fellowship with God.
Kissing the Son in Biblical Theology
Zooming out to the big picture, kissing the Son fits into the overall storyline and theology of Scripture:
- It is a sign of seeking refuge in Christ the ark of salvation (Genesis 6-9).
- It demonstrates we have passed from death to life by applying the blood of Christ, the Passover Lamb (Exodus 12).
- It expresses childlike dependence on God our Father and Christ our elder brother (Psalm 131, Hebrews 2:11-13).
- It shows we have shifted allegiance from serving idols to serving the one true living God (1 Thessalonians 1:9).
- It signifies willingly submitting to our covenant head Jesus Christ and His sovereign reign (Psalm 110, Hebrews 1-2).
- It conveys our confident hope in reigning with Christ when He returns to establish His eternal kingdom (Revelation 19-22).
Kissing the Son means being reconciled to God through repenting of sin and embracing Christ as Savior. This act of allegiance stands against the tide of rebellion depicted in Psalm 2 and positions us to receive the covenant blessings found only in the Son.
Conclusion
Psalm 2 issues a vital invitation to each generation – to bow before God’s appointed King and kiss the Son through acts of wholehearted submission and allegiance to Him. This call to worship and honor King Jesus resounds louder than ever today. The day is coming when Christ will crush all human rebellion under His feet. The wise response is to kiss the Son without delay – to repent, believe, obey, take refuge in Him, and worship Him alone.
Kissing the Son impacts all areas of life. Our lips, hands, feet, and entire being are to honor the sovereign lordship of the Father’s beloved Son. As adopted sons and daughters of God, we demonstrate our love for the Son through lives of worship, generosity, and faithful service for the glory of the King.
