“Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans? The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the Lord and against his anointed one” (Psalms 2:1-2 NLT).
The Spirit inspired David to write these verses describing the futility of the world’s kingdoms conspiring against the Lord and against His “anointed one” (מָשִׁיחַ, mashiyach), which is the Messiah, the Christ.
Centuries later, the Spirit inspired the early Christians to pray these same verses back to God after Peter and John had been jailed and warned by the Sanhedrin to stop teaching in the name of Jesus. In their prayer, they identified Pilate and Herod along with the Gentiles and Jewish leaders as conspiring against the Lord’s anointed one, Jesus, just as the Spirit had revealed to David (Acts 4:23-31). When they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken and they went out and preached the Word of God boldly.
I have found the book of Psalms to be a most powerful prayer book. Just as the first century Christians prayed the Word, so have believers throughout the ages been greatly edified by it. I have especially found it important to pray the psalms aloud. For when I do, I experience a double benefit. For the Word enters my eye gate as I read it and my ear gate as I pray it aloud. More than that, it focuses my soul on hearing from the Lord. For He often uses His written Word to answer me.
PRAYER: Lord, help us not only to read and hear Your Word, but also to pray it and preach it. And not just in dry understanding, but empowered by the Spirit, so that we and those around us are shaken by Your presence. And let us not be afraid when the world’s kings and nations conspire and prepare for battle, knowing that their plans are futile, but Yours are perfect and eternal. Now, send us out again with Your Word and Spirit, in the name of Your Anointed One, Jesus, we pray. Amen.