The Futility of Opposing God

Leroy Brownlow - Today is Mine

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.   —2:1-3.

The Second Psalm deals with conflict: Messianic power and sinner’s rebellion.

In the rebels’ rebellion they rage, imagine, set themselves, take counsel against the Lord and say what they shouldn’t. Evil men have always felt that God’s rule is too restrictive; so as these sinners chafe and gall in their ill-fated desire for uninhibited living, they say, “Let us break their [God and His Anointed] bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us” (ver. 3). No bands. No cords. No controls. What a terrible picture.

However, their evil imaginations are vain, to no avail. They are left defeated and crushed. The Lord shall laugh at their foolishness. Hold them in derision. “Vex them in his sore displeasure.” And “break them with a rod of iron.” God is merciful but firm. How silly for man to think he can win in opposing God. God’s rule cannot be overthrown. Every attack against Him rebounds against the attacker. Against Him, you face defeat. With Him you are a sure winner.

Fredrick William Faber

He always wins who sides with God,

To him no chance is lost;

God’s will is sweetest to him when

It triumphs at his cost.

[Brownlow books have been a vital part of my library for the better part of a third of a century. His brevity and insight is amazing. In his own words, “Living with the Psalms is a day-to-day guide containing 365 essays—devotionals—based on Psalms, which is the world’s most popular book.” rlp]