by Greg Kenyon, updated January 14, 2026
II – The First Stanza – Rage against the Messiah – Psalm 2:1-3
III – The Second Stanza – The Lord’s Response – Psalm 2:4-6
IV – The Third Stanza – The King of kings Responds – Ps 2:7-9
V- The Four Stanza – The Righteous Response – Ps 2:11-12
VI – The Messiah’s Grand Conclusion – Psalm 2:12b
Having heard of rebellion against the King and not just any king but the King of kings. Having heard that the King remains king and in control and that those who remain in rebellion will perish in their way. We now hear the grand conclusion of the whole matter.
Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
Blessed are all they put their trust in Him
Blessed are all they find refuge in Him
First, to gain insight into the import of this portion of Psalm 2 ,I began by learning something about Classical Hebrew. In translating this from Hebrew to English, by literally replacing the Hebrew words with English words, one gets “blessed – all – take refuge – in – Him. In Classical Hebrew, word order is important and sentences have a Verb-subject-object structure. The first word in this sentence is “blessed,” which is a noun rather then the expected verb, making this a special Hebrew sentence known as a normative (or verb-less) sentence, where the “to be” verb is understood. So “blessed” is the subject noun. The verb is “are.” This is followed by the noun “all.” Thus, a correct English translation is “Blessed are all.” The rest of the Hebrew in this sentence contains a verb, “find refuge” or “trust” and a preposition “in” followed by the noun “Him.” “In Him” indicates where the refuge is found. Since the verb “to find refuge” is not at the beginning of the sentence, it is not the main verb or action of the sentence. It must be part of what we in English would call a clause and the noun of this clause must be understood to refer to “all.” Remember the subject of this sentence is talking about a group of people called or named “blessed.” This is descriptive, something that they are. It is not describing that is happening. These people are not being blessed. They are blessed. It is their state of being. As this is a normative sentence, the rest of the sentence is giving a further description of this group of people. This group of people “find refuge” or “trust.” In the Hebrew, I do not see any conditional elements in this sentence. It is not just when, and if, these people put their trust in Him, that they are blessed. The subject of the sentence is not “all those, who put their trust in Him.” It is “the blessed.” This may seem like a small point. It is true that, as the NKJV seem to say, by adding the three words “who put their” indicating that “all those who put there trust in Him, the Son, will be blessed. But this sentence is not saying come and trust and be blessed. It is describing “The Blessed Ones.” It is describing the blessed. They trust or find refuge in the Lord. It is not saying the blessing comes because these put their trust in Him. I trust Him. But what if my trusting is not trusting enough? What if I struggle greatly to trust in Him? This sentence is not saying that my act of trusting or taking refuge makes me blessed. Rather, as one of the blessed, I trust or take refuge in Him. In this there is comfort. May the Lord God be praised! [1] – for more detail see not below
The Hebrew word “Blessed” is translated from the Hebrew esher. which occurs 45 times in the OT. 27 times it is translated “blessed” and 18 times “happy.” Looking at these passages “blessed” and “happy” can be used interchangeably. A blessed person is a happy person. A happy person is a blessed person. They mean the same thing.
The final line in this Psalms seems out of place.
It may seem odd to have a description of “The blessed” after all which precedes this, after hearing about nations, peoples, kings, and rulers raging, plotting, setting and taking counsel against the Lord and His Anointed, after the calling off the protection of the Lord, bonds and cords, after expressing to break free of the Lord’s protection, after hearing how the Lord’s looks at their actions as laughable, holding them from success, responding in His wrath and displeasure at their actions, after hearing how the Lord will break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel, that the Lord now describes “The blessed.”
Yes, the final stanza indicates that the destruction which surely follows, being broken by a rod of Iron and dashed in pieces, does not have to be, if wise decisions be make, instruction heeded, the Lord served rather than stood against, His way rejoiced in, and the Anointed One, the One set on the throne, the LORD’s very Son, be greeted and treated with loving affection. But what are the chances of these ruler, kings, nations and peoples dong this?
When we look into our own hearts, our own rebellion, our own desire to be free of the bonds of the Lord. When we consider the truth. The Lord indeed has wisely instructed us in the way we should go and to treat His beloved Son with a kiss of affection. We know this, yet how often we find ourselves still rebelling and still desiring to go our own way. If we know ourselves, we have to say along with the Apostle Paul, “I am the chief of sinners.”
Considering all this, does a statement of “the blessed” not seem out of place.
The final line in this Psalm takes an abrupt turn.
Not only out of place but also abrupt. After warning, “And you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little, “comes the description of “the blessed.” As we learned above, this is a statement about a group of people, “the blessed,” who they are and not about what they do to become blessed. For, how can I the chief of sinners join with “the blessed?”
A careful study of Psalm 1 verse 1, where we are introduced to the blessed man, the one who does not walk, stand or sit in the counsel, way or seat of the ungodly, comes to the same conclusion. In Psalm 1:1, unlike Psalm 2:12, we are told that the blessed man is blessed because of what he does not do and, thus, because of what he does. Psalm 1 verse 1, is also a normative sentence but the subject is described as an individual and there is an additional Hebrew word “aser,” a relative pronoun, which can be used to express condition. The Blessed Man of Psalm One is blessed as a result of His obedience to the the King, leading to the same conclusion. If I am honest, I must acknowledge my failure in fulfilling these criteria of blessedness. How can I the chief of sinners hope to ever be with the Blessed Ones? Thus, the last line of Psalm 2, a statement of blessedness and trust, is an abrupt and extreme contrast to the rest of the Psalm.
The final line in this Psalm is the conclusion of the whole matter.
Happiness is trusting in Him. Happiness is finding refuge in the begotten Son of God, in the enthroned King, in the anointed one. The Blessing of finding this refuge is in extreme contrast to the situation of the nations, people, kings and rulers who, rather than trusting, respond with rage, plotting, setting themselves, and taking counsel against Him and His blessing.
Those who stand against the anointed King may think they are happy. If they do, then they do not understand true happiness. True happiness is happiness that will last and even more than last, continually spring forth like a fountain of water, springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:14). All other “happiness” is an impostor and will not last. Ultimately, like chaff which the wind drives away (Psalm 1:4), it will fail to satisfy and lead to perishing. (Psalm 1:6, 2:12 a)
Those who have trust in Him, those who find refuge in Him, have true happiness. It is possible at times that they fail to appreciated this blessing but such failure does not change to fact that it is theirs. If you lack true happiness, do not have it or fear you have lost it, then ask the Lord to show you yourself. In what way are you walking in the counsel of the ungodly, standing in the way of sinners, sitting with the scornful? (Psalm 1:1) In what way are you raging, plotting, setting myself against or joining with others to go against the Lord and His Anointed? (Psalm 2:1-2) Be wise. Be instructed. Along with David in Psalm 139, cry out to the Lord, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Ps 139:23-24) When the Lord shows you something contrary to true happiness, confess it. Because of the work the Lord’s fully begotten Son, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse you from any and all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) Then turn and serve and fear the Lord. Be not afraid and rejoice. And Kiss the Son. Draw near to Him and His Word and find, again, or for the first time, refuge in Him. Finding refuge in Him is true happiness. Both now and forevermore.
As we learned in Psalm One, the truly happy man delights in the Law of the Lord and in His Law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by the river of living water, which will never run out and continue to nourish into eternity. The Law He meditates on is a testimony of the Lord and His Beloved Son and becomes a joy to fulfill. He will, along with the rest of the Anointed body of Christ, bring forth fruit and all He does will prosper in accomplishing all the Lord has for Him to accomplish. In this is true Blessedness. Blessed is this man.
[1] The last sentence of Psalm 2 is a normative sentence with no conditional elements. – Care in translation?
When doing an in depth study of Psalm One and Psalm Two, coming to the last sentence it is translated as follows.
Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him. (NKJV)
Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. (KJV)
How blessed are all who take refuge in him (NLT) (CJB)
Happy are all who take refuge in Him (Tanakh)
Blessed are all who take refuge in him (NIV)
Blessed are all who take refuge in him (ESV)
Yet, considering this last sentence of Psalm 2, I looked at the Hebrew. (I need to remember my understanding of Classical Hebrew is in its infancy.) The text is literally (with the word order changed to match the direction of our English text) אַ֝שְׁרֵ֗י [blessed NCMPC] כָּל־ח֥וֹסֵי [all · take refuge NC-SA-VaR-MPC] בֽוֹ׃ [in · he P · RS3MS]
First, to gain insight into the import of this portion of Psalm 2 ,I began by learning something about Classical Hebrew. In translating this from Hebrew to English, by literally replacing the Hebrew words with English words, one gets “blessed – all – take refuge – in – Him.”
I learned that in Classical Hebrew, word order is important and sentences have a Verb-subject-object structure. The first word in this sentence is “blessed,” which is a noun rather then the expected verb. This is allowed in Classical Hebrew as a special case. This a special Hebrew sentence known as a normative (or verb-less) sentence, where the “to be” verb is understood. So “blessed” is the subject noun. The verb is “are.” This is followed by the noun “all.” Thus a correct English translation is “Blessed are all.” The rest of the Hebrew in this sentence contains a verb, “find refuge” or “trust” and a preposition “in” followed by the noun “Him.” “In Him” indicates where the refuge is found. Since the verb “to find refuge” is not at the beginning of the sentence, it is not the main verb or action of the sentence. It must be part of what we in English would call a clause and the noun of this clause must be understood to refer to “all.” Remember the subject of this sentence is talking about a group of people called or named “blessed.” This is descriptive, something that they are. It is not describing what is happening. These people are not being blessed. They are blessed. It is their state of being. As this is a normative sentence, the rest of the sentence is giving a further description of this group of people. This group of people “find refuge” or “trust.” In the Hebrew, I do not see any conditional elements in this sentence. It is not just when, and if, these people put their trust in Him, that they are blessed. The subject of the sentence is not “all those, who put their trust in Him.” It is “the blessed.” This may seem like a small point. It is true that, as the NKJV seem to say, by adding the three words “who put their” indicating that “all those who put there trust in Him, the Son, will be blessed. But this sentence is not saying come and trust and be blessed. It is describing “The Blessed Ones.” It is describing the blessed. They trust or find refuge in the Lord. It is not saying the blessing comes because these put their trust in Him. I trust Him. But what if my trusting is not trusting enough? What if I struggle greatly to trust in Him? This sentence is not saying that my act of trusting or taking refuge makes me blessed. Rather, as one of the blessed, I trust or take refuge in Him. In this there is comfort. May the Lord God be praised!
Since all the translatons I have add the conditional element, suggesting that fulfilling the condition that by putting turst in Him, one is blessed, I am left wondering if this is a case that although there is no conditional element contition is implied. It is not that Hebrew does not use conditional elements sentence structure. Psalm 1:1 includes the hebrew word …. (more to come)