Psalm 2:4
He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.
Marc Chagall, Psalm 2, Etching, 1978
Titled Psalm 2, the etching shows images based on the artist’s interpretation of the psalm. This etching was one of 32 from the 1979 book, The Psalms of David, published by Gerald Cramer.
The Book of Psalms
The book of Psalms is filled with the songs and prayers offered to God by the nation of Israel. Their expressions of praise, faith, sorrow, and frustration cover the range of human emotions. Some of the Psalms dwell on the treasure of wisdom and God’s Word. Others reveal the troubled heart of a mourner. Still others explode with praise to God and invite others to join in song. This diversity is unified by one element: they are centered upon God. Many of the Psalms are attributed to King David. The writing and collection of the Psalms into their present form spans the fifteenth to the third centuries B.C.
Like many psalms, the theme of Psalm 2 is emphasized in the final verse. We can defy God and perish, or we can surrender to Him and be blessed. The psalm itself does not identify its author, but Acts 4:25-26 clearly attributes it to David.