1Why do the nations rage,
and the peoples imagine a vain thing?
2The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the Lord, and against His Anointed:
3Let us break their bands asunder,
and cast away their cords from us.
4He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh;
the Lord shall have them in derision.
5Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath,
and in His sore displeasure vex them:
6Yet have I set My King
upon My holy hill of Zion.
7I will declare the decree of the Lord:
He hath said unto Me,
Thou art My Son;
this day have I begotten Thee.
8Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee
the nations for Thine inheritance,
and for Thy possession the ends of the earth.
9Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron;
like a potter’s vessel shalt Thou dash them in pieces.
10And now, O ye kings, be wise;
be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
11Serve the Lord with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
12Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,
and ye perish from the way.
For His wrath is quickly kindled;
blessed are all that trust in Him.
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, both now and ever,
and unto ages of ages. Amen.
1Why | do ( the na- ) tions rage,*
and the peoples ima- | gine a ( vain ) thing?
2The kings of the earth set | themselves,†
and the rulers take coun- | sel ( to- ) gether,*
against the Lord, and against | His A- ( noint- ) ed:
3Let us break their | bands ( a- ) sunder,*
and cast a- | way their ( cords from ) us.
4He that sitteth in the | heav- ( ens ) shall laugh;*
the Lord shall have them | in de- ( ri- ) sion.
5Then shall He speak unto | them ( in ) His wrath,*
and in His sore dis- | pleasure ( vex ) them:
6Yet | have ( I set ) My King*
upon My holy | hill of ( Zi- ) on.
7I will declare the de- | cree ( of ) the Lord:*
He hath | said un- ( to ) Me,
… | Thou ( art ) My Son;*
this day have | I be- ( gotten ) Thee.
8Ask of Me, and I shall give | Thee†
the nations for | Thine ( inher- ) itance,*
and for Thy possession the | ends of ( the ) earth.
9Thou shalt break them | with ( a rod ) of iron;*
like a potter’s vessel shalt Thou dash | them in ( piec- ) es.
10And now, | O ( ye kings, ) be wise;*
be instructed, ye | judges ( of the ) earth.
11… | Serve ( the Lord ) with fear,*
and re- | joice with ( trem- ) bling.
12Kiss the Son, lest | He ( be ) angry,*
and ye | perish ( from the ) way.
For His wrath is | quick- ( ly ) kindled;*
blessed are | all that ( trust in ) Him.
and to the | Holy ( Spir- ) it;
as it was in the beginning, both | now ( and ) ever,*
and unto ages of | ages. ( A- ) men.
The 2nd Psalm is the Second Psalm of the First Nocturn at Matins on Sunday.