[First posted in 2014, intended to counter the claim that this psalm is one of many ‘prooftexts’ in the Christian Old Testament– that Jesus is the “son” being referred to here [Read: —Discourse: Christian Elder to Sinaite – 10] Sorry to disappoint., but this is about correcting wrong translation which leads exactly to wrong interpretation of Psalm 2. How far has this particular mistranslation (among other OT text) strayed from the original Hebrew? Might the Christian version have been intentional . . . or simply a matter of ignorance? You decide, dear reader.
Our color coding should not get confusing; we use red for “caution” in the Christian “Old Testament” and use Israel blue for Hebrew translation of their TNK, Tanach, Tanakh. This way, you—reader—are ever made aware of which foundational-scriptural ground you’re treading, on the Christian translation of “Old” Testament or the Jewish translation of their own Hebrew Scriptures. —Admin1.]
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Psalm 2 is a good case study for comparing Christian versions/translations with the Hebrew rendering of specific verses or words.
Now . . . which version/translation are we going to believe?
- The Hebrew Scriptures say it like it is in the original;
- the Christian Old Testament says it in a totally different way.
Why?
Simply capitalizing certain words such as —
- “son” (“Son”),
- “anointed” (“Anointed”),
- “Thou”/“Thy”/”Thine”/”Thee” —-
- referring to the antecedent “Son” and “Anointed” and “King.”
Now who could this capitalized “Son” “Anointed” and “King” possibly be?
In effect, by such subtle changes of the original Hebrew text, the Christocentric NT-oriented reader is already programmed to jump to a foregone conclusion:
“AHA! these verses are referring to who else????
Jesus!” So add this psalm to the other ‘prooftexts’ that Jesus was indeed prefigured in the TNK.
As former Christocentric believers ourselves, we used the same ‘OT/NT’ lenses or mental-eyeglasses and read it the same way as all Christians do. Remember the ”NT baggage” we keep saying to leave behind if you will seriously read the Hebrew Scriptures? Not the Christian Old Testament, please, but any of the Jewish translations of their TNK.
Why does a major world religion—
- borrow the scriptures of the chosen people,
- append it to theirs as a prequel,
- but does not leave it as it is in the original
- and instead tamper with words
- with subtle changes such as capitalization
- and worse, outright change of original words
- and hence, influence the reading
- and re-interpretation of its original meaning?
There is an agenda:
- the NT cannot stand on its own,
- it needs the Hebrew Scriptures in Christian dress,
- then retitled the “Old Testament”
- to suggest passé, obsolete, done away with, not for ‘us’ in the ‘new dispensation’
- yet use OT for convenience when a prooftext is needed to bolster the teaching that Jesus is prefigured all over the Hebrew Scriptures.
Confused?
A reader was surprised at our claim that the Jews do not read the “Old Testament”—
R: “O really? but that is their Bible!”
S6K: “No, that is not, and they don’t call their Scriptures “bible”, that is a Christian designation of its Scriptures; the Jews, the Rabbis, Israel has the Hebrew Scriptures called the “TNK,” “Tanach,” “Tanakh.”
R: “Same book!”
S6K: “Not at all, a world of difference!!! Check it out for yourself.”
Prooftext? Read the translations presented below.
One more note: we’ve inserted the Name of the God of Israel, the God in TNK, the Revelator on Sinai, His Name is YHWH. This is why it is important to use the Name of the One True God, that way there is no confusion. Using substitutes and titles like “LORD” even in CAPS to indicate the Tetragrammaton (as translators themselves explain in their preface), and in the case of the ArtScroll, substituting HaShem or The Name, is not enough. It opens up a can of worms in the receptor/reader’s understanding. The reader has his own belief system in his own God, if the name of his God is not YHWH, then ‘God’ and ‘Lord’ could be applied to his God.
The avoidance of using the Name has led to a free-for-all application to any person’s God, and that is why such a psalm as this and other wrongly translated words in the “Old Testament” are so easily used as “prooftexts” to show the Christian God-man was not only in the Old Testament, but as our former messianic teacher asserts, Jesus/Yeshua is YHWH himself.
Doesn’t that border on blasphemy?
Here are 4 versions of Psalm 2:
- King James Version [KJV],
- New American Standard Version [NASB],
- ArtScroll the Stone Tanach [AST], and
- the translation from Chabad.org.
Christian Translations [in RED, for CAUTION]
[KJV] Psalm 2
1Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
2The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
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 vex them in his sore displeasure.
6Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
7I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
8Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
9Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
10Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: 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, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
[NASB] Psalm 2: The Reign of the LORD’s Anointed
1 WHY are the nations in an uproar, And the peoples devising a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand, And the rulers take counsel together
Against the LORD and against His Anointed:
3 Let us tear their fetters apart, And cast away their cords from us!”
4 He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury:
6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”
7 “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD:
He said to Me, “Thou art My Son
Today I have begotten Thee.
8 ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Thine inheritance
And the very ends of the earth as Thy possession.
9 ‘Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron,
Thou shalt shatter them like earthenware.'”
10 Now therefore,O kings, show discernment;
Take warning, O judges of the earth.
11 Worship the LORD with reverence, And rejoice with trembling.
12 Do homage to the Son, lest He become angry, and you perish in the way,
For His wrath may soon be kindled.
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!
Jewish/Hebrew Bible Translations
Chabad.org/The Complete Jewish Bible- Psalm 2
| 1. Why have nations gathered and [why do] kingdoms think vain things? | א. לָמָּה רָגְשׁוּ גוֹיִם וּלְאֻמִּים יֶהְגּוּ רִיק: | |
| 2. Kings of a land stand up, and nobles take counsel together against the Lord [YHWH] and against His anointed? | ב. יִתְיַצְּבוּ | מַלְכֵי אֶרֶץ וְרוֹזְנִים נוֹסְדוּ יָחַד עַל יְהֹוָה וְעַל מְשִׁיחוֹ: | |
| 3. “Let us break their bands and cast off their cords from us.” | ג. נְנַתְּקָה אֶת מוֹסְרוֹתֵימוֹ וְנַשְׁלִיכָה מִמֶּנּוּ עֲבֹתֵימוֹ: | |
| 4. He Who dwells in Heaven laughs; the Lord [YHWH] mocks them. | ד. יוֹשֵׁב בַּשָּׁמַיִם יִשְׂחָק אֲדֹנָי יִלְעַג לָמוֹ: | |
| 5. Then He speaks to them in His wrath; and He frightens them with His sore displeasure. | ה. אָז יְדַבֵּר אֵלֵימוֹ בְאַפּוֹ וּבַחֲרוֹנוֹ יְבַהֲלֵמוֹ: | |
| 6. “But I have enthroned My king on Zion, My holy mount.” | ו. וַאֲנִי נָסַכְתִּי מַלְכִּי עַל צִיּוֹן הַר קָדְשִׁי: | |
| 7. I will tell of the decree; The Lord [YHWH] said to me, “You are My son; this day have I begotten you. | ז. אֲסַפְּרָה אֶל חֹק יְהֹוָה אָמַר אֵלַי בְּנִי אַתָּה אֲנִי הַיּוֹם יְלִדְתִּיךָ: | |
| 8. Request of Me, and I will make nations your inheritance, and the ends of the earth your possession. | ח. שְׁאַל מִמֶּנִּי וְאֶתְּנָה גוֹיִם נַחֲלָתֶךָ וַאֲחֻזָּתְךָ אַפְסֵי אָרֶץ: | |
| 9. You shall break them with an iron rod; like a potter’s vessel you shall shatter them.” | ט. תְּרֹעֵם בְּשֵׁבֶט בַּרְזֶל כִּכְלִי יוֹצֵר תְּנַפְּצֵם: | |
| 10. And now, [you] kings, be wise; be admonished, [you] judges of the earth. | י. וְעַתָּה מְלָכִים הַשְׂכִּילוּ הִוָּסְרוּ שֹׁפְטֵי אָרֶץ: | |
| 11. Serve the Lord [YHWH] with fear, and rejoice with quaking. | יא. עִבְדוּ אֶת יְהֹוָה בְּיִרְאָה וְגִילוּ בִּרְעָדָה: | |
| 12. Arm yourselves with purity lest He become angry and you perish in the way, for in a moment His wrath will be kindled; the praises of all who take refuge in Him. |
[AST] Psalm 2
1 Why do nations gather, and regimes talk in vain?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand and the princes conspire secretly, against HaShem [YHWH]and against His anointed:
3 “Let us cut their cords and let us cast off their ropes from ourselves.”
4 He Who sits in heaven will laugh, the Lord will mock them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His anger, and in His wrath He will terrify them.
6 “I Myself have anointed My king, over Zion, My holy mountain!”
7 I am obliged to proclaim that HaShem [YHWH] said to me, “You are My son, I have begotten you this day.
8 Ask of Me and I will make nations your inheritance, and the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You will smash them with an iron rod; you will shatter them like a potter’s vessel.
10 And now, O kings, be wise; be disciplined, O judges of the earth.
11 Serve HaShem [YHWH] with awe that you may rejoice when there is trembling.
12 Yearn for purity, lest He grow wrathful and your way be doomed, for in a brief moment His anger will blaze; praiseworthy are all who trust in Him.
Did you notice which words are capitalized in the Hebrew translations? “My” and “His” and “He” referring to YHWH, not the ‘son’ or ‘king’ or ‘you’ or ‘him’ referring to king David.
Still unconvinced? Not impressed with our attempt to correct this mis-interpreted, mis-applied “prooftext”? Here’s a thorough mind-boggling, actually discombobulating discussion of what has been done to this simple Psalm!
http://thejewishhome.org/counter/Psa2.pdf
