Bible passage: Psalm 2:7
Prophet: David
Written: About 1000 BC
Psalm 2, which is considered a Messianic prophecy by various scholars within Judaism and Christianity, provides a foreshadowing of Jesus, the Messiah, being the son of God:
2 The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed ... 6 "I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain." 7 I will proclaim the Lord's decree: He said to me, "You are my son; today I have become your father." (Psalm 2:1,6,7 NIV)
The "you" in verse 7 is God's "anointed" one, or Messiah, of verse 2.
The reference to "son" in Psalm 2, according to some Bible scholars, can be viewed as symbolic, in that a king in the Biblical land of Israel would be considered a "son" to God, that God would treat him as a son. A similar pattern can be found in the prophecy of 2 Samuel 7:14, which is repeated in 1 Chronicles 17:13, which speaks of King David having descendants who would serve as king and be sons to God.
But in both cases, Jesus, as the literal son of God, fulfills the prophecies in a complete, final and literal sense.
Psalm 2 is regarded as Messianic prophecy by ancient Christian and Jewish sources.
In the New Testament, for example, Luke writes that Psalm 2:1-3 is fulfilled by Jesus, in Acts 4:25-27.
And the Babylonian Talmud quotes from Psalm 2, specifically verses 7 and 8, in a discussion of Messianic prophecies:
Our Rabbis taught, The Holy One, blessed be He, will say to the Messiah, the son of David (May he reveal himself speedily in our days!), 'Ask of me anything, and I will give it to thee', as it is said, I will tell of the decree etc. this day have I begotten thee, ask of me and I will give the nations for thy inheritance [Psalms 2:7-8]. - Babylonian Talmud, Sukkah 52a, as translated by William Davidson in the William Davidson Talmud.
- Research and commentary is based on the book 100 Fulfilled Bible Prophecies. © Ray Konig and AboutBibleProphecy.com.