Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
Parallel translations
- WEB Now therefore be wise, you kings. Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
- BSB Therefore be wise, O kings; be admonished, O judges of the earth.
- NKJV Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
- NASB ¶Now then, you kings, use insight; Let yourselves be instructed, you judges of the earth.
- NLT Now then, you kings, act wisely! Be warned, you rulers of the earth!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The psalm now urges earthly rulers to be wise and accept correction. The proper response to God's King is humble submission.
Overview
Having displayed the King's power, the psalm turns to appeal: the kings and judges who plotted are summoned to wisdom. True wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord and bows before His Anointed. This is a gracious invitation, showing that even rebels are called to repent and submit to Christ while there is time.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Hos 14:9Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.
- Isa 60:10–11And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee.
- Isa 60:3And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
- Ps 82:1–8God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.
- Ps 72:10–11The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
- Ps 45:12And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the rich among the people shall intreat thy favour.
- Jer 6:8Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited.
- Isa 49:23And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
- Isa 52:15So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 2:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.