Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
Parallel translations
- WEB Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing?
- BSB Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
- NKJV Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing?
- NASB Why are the nations restless And the peoples plotting in vain?
- NLT Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans?
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 opens by asking why the nations rage and scheme against God in futility. Human rebellion against the Lord is ultimately empty and doomed.
Overview
This royal psalm portrays the peoples of the earth in tumult, plotting to throw off God's rule. The question 'why' exposes the irrationality of opposing the Almighty. The apostles quote this verse of the coalition that opposed Jesus, the true Anointed King (Acts 4:25-26), showing that the world's rebellion reaches its climax at the cross.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Acts 4:25–26Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?
- Rev 17:14These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
- Ps 46:6The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.
- Ps 21:11For they intended evil against thee: they imagined a mischievous device, which they are not able to perform.
- Ps 83:4–8They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
- Acts 17:5–6But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
- Matt 21:38But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.
- Luke 22:22–23And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!
- Ps 18:42Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.
- Isa 8:9Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces.
- Luke 18:32For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on:
- Acts 5:33When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.
- Acts 19:28–32And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
- Luke 22:1–2Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.
- John 11:49–50And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,
- Acts 16:22And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
- Luke 22:5And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 2:1 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.