Why are the nations restless And the peoples plotting in vain?
Parallel translations
- WEB Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing?
- KJV Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine 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?
- 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 your servant, David, said, ‘Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing?
- Rev 17:14These will war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings, and those who are with him are called chosen and faithful.”
- Ps 46:6The nations raged. The kingdoms were moved. He lifted his voice, and the earth melted.
- Ps 21:11For they intended evil against you. They plotted evil against you which cannot succeed.
- Ps 83:4–8“Come,” they say, “let’s destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”
- Acts 17:5–6But the unpersuaded Jews took along some wicked men from the marketplace, and gathering a crowd, set the city in an uproar. Assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them out to the people.
- Matt 21:38But the farmers, when they saw the son, said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and seize his inheritance.’
- Luke 22:22–23The Son of Man indeed goes, as it has been determined, but woe to that man through whom he is betrayed!”
- Ps 18:42Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind. I cast them out as the mire of the streets.
- Isa 8:9Make an uproar, you peoples, and be broken in pieces! Listen, all you from far countries: dress for battle, and be shattered! Dress for battle, and be shattered!
- Luke 18:32For he will be delivered up to the Gentiles, will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit on.
- Acts 5:33But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and were determined to kill them.
- Acts 19:28–32When they heard this they were filled with anger, and cried out, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
- Luke 22:1–2Now the feast of unleavened bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching.
- John 11:49–50But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all,
- Acts 16:22The multitude rose up together against them, and the magistrates tore their clothes off of them, and commanded them to be beaten with rods.
- Luke 22:5They were glad, and agreed to give him money.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
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.