Psalm 2. Quare Fremuerunt.

Psalm 2.

Quare Fremuerunt.

Why have the Gentiles raged,

and the people devised vain things ?

The Book Of Psalms

(Liber Psalmorum).

The Vain Efforts Of Persecutors

Against Christ And His Church.

Text and Illustrations from Wikipedia - the free encyclopaedia, 

unless otherwise stated. 

The word "Psalms" is derived from the Greek, Ψαλμοί (Psalmoi), perhaps originally meaning "music of the lyre" or "songs sung to a harp," and, later, any piece of music. From "psallein", "play upon a stringed instrument", and, then, to "make music in any fashion".

Psalm 2 is the second Psalm of the Bible. It tells us that people can either defy God and perish, or submit to Him and be Blessed. 

Psalm 2 does not identify its author with a superscription, but Acts 4:24-26 in the New Testament clearly attributes it to David.

Thomas Tallis.

English composer (1505 - 1585).

Engraving by Niccolò Haym, after a portrait by Gerard van der Gucht.

Source: English Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Thomas_Tallis.jpg.

(Wikimedia Commons)

In 1567, Thomas Tallis set Psalm 2, "Why fum'th in fight", 

for nine Psalm Tunes for Archbishop Parker's Psalter.

Psalm 2

Quare Fremuerunt.

Westminster Cathedral Choir.

Available on YouTube at

http://youtu.be/Sg8CQ7Klcds.

The following Text, and the Text in the Headline, are taken from "The Book of Psalms (Liber Psalmorum)" (Douay-Rheims) (2008), published by Baronius Press.

Image: BARONIUS PRESS

PSALM 2.

Quare fremuerunt.

The vain efforts of persecutors against Christ and His Church.

Quare fremuerunt gentes, et populi meditati sunt inania ?
Astiterunt reges terrae, et principes convenerunt in unum adversus Dominum, 
      et adversus christum ejus.
Dirumpanus vincula eorum, et projiciamus a nobis jugum ipsorum.
Qui habitat in caelis irridebit eos, et Dominus subsannabit eos.
Tunc loquetor ad eos in ira sua, et in furore suo conturbabit eos.
Ego autem constitutus sum rex ab eo super Sion, montem sanctum ejus, 
      praedicans preaeceptum ejus.
Dominus dixit ad me: Filius meus es tu; ego hodie genui te.
Postula a me, et dabo tibi gentes haereditatem tuam, et possessionem 
      tuam terminos terrae.
Reges eos in virga ferrea, et tamquam vas figuli confringes eos.
Et nunc, reges, intelligite; erudimini, qui judicatis terram.
Servite Domino in timore, et exsultate ei cum tremore.
Apprehendite disciplinam, nequando irascatur Dominus, 
      et pereatis de via justa.
Cum exarserit in brevi ira ejus, beati omnes qui confidunt in eo.

Image: BARONIUS PRESS

Mendelssohn. 

Warum toben die Heiden 
(Psalm 2).

Available on YouTube at

http://youtu.be/87yKXfhJz6E.

Why have the Gentiles raged, and the people devised vain things ?
The kings of the Earth stood up, and the princes met together,
      against the Lord, and against His Christ.
Let us break their bonds asunder; and let us cast away
      their yoke from us.
He that dwelleth in Heaven shall laugh at them: And
      the Lord shall deride them.
Then shall He speak to them in His anger, and
      trouble them in His rage.
But I am appointed king by Him over Sion His holy mountain,
      preaching His commandment.
The Lord hath said to me: Thou art My Son, this day
      have I begotten thee.
Ask of Me, and I will give thee the Gentiles for thy inheritance,
      and the utmost parts of the Earth for thy possession.
Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron, and shalt break them
      in pieces like a potter's vessel.
And now, O ye kings, understand: Receive instruction, you
      that judge the Earth.
Serve ye the Lord with fear: And rejoice unto Him with trembling.
Embrace discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry,
      and you perish from the just way.
When His wrath shall be kindled in a short time, blessed
      are all they that trust in Him.