Psalm 2:7-9
7 I will proclaim the LORD’s decree:
He said to me, “You are my son;
today I have become your father.
8 Ask me,
and I will make the nations your inheritance,
the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You will break them with a rod of iron;
you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”
Verse 7 is likely the king speaking now. He declares the LORD's decree as a law of the king is declared to the people (think "Hear Ye! Hear Ye!" in olden days). God says to the king, "You are my son; today I have become your father." It is this line that leads many commentators to think that this was read during the coronation of the king. The coronation of the king marks the day that this special relationship between the king and God becomes official (1 Kgs. 3:5; 2 Sam. 24:12; Ps. 21:2-4). It was quite common in ancient cultures for the king to be thought of as the son of God or the gods. Israel was no different in this regard with the exception, of course, that they worshipped the one true God.
The verb become is usually translated begotten, give birth to. Here it is certainly used metaphorically to indicate that the king is now entering into this new, special relationship with God upon his coronation.
This verse is often quoted by the NT authors explicitly stating Jesus is the fulfillment of this promise as well as the promise of 2 Sam. 7 which this whole Psalm is in reference to (Acts 13:33; Heb. 1:5; 5:5). This aspect of Jesus identity as God's son is confirmed at his baptism when the voice from heaven declares Jesus to be God's son. Therefore, Jesus is the ultimate Messiah, the ultimate king to which all of hopes of the king and the kingdom of God point to. He fulfills them perfectly. This verse is likely the idea behind the John 3:16 text as well where John writes, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten (or one and only depending on how we translate monogenes) son." If it is translated "only begotten" it would make good sense as a reference to Psalm 2 indicating Jesus is the promised Messiah who is metaphorically begotten of God, ie. given this special privileged relationship with God upon his coronation or in Jesus' case his baptism. Therefore, there is no need to develop the strange theologies of Jesus being eternally begotten in eternity past. Theologians in the Middle Ages spent a lot of time and energy attempting to reconcile how Jesus can be both eternally coexistent with the Father while also being begotten. It is simply unnecessary considering its metaphorical usage and common traditional use as reference to the king of Israel throughout Israel's history.
Verse 8 is one of the privileges of this special relationship the king has with God. Just as Solomon was given the opportunity to ask anything of God (1 Kgs. 3:5) so the kings in his line can ask anything of God and he will grant them the nations and the earth. Again, the NT authors see this ultimate fulfillment in Jesus when they state that all things will be placed under his feet and the good news of the kingdom is to be taken to all nations (Matt. 28:19 ; Phil. 2:9-11; Eph. 1:9-10)
Verse 9 is symbolic of what will happen to those who are in rebellion against God—the nations and their rulers from v. 1-3. Ultimately, they will be destroyed, broken with a rod of iron and dashed to pieces like pottery. The LORD and his Messiah will have the ultimate victory. The Apostle John picks up this imagery in Revelation (Rev. 2:27; 12:5; 19:15) further linking Jesus to the fulfillment of this Psalm. Commentators also see here a reference back to Gen. 49:10, Jacob's blessing to Judah, declaring that the royal line of kings will come through Judah until "the one to whom it belongs" (Jesus) comes then to him will be the obedience of the nations. This text is also often associated with the Messiah.
Ok, we will be done for today. This is so fascinating to me; I hope it is to you as well. I'm sure this was one of the texts Jesus discussed with his disciples on the road to Emmaus when he "explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself." (Luke 24:27)