The LORD's Anointed Son
Kings and rulers conspire against the LORD's Anointed — whom God declares "my Son."
The Prophecy
Psalm 2:2, 6-7
~1000 BCE
The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the LORD and against his anointed... "I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain." He said to me, "You are my son; today I have become your father."
Manuscript Attestation
Multiple Dead Sea Scrolls Psalms manuscripts; all codices.
Ancient Jewish Interpretation
Talmud Berakhot 7b; Abodah Zarah 3b; Sukkah 52a. The Midrash on 1 Samuel 16:1 connects Psalm 2:6 with the suffering of the Messiah and Isaiah 53. Multiple Midrashim and Pirqe de Rabbi Eliezer ch. 28 apply this psalm to the Messiah.
The Fulfillment
Acts 13:33; Acts 4:25-28
He has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: "You are my son; today I have become your father." (Acts 13:33)
Narrative Context
The early church understood the alliance of Herod and Pilate against Jesus as the fulfillment of "kings and rulers" conspiring against God's Anointed (Messiah/Christ).
The Evidence
Psalm 2 is one of the most explicitly messianic psalms. The Midrash on 1 Samuel 16:1 is particularly significant because it connects Psalm 2:6 with Isaiah 53, showing that ancient rabbis already linked the messianic king with the suffering servant — the same connection Christians make. The 36 copies of Psalms at Qumran confirm the text.