Psalms

Psalm 2:1–4

¹Why do the nations rage^a

and the peoples plot in vain?

²The kings of the earth take their stand

and the rulers gather together,

against the LORD

and against His Anointed One:^b

³“Let us break Their chains

and cast away Their cords.”

⁴The One enthroned in heaven laughs;

the Lord taunts them.

Footnotes

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Why	לָ֭מָּה	lām·māh	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
do the nations	גוֹיִ֑ם	ḡō·w·yim	Noun - masculine plural	H1471 nation, people
rage	רָגְשׁ֣וּ	rā·ḡə·šū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H7283 be in tumult or commotion
and the peoples	וּ֝לְאֻמִּ֗ים	ū·lə·’um·mîm	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural	H3816 people
plot	יֶהְגּוּ־	yeh·gū-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1897 moan, growl, utter, speak, muse
in vain	רִֽיק׃	rîq	Noun - masculine singular	H7385 emptiness, vanity

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The kings	מַלְכֵי־	mal·ḵê-	Noun - masculine plural construct	H4428 king
of the earth	אֶ֗רֶץ	’e·reṣ	Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
take their stand	יִ֥תְיַצְּב֨וּ׀	yiṯ·yaṣ·ṣə·ḇū	Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3320 set or station oneself, take one's stand
and the rulers	וְרוֹזְנִ֥ים	wə·rō·wz·nîm	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H7336 be weighty, judicious, commanding
gather	נֽוֹסְדוּ־	nō·ws·ḏū-	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural	H3245 establish, found, fix
together	יָ֑חַד	yā·ḥaḏ	Adverb	H3162 unitedness
against	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the LORD	יְ֝הוָה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
and against	וְעַל־	wə·‘al-	Conjunctive waw; Preposition	H5921 height
His Anointed One	מְשִׁיחֽוֹ׃	mə·šî·ḥōw	Adjective - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H4899 anointed

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Let us break	נְֽ֭נַתְּקָה	nə·nat·tə·qāh	Verb - Piel - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural	H5423 pull, draw, tear away, apart, off
Their chains	מֽוֹסְרוֹתֵ֑ימוֹ	mō·ws·rō·w·ṯê·mōw	Noun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H4147 chastisement, halter, restraint
and cast away	וְנַשְׁלִ֖יכָה	wə·naš·lî·ḵāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural	H7993 throw, fling, cast
Their cords	עֲבֹתֵֽימוֹ׃	‘ă·ḇō·ṯê·mōw	Noun - common plural construct; third person masculine plural	H5688 (twisted) cord, rope; cordage; interwoven foliage (?)

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The One enthroned	יוֹשֵׁ֣ב	yō·wō·šêḇ	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H3427 sit, remain, dwell
in heaven	בַּשָּׁמַ֣יִם	baš·šā·ma·yim	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H8064 sky, aloft
laughs	יִשְׂחָ֑ק	yiś·ḥāq	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7832 laugh
the Lord	אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י	’ă·ḏō·nāy	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H136 lord
taunts them	יִלְעַג־	yil·‘aḡ-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3932 mock, deride