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Psalm 2:11
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
9You shall break them with a rod of iron. You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
10Now therefore be wise, you kings. Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
11Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12Give sincere homage to the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish on the way, for his wrath will soon be kindled. Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.
Notice
The command to “rejoice with trembling” challenges an easy split between joy and fear, spoken here to rulers facing God's judgment.
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What changes in your reading when you hear these words addressed to kings and judges?
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Where else Scripture says this
11 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.
This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Philippians 2:12So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and …Fear and trembling accompany service in the psalm and working out salvation in Philippians.
Hebrews 12:28Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can’t be shaken, let’s have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe,Both passages join service to God with reverence, treating his authority as worthy of awe.
Hebrews 12:25See that you don’t refuse him who speaks. For if they didn’t escape when they refused him who warned on the earth, how much more will we not escape who turn …Psalm 2 addresses rulers under warning of judgment; Hebrews warns against refusing the God who speaks.
Proverbs 28:14Blessed is the man who always fears; but one who hardens his heart falls into trouble.Both passages commend fear, with surrounding warnings that resistance to God leads to trouble.
Psalm 89:7a very awesome God in the council of the holy ones, to be feared above all those who are around him?Both psalms speak of fearing God, whether among earthly rulers or in the council of the holy ones.
Hebrews 4:1–2Let’s fear therefore, lest perhaps anyone of you should seem to have come short of a promise of entering into his rest.Both texts treat fear as a fitting response to God's warning, though Hebrews concerns entering his promised rest.
Psalm 119:119–120You put away all the wicked of the earth like dross. Therefore I love your testimonies.The shared thread is God's judgment: Psalm 2 warns rulers, while Psalm 119 describes God removing the wicked.
Psalm 97:1The LORD reigns! Let the earth rejoice! Let the multitude of islands be glad!Both psalms command rejoicing before the LORD, whose rule extends over the earth.
Matthew 28:8They departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring his disciples word.Fear and joy occur together in both texts: commanded in the psalm and experienced by those leaving the tomb.
Psalm 95:1–8Oh come, let’s sing to the LORD. Let’s shout aloud to the rock of our salvation!Both psalms urge joy directed toward the LORD, expressed through rejoicing in Psalm 2 and singing in Psalm 95.
Daniel 6:26“I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. “For he is the living God, and steadfast forever. His …Both passages connect fear and trembling before God with his authority over earthly kingdoms.
Where this verse fits
Praise and worship. leadership weight. sermon or Bible study notes.
One step
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Encouragement
Joy has a place even in this stern warning to rulers. YHWH commands rejoicing without setting aside the weight of his rule.
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).