Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
Ver. 1. Why do the heathen rage?] WHY? or for what reason? The psalm beginneth abruptly, with an angry interrogation; q.d. What? are they mad to attempt such things, as whereof they can neither give any good reason, nor expect any good effect? The Lord Christ, of whom David was both a father and a figure (as here appeareth), shall surely reign, maugre all the rage and resistance of his enemies, who may seem to be ambitious for their own destruction, and are therefore in this psalm schooled, and counselled to desist. Nothing is more irrational than irreligion. Why do the heathen tumultuously rage, or hurtle together, Fremunt et ferociunt? When the Philistihes heard that David was made king in Hebron, they came up to seek him, and to dethrone him, 2 Samuel 5:17; so the heathen and people, that is, Gentiles and Jews, would have dealt by Christ, Acts 4:25,26. The devil, ever since he was cast out of heaven, tumultuateth and keepeth ado; so do unruly spirits acted and agitated by him. Daniel 6:15, Then those men kept a stir with the king against Daniel; it is the same Hebrew word that is here, and possibly Daniel's spirit might think of David's terms. John 11:33, Jesus troubled himself, but after another manner than these his enemies; his passions were without mud, as clear water in a crystal glass; what was an act of power in Christ is an act of weakness, if not of wickedness, in others. The apostle's Greek word for this in the text denoteth rage, pride, and fierceness, as of horses that neigh, and rush into the battle, εφρυαξαν, Acts 4:25 .
And the people imagine] Heb. meditate, or mutter a vain thing, an empty design, that shall come to nothing.
Niteris incassum Christi submergere puppem:
Fluctuat, at nunquam mergitur illa ratis.
Dipped may the Church's ship be, but not drowned;
Christ will not fail her enemies to confound.
Some think that by this muttering people are meant, such as act not open outrages against Christ, but yet in words murmur and mutiny, whispering treason.