Psalm 2:4
New International Version
The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.

New Living Translation
But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them.

English Standard Version
He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.

Berean Standard Bible
The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord taunts them.

King James Bible
He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

New King James Version
He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision.

New American Standard Bible
He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them.

NASB 1995
He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them.

NASB 1977
He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them.

Legacy Standard Bible
He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord mocks them.

Amplified Bible
He who sits [enthroned] in the heavens laughs [at their rebellion]; The [Sovereign] Lord scoffs at them [and in supreme contempt He mocks them].

Christian Standard Bible
The one enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord ridicules them.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord ridicules them.

American Standard Version
He that sitteth in the heavens will laugh: The Lord will have them in derision.

Contemporary English Version
In heaven the LORD laughs as he sits on his throne, making fun of the nations.

English Revised Version
He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The one enthroned in heaven laughs. The Lord makes fun of them.

Good News Translation
From his throne in heaven the Lord laughs and mocks their feeble plans.

International Standard Version
He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.

Majority Standard Bible
The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord taunts them.

NET Bible
The one enthroned in heaven laughs in disgust; the Lord taunts them.

New Heart English Bible
The one who sits in the heavens laughs. The LORD scoffs at them.

Webster's Bible Translation
He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

World English Bible
He who sits in the heavens will laugh. The Lord will have them in derision.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
He who is sitting in the heavens laughs, "" The Lord mocks at them.

Young's Literal Translation
He who is sitting in the heavens doth laugh, The Lord doth mock at them.

Smith's Literal Translation
He dwelling in the heavens shall laugh: Jehovah shall deride to them.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh at them: and the Lord shall deride them.

Catholic Public Domain Version
He who dwells in heaven will ridicule them, and the Lord will mock them.

New American Bible
The one enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord derides them,

New Revised Standard Version
He who sits in the heavens laughs; the LORD has them in derision.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
He that dwells in heaven shall laugh, and the LORD shall mock at them.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
He who sits in Heaven will laugh and LORD JEHOVAH will mock them.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
He that sitteth in heaven laugheth, The Lord hath them in derision.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
He that dwells in the heavens shall laugh them to scorn, and the Lord shall mock them.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Triumphant Messiah
3“Let us break Their chains and cast away Their cords.” 4The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord taunts them. 5Then He rebukes them in His anger, and terrifies them in His fury:…

Cross References
Acts 4:25-26
You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of Your servant, our father David: ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? / The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One.’

Acts 13:33
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.’

Hebrews 1:5
For to which of the angels did God ever say: “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father”? Or again: “I will be His Father, and He will be My Son”?

Hebrews 5:5
So also Christ did not take upon Himself the glory of becoming a high priest, but He was called by the One who said to Him: “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father.”

Revelation 19:15
And from His mouth proceeds a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.

Revelation 11:18
The nations were enraged, and Your wrath has come. The time has come to judge the dead and to reward Your servants the prophets, as well as the saints and those who fear Your name, both small and great—and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”

Matthew 22:44
‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet.”’

Matthew 26:64
“You have said it yourself,” Jesus answered. “But I say to all of you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Mark 12:36
Speaking by the Holy Spirit, David himself declared: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet.”’

Luke 20:42-43
For David himself says in the book of Psalms: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand / until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”’

John 19:11
Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed Me over to you is guilty of greater sin.”

Romans 1:4
and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.

Ephesians 1:20-22
which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, / far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. / And God put everything under His feet and made Him head over everything for the church,

Philippians 2:9-11
Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names, / that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, / and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Isaiah 40:23
He brings the princes to nothing and makes the rulers of the earth meaningless.


Treasury of Scripture

He that sits in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision.

He that

Psalm 11:4
The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.

Psalm 68:33
To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice.

Psalm 115:3
But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

shall laugh

Psalm 37:13
The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.

Psalm 53:5
There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee: thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them.

Psalm 59:8
But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision.

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Derision Dwelleth Enthroned Heaven Heavens Laugh Laughing Mock Scoffs Seat Sits Sitteth Sitting Sport
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Psalm 2
1. The kingdom of Christ
10. Kings are exhorted to accept it














He who sits in the heavens
This phrase emphasizes the sovereignty and transcendence of God. The Hebrew word for "sits" (יָשַׁב, yashab) conveys a sense of enthronement and authority. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, a king sitting on his throne was a symbol of power and control. Here, God is depicted as the ultimate ruler, seated above all earthly powers. The heavens, in biblical terms, represent the divine realm, far above human machinations. This imagery reassures believers of God's supreme authority over the universe, reminding them that no earthly power can challenge His dominion.

laughs
The Hebrew word used here is "שָׂחַק" (sachaq), which can mean to laugh in scorn or derision. This is not a laughter of amusement but one of mockery towards those who oppose God. In the context of Psalm 2, this laughter underscores the futility of human rebellion against divine authority. It serves as a powerful reminder that God is not threatened by human schemes. Instead, He views them as ultimately inconsequential, reinforcing the idea that His plans and purposes will prevail regardless of human opposition.

the Lord scoffs at them
The term "scoffs" (לָעַג, laag) indicates a derisive or mocking attitude. This phrase highlights God's disdain for the arrogance of those who conspire against Him. In the biblical narrative, this scoffing is not born out of cruelty but out of the absurdity of the situation—finite beings attempting to overthrow the infinite Creator. It serves as a warning to those who would oppose God, illustrating the inevitable failure of their efforts. This also provides comfort to believers, affirming that God is not only aware of the plots against Him but is actively dismissive of their potential to succeed.

(4) He that sitteth.--Here the psalm, with a sublimity truly Hebrew, turns from the wild confusion on earth to the spectacle of God looking down with mingled scorn and wrath on the fruitless attempts of the heathen against His chosen people.

Laugh.--We speak of the "irony of events "; the Hebrew ascribes irony to God, who controls events.

Verse 4. - He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh. God "laughs" at the vain and futile efforts of man to escape from the control of his laws and throw off his dominion (comp. Psalm 37:13; Psalm 59:8). It is impossible that these efforts should succeed. Men must obey God willingly, or else unwillingly. The Lord (Adonay in the ordinary Hebrew text, but a large number of manuscripts have Jehovah) shall have them in derision. "Laughter" and "derision" are, of course, anthropo-morphisms. It is meant that God views with contempt and scorn man's weak attempts at rebellion.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The One enthroned
יוֹשֵׁ֣ב (yō·wō·šêḇ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

in the heavens
בַּשָּׁמַ֣יִם (baš·šā·ma·yim)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky

laughs;
יִשְׂחָ֑ק (yiś·ḥāq)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7832: To laugh, to play

the Lord
אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י (’ă·ḏō·nāy)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 136: The Lord

taunts them.
יִלְעַג־ (yil·‘aḡ-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3932: To deride, to speak unintelligibly


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OT Poetry: Psalm 2:4 He who sits in the heavens will (Psalm Ps Psa.)
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