It is impossible to overstate the importance of this psalm, which I myself have treated as an afterthought. I should have included it (and repeatedly) in Year D, but failed to do so. I hope this new recording will, to some extent, mitigate that stupid oversight. For this is a psalm that could be read and preached any Sunday of the year.
First, Psalm 2 is both utterly Messianic and introductory. The Encyclopedia of Judaism (go figure!) openly states that the first two psalms of the 150 in the Psalter are introductory. Compare, e.g., the first verse of Psalm 1 and the last verse of Psalm 2. This means that Psalm 1 alone does not offer a full introduction. No, the introduction is not complete until we read of the LORD's Son, the Anointed One, who is to rule the nations with an iron rod, while those who take refuge in him will be happy and blessed.
Second, reading Psalm 1 alone leaves us with the impression that the psalm and the psalter as a whole are all about the distinction between the righteous and the wicked. Those who fail to recognize that the Word on which the righteous meditate day and night has become incarnate in Jesus Christ will come away with a merely ethical, even sub-Christian, understanding of Psalm 1 and perhaps of the entire psalter. And, in fact, I would argue, this is precisely what has happened, and predictably so. According to the Revised Common Lectionary, Psalm 1 occurs five times in the 3-year cycle, but Psalm 2 only once, and then, on that solitary occasion, Psalm 2 is suggested as an alternative to another psalm (99). Statistically, if one were to cover the options evenly, Psalm 2 would only occur once every six years, while we would hear Psalm 1 (which never shares its Sundays with any other psalm) ten times. So, between these two introductory psalms, we hear the ethical (righteous vs. wicked) introduction ten times more often than we hear of the divine appointment of the LORD's Messiah, the Son of God, as ruler of all the nations. These two introductory psalms constitute an admittedly small tissue sample, so to speak, on which to base a diagnosis, when of course we have Christ the King and many other occasions for exalting the sovereignty of Christ through hymns, prayers, and other readings. Nevertheless, this state of affairs is telling, and I would wager that it explains—at least partly and parabolically—why we have countless Christians, congregations, those steering whole denominations, and even the larger part of the post-Christian west, stuck in Kierkegaard's ethical sphere like a cork in a bottle.
As for this musical arrangement, I have broken it into four sections, or two pairs of sections, each with odd meters:
I. 13/4 (3+3+3+4) [The omniscient psalmist speaks prophetically.]
II. 5/4 [The LORD and his Messiah speak.]
II. 13/4
a. 4+3+3+3 [The LORD speaks his promise to his Son, the Messiah.]
b. 3+3+3+4 [The omniscient psalmist speaks prophetically.]
IV. 5/4 [The promise to the faithful is here amplified.]
[If I may be so bold, and with all due credit to the Breeze in the Trees (see previous post on Psalm 9), this is the most accessible, singable, and even "groovy" use of 13/4 or 13/8 time signature I can imagine. Unlikely to compete for commercial success with Genesis' "Turn it on Again" or King Crimson's "Starless," it is nevertheless easier to "get into," whether playing, singing, or just listening.]
The capo arrangement used here is a Drop (top) D capo on the second fret and a four-string capo on the fourth fret. I carved this one from a full capo, but it would have made more sense to start with a Drop D, which would have only required one additional cut.
My friend and colleague Emily Blue provided the lovely backing vocals in the closing section, for which I am most grateful.
As for the title of the musical setting and tune, I am indebted to the late Imogene Bennett for introducing me to this Creole word that means an extra helping of grace, a baker's dozen (i.e., a thirteenth portion). Originally, the plan was to finish out this project with twelve additional psalm tracks, but then Psalm 2 once again made its importance known. Lord willing, it will now be the first track on Vol. V, which may, in the end, include fourteen tracks in total. The title also aligns with the first of these two odd time-signatures, while the second time-signature (5/4), and a number of other oddballs, will occur with some frequency on this record, once completed. So, there you go.
Read, preach, pray, play, share, repost Psalm 2 widely. In the wideness is the "Lagniappe" [pron. "LON-yopp].
