“Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?” (Psalm 2:1).

The first three verses of the second psalm describe in brief an evolutionist. A “vain thing” is the empty, destructive evolutionary theory for the origin of life. “Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: They make you vain [lead you astray with lies]: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD” (Jeremiah 23:16).

This “vain thing” imagined by the people is preceded by the “rage” of the heathen. The rage in our text verse is not to be interpreted as the rage of anger. Rather it is a tumult of the mind, as a crowd milling around in an uproar and confusion of voices.

One who refuses to acknowledge God must face his fears, formulate his plans, and fabricate reasons for existence without the framework of truth. He is put into a tumult of thinking that stems from the unsolvable dilemma this mindset produces.

Even a man’s thinking processes are a product of God’s design. If a man tries to apply those processes to develop a system of belief that excludes the Creator, then of course his mind is thrown into tumult.

Someday the tumult of the God-rejecter will turn to terror. “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh. The LORD shall have them in derision” (Psalm 2:4,5). Some derided Christ on the cross, passing by “wagging their heads and saying, He saved others, Himself He cannot save” (Mark 15:29–32; Luke 23:35).

Some deride Him today saying: “Where is the promise of His coming?” (II Peter 3:4). Creation science seeks to replace tumult with trust: “Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him” (Psalm 2:12). CJH