Why do the nations rage?

Psalm 2:1 (ESV) reads,

Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?

To better understand this verse, note that the word "nations" is translated from the Hebrew word "goy," which in ancient Hebrew was used to described a group of people, usually of non-Hebrew descent. But that non-Hebrew detail becomes lost in modern English Bibles, the majority of which translate that word simply as "nation."

The King James Version somewhat rectifies this confusion by translating the verse as

Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

So whether that word is translated as "nation" or "heathen," the word evidently implies a person (or persons) operating outside of God's will. That describes us when we disobey God!

The message of the verse is this: When we operate our lives outside of God's will, our actions are "vain," or useless. Even worse, they lead to "rage," rather than the peace that God wants us to enjoy. Today, in our prayers, let us try to discern what God wants from us.