The interpretation timeline

Ps 2:4

How this passage has been read — the sources, oldest to newest.

From the early Church Fathers to now.

1 Patristic · 2 Jewish · 1 Catholic

Ps 2:4 · Douay-Rheims
“He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh at them: and the Lord shall deride them.”
Patristic before A.D. 750
430
A.D.
Augustine of Hippo Patristic
A.D. 354–430
“"He that dwelleth in the heavens shall laugh them to scorn, and the Lord shall have them in derision" [Psalm 2:4]. The sentence is repeated; for "He who dwelleth in the heavens," is afterwards put, "the Lord;" and for "shall laugh them to scorn," is afterwards put, "shall have them in derision." Nothing of this however must be taken in a carnal sort, as if God either laugheth with cheek, or derideth with nostril; but it is to be understood of that power which He giveth to His saints, that they seeing things to come, namely, that the Name and rule of Christ is to pervade posterity and possess all nations, should understand that those men "meditate a vain thing." For this power whereby these things are foreknown is God's "laughter" and "derision." "He that dwelleth in the heavens shall laugh them to scorn." If by "heavens" we understand holy souls, by these God, as foreknowing what is to come, will "laugh them to scorn, and have them in derision."”
Source
675 years pass — nothing from this stretch is hosted yet
Scholastic c. 1100 – 1500
1105
A.D.
Rashi Jewish
1040–1105
“laughs...mocks...speaks They are meant as the present tense.”
1235
A.D.
Radak Jewish
c. 1160–1235
“He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall have them in derision. – As he has said that they have taken counsel together against the Lord, to nullify His word, (so now) he says that He sits in heaven, and hears their words, and laughs at and derides them. And when he says of God – Blessed be He! – He shall laugh at and deride (them), it is metaphorical, an accommodation to human language; for a man laughs at and mocks one whom he despises and esteems as nothing at all. And so: “And Thou, Lord, shalt laugh at them, Thou shalt mock at all the nations” (Ps. 59:9); “The Lord shall laugh at him, for He sees that his day is coming” (Ps. 37:13). And when he says: He that sitteth in the heavens, the meaning of “sitting” is abiding (enduring), as “and Thou, Lord, remainest (lit. sittest) for ever” (Ps. 102:13). And so every expression of sitting, when it is used of God – Blessed be He! – as, “O Thou that sittest in the Heavens” (Ps. 123:1); “That hath His seat on high” (Ps. 113:5). And when he says in the heavens, it is because they are stable and endure for ever, and their individualities do not come to an end like those of the earth.”
Source
1274
A.D.
Thomas Aquinas Catholic
1225–1274
“Then when he says, "He who dwells," the suppression of those plotting against the kingdom of David is set forth. And concerning this he does two things. First, it is shown how they are suppressed by the Lord. Second, how by his Christ, at "But I have been appointed," etc. Against these -- namely the Lord and his Christ -- they plotted, as was said. Concerning the first, note four things: namely derision, scorn, angry speech, and disturbance. For just as a boy of no strength and power, if he fights against a giant, is laughed at by the giant, so if anyone of no power wishes to plot against him who dwells in the heavens, he is laughed at by him. Job 35: "Look up to heaven and behold, and contemplate the sky, that it is higher than you. If you sin, what will you harm him?" And if the powerless one persists, then the one who is more powerful rebukes and scorns him. For derision is done with the mouth, according to Jerome in the Gloss; but scorn with a wrinkled and contracted nose, arising from a certain slight indignation. Prov. 1: "I also will laugh at your destruction and will mock, when what you feared comes upon you." But if he in no way desists, he proceeds to vengeance; and therefore he says, "Then he will speak to them in his wrath," that is, he will pronounce the sentence of vengeance against them. For wrath does not befall God, but what belongs to the creature is sometimes attributed to the Creator by anthropopathy, which is a human pre-passion. Ps. 6: "Lord, not in your wrath," etc. Finally, the sentence is carried out; and therefore he says, "and in his fury he will trouble them," in heart and in soul in eternal punishment: that is, by his own power he will punish them. Job 15: "When he moves to seek bread, he knows that the day of darkness is prepared in his hand; tribulation will terrify him, and anguish will surround him." These four things will occur at the judgment. For he will deride by placing them on the left: Mt. 25. He will scorn, saying: "I was hungry," etc., reproaching them. He will speak in wrath, sentencing: "Depart, you cursed, into eternal fire," etc. He will trouble them, executing the sentence: "These will go into eternal punishment," etc.”
Source
Modern · 1953 →

The in-app commentary runs from the Fathers to the early-modern record, then stops — that's where the public-domain sources end, not where the reading does. For the modern reading, follow the sources directly.