2:10 his king. The reference to the Lord’s king here points forward to the central event of the books of Samuel, namely, the institution of a monarchy, and implies that the idea of kingship, properly conceived, is not wrong. That Israel would have a king is anticipated in various places in the Pentateuch (Gen. 49:10; Num. 24:7, 17–19; Deut. 17:14–20).

his anointed. Numerous objects and persons were subject to religious anointing in ancient Israel (Ex. 30:22–33), but it was the king ultimately who had the title of the “Lord’s anointed” or simply “the anointed.” Persons chosen for divine service were anointed to signify that this was their calling, that they were authorized to perform it, and that God would give them the help they needed. References to the king as the Lord’s anointed are prevalent in the books of Samuel (v. 35; 12:3, 5; 16:6; 24:6) and Psalms (Ps. 2:2; 18:50). The present passage is the first reference to a king of Israel as God’s “anointed,” though the idea of anointing a king is found already in Jotham’s fable (Judg. 9:8, 15). The English word “messiah” represents the Hebrew word meaning “anointed.” In the New Testament, “Christ” represents the Greek word Christos, also meaning “anointed.”