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Commentary on Psalms 67 verses 1–7
The composition of this psalm is such as denotes the penman's affections to have been very warm and lively, by which spirit of devotion he was elevated to receive the spirit of prophecy concerning the enlargement of God's kingdom.
I. He begins with a prayer for the welfare and prosperity of the church then in being, in the happiness of which he should share, and think himself happy, Psa 67:1. Our Saviour, in teaching us to say, Our Father, has intimated that we ought to pray with and for others; so the psalmist here prays not, God be merciful to me, and bless me, but to us, and bless us; for we must make supplication for all saints, and be willing and glad to take our lot with them. We are here taught, 1. That all our happiness comes from God's mercy and takes rise in that; and therefore the first thing prayed for is, God be merciful to us, to us sinners, and pardon our sins (Luk 18:13), to us miserable sinners, and help us out of our miseries. 2. That it is conveyed by God's blessing, and secured in that: God bless us; that is, give us an interest in his promises, and confer upon us all the good contained in them. God's speaking well to us amounts to his doing well for us. God bless us is a comprehensive prayer; it is a pity such excellent words should ever be used slightly and carelessly, and as a byword. 3. That it is completed in the light of his countenance: God cause his face to shine upon us; that is, God by his grace qualify us for his favour and then give us the tokens of his favour. We need desire no more to make us happy than to have God's face shine upon us, to have God love us, and let us know that he loves us: To shine with us (so the margin reads it); with us doing our endeavour, and let it crown that endeavour with success. If we by faith walk with God, we may hope that his face will shine with us.
II. He passes from this to a prayer for the conversion of the Gentiles (Psa 67:2): That thy way may be known upon earth. "Lord, I pray not only that thou wilt be merciful to us and bless us, but that thou wilt be merciful to all mankind, that thy way may be known upon earth." Thus public-spirited must we be in our prayers. Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come. We shall have never the less of God's mercy, and blessing, and favour, for others coming in to share with us. Or it may be taken thus: "God be merciful to us Jews, and bless us, that thereby thy way may be known upon earth, that by the peculiar distinguishing tokens of thy favour to us others may be allured to come and join themselves to us, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you," Zac 8:23.
1.These verses, which point at the conversion of the Gentiles, may be taken, (1.) As a prayer; and so it speaks the desire of the Old Testament saints; so far were they from wishing to monopolize the privileges of the church that they desired nothing more than the throwing down of the enclosure and the laying open of the advantages. See then how the spirit of the Jews, in the days of Christ and his apostles, differed from the spirit of their fathers. The Israelites indeed that were of old desired that God's name might be known among the Gentiles; those counterfeit Jews were enraged at the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles; nothing in Christianity exasperated them so much as that did. (2.) As a prophecy that it shall be as he here prays. Many scripture-prophecies and promises are wrapped up in prayers, to intimate that the answer of the church's prayer is as sure as the performance of God's promises.
2.Three things are here prayed for, with reference to the Gentiles: -
(1.)That divine revelation might be sent among them, Psa 67:2. Two things he desires might be know upon earth, even among all nations, and not to the nation of the Jews only: - [1.] God's way, the rule of duty: "Let them all know, as well as we do, what is good and what the Lord our God requires of them; let them be blessed and honoured with the same righteous statutes and judgments which are so much the praise of our nation and the envy of all its neighbours," Deu 4:8. [2.] His saving health, or his salvation. The former is wrapped up in his law, this in his gospel. If God make known his way to us, and we walk in it, he will show us his saving health, Psa 50:23. Those that have themselves experimentally known the pleasantness of God's ways, and the comforts of his salvation, cannot but desire and pray that they may be known to others, even among all nations. All upon earth are bound to walk in God's way, all need his salvation, and there is in it enough for all; and therefore we should pray that both the one and the other may be made known to all.
(2.)That divine worship may be set up among them, as it will be where divine revelation is received and embraced (Psa 67:3): "Let the people praise thee, O God! let them have matter for praise, let them have hearts for praise; yea, let not only some, but all the people, praise thee," all nations in their national capacity, some of all nations. It is again repeated (Psa 67:5) as that which the psalmist's heart was very much upon. Those that delight in praising God themselves cannot but desire that others also may be brought to praise him, that he may have the honour of it and they may have the benefit of it. It is a prayer, [1.] That the gospel might be preached to them, and then they would have cause enough to praise God, as for the day-spring after a long and dark night. Ortus est sol - The sun has risen. Act 8:8. [2.] That they might be converted and brought into the church, and then they would have a disposition to praise God, the living and true God, and not the dumb and dunghill deities they had worshipped, Dan 5:4. Then their hard thoughts of God would be silenced, and they would see him, in the gospel glass, to be love itself, and the proper object of praise. [3.] That they might be incorporated into solemn assemblies, and might praise God in a body, that they might all together praise him with one mind and one mouth. Thus a face of religion appears upon a land when God is publicly owned and the ordinances of religious worship are duly celebrated in religious assemblies.
(3.)That the divine government may be acknowledged and cheerfully submitted to (Psa 67:4): O let the nations be glad, and sing for joy! Holy joy, joy in God and in his name, is the heart and soul of thankful praise. That all the people may praise thee, let the nations be glad. Those that rejoice in the Lord always will in every thing give thanks. The joy he wishes to the nations is holy joy; for it is joy in God's dominion, joy that God has taken to himself his great power and has reigned, which the unconverted nations are angry at, Rev 11:17, Rev 11:18. Let them be glad, [1.] That the kingdom is the Lord's (Psa 22:28), that he, as an absolute sovereign, shall govern the nations upon earth, that by the kingdom of his providence he shall overrule the affairs of kingdoms according to the counsel of his will, though they neither know him nor own him, and that in due time he shall disciple all nations by the preaching of his gospel (Mat 28:19) and set up the kingdom of his grace among them upon the ruin of the devil's kingdom - that he shall make them a willing people in the day of his power, and even the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ. [2.] That every man's judgment proceeds from the Lord. "Let them be glad that thou shalt judge the people righteously, that thou shalt give a law and gospel which shall be a righteous rule of judgment, and shalt pass an unerring sentence, according to that rule, upon all the children of men, against which there will lie no exception." Let us all be glad that we are not to be one another's judges, but that he that judges us is the Lord, whose judgment we are sure is according to truth.
III. He concludes with a joyful prospect of all good when God shall do this, when the nations shall be converted and brought to praise God.
1.The lower world shall smile upon them, and they shall have the fruits of that (Psa 67:6): Then shall the earth yield her increase. Not but that God gave rain from heaven and fruitful seasons to the nations when they sat in darkness (Act 14:17); but when they were converted the earth yielded its increase to God; the meat and the drink then became a meat-offering and a drink-offering to the Lord our God (Joe 2:14); and then it was fruitful to some good purpose. Then it yielded its increase more than before to the comfort of men, who through Christ acquired a covenant-title to the fruits of it and had a sanctified use of it. Note, The success of the gospel sometimes brings outward mercies along with it; righteousness exalts a nation. See Isa 4:2; Isa 62:9.
2.The upper world shall smile upon them, and they shall have the favours of that, which is much better: God, even our own God, shall bless us, Psa 67:6. And again (Psa 67:7), God shall bless us. Note, (1.) There are a people in the world that can, upon good grounds, call God their God. (2.) Believers have reason to glory in their relation to God and the interest they have in him. It is here spoken with an air of triumph. God, even our own God. (2.) Those who through grace call God their own may with a humble confidence expect a blessing from him. If he be our God, he will bless us with special blessings. (4.) The blessing of God, as ours in covenant, is that which sweetens all our creature-comforts to us, and makes them comforts indeed; then we receive the increase of the earth as a mercy indeed when with it God, even our own God, gives us his blessing.
3.All the world shall hereby be brought to do like them: The ends of the earth shall fear him, that is, worship him, which is to be done with a godly fear. The blessings God bestows upon us call upon us not only to love him, but to fear him, to keep up high thoughts of him and to be afraid of offending him. When the gospel begins to spread it shall get ground more and more, till it reach to the ends of the earth. The leaven hidden in the meal shall diffuse itself, till the whole be leavened. And the many blessings which those will own themselves to have received that are brought into the church invite others to join themselves to them. It is good to cast in our lot with those that are the blessed of the Lord.
"That we may know on earth Your way" [Psalm 67:2]. "On earth," here, in this life, "we may know Your way." What is, "Your way"? That which leads to You. May we acknowledge whither we are going, acknowledge where we are as we go; neither in darkness we can do. Afar You are from men sojourning, a way to us You have presented, through which we must return to You. "Let us acknowledge on earth Your way." What is His way wherein we have desired, "That we may know on earth Your way"? We are going to enquire this ourselves, not of ourselves to learn it. We can learn of it from the Gospel: "I am the Way," [John 14:6] the Lord says: Christ has said, "I am the Way." But do you fear lest you stray? He has added, "And the Truth." Who strays in the Truth? He strays that has departed from the Truth. The Truth is Christ, the Way is Christ: walk therein. Do you fear lest you die before thou attain unto Him? "I am the Life: I am," He says, "the Way and the Truth and the Life." As if He were saying, "What do you fear? Through Me you walk, to Me you walk, in Me you rest." What therefore means, "We may know on earth Your Way," but "we may know on earth Your Christ"? But let the Psalm itself reply: lest ye think that out of other Scriptures there must be adduced testimony, which perchance is here wanting: by repetition he has shown what signified, "That we may know on earth Your Way:" and as if you were inquiring, "In what earth, what way?" "In all nations Your Salvation." In what earth, you are inquiring? Hear: "In all nations." What way are you seeking? Hear: "Your Salvation." Is not perchance Christ his Salvation? And what is that which the old Symeon has said, that old man, I say, in the Gospel, preserved full of years even unto the infancy of the Word? [Luke 2:30] For that old man took in his hands the Infant Word of God. Would He that in the womb deigned to be, disdain to be in the hands of an old man? The Same was in the womb of the virgin, as was in the hands of the old man, a weak infant both within the bowels, and in the old man's hand, to give us strength, by whom were made all things; and if all things, even His very mother. He came humble, He came weak, but clothed with a weakness to be changed into strength, because "though He was crucified of weakness, yet He lives of the virtue of God," [2 Corinthians 13:4] the Apostle says. He was then in the hands of an old man. And what says that old man? Rejoicing that now he must be loosed from this world, seeing how in his own hand was held He by whom and in whom his Salvation was upheld; he says what? "Now You let go," he says, "O Lord, Your servant in peace, for my eyes have seen Your Salvation." [Luke 2:29-30] Therefore, "May God bless us, and have pity on us; may He lighten His countenance upon us, that we may know on earth Your Way!" In what earth? "In all nations." What Way? "Your Salvation."
This, I say, is the universal way for the deliverance of believers, concerning which the faithful Abraham received the divine assurance, “In thy seed shall all nations be blessed.” He, indeed, was by birth a Chaldaean; but, that he might receive these great promises, and that there might be propagated from him a seed “disposed by angels in the hand of a Mediator,” in whom this universal way, thrown open to all nations for the deliverance of the soul, might be found, he was ordered to leave his country, and kindred, and father’s house. Then was he himself, first of all, delivered from the Chaldaean superstitions, and by his obedience worshipped the one true God, whose promises he faithfully trusted. This is the universal way, of which it is said in holy prophecy, “God be merciful unto us, and bless us, and cause his face to shine upon us; that thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.” And hence, when our Savior, so long after, had taken flesh of the seed of Abraham, he says of himself, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
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SUMMARY
Psalms 67:2 is a profound prayer and declaration, expressing a deep longing for God's universal recognition and redemptive power to be known across the entire world. It builds upon the preceding verse, where the psalmist prays for God's blessing and mercy upon Israel, so that this very blessing might serve a greater purpose: to reveal God's character and comprehensive salvation to all humanity. This verse encapsulates the missionary heart of God, desiring that His truth and deliverance extend beyond a single nation to embrace every people group on earth.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The primary literary device employed in Psalms 67:2 is Synonymous Parallelism. The two clauses of the verse express the same core idea in different words, reinforcing and expanding upon each other. "That thy way may be known upon earth" is paralleled by "thy saving health among all nations." "Thy way" is synonymous with "thy saving health" in the context of divine revelation and action, while "upon earth" is synonymous with "among all nations," emphasizing the global scope. This parallelism not only adds poetic beauty but also deepens the theological meaning, ensuring that the reader understands that God's universal revelation is intrinsically linked to His universal salvation. The verse also functions as a Prayer or Petition, expressing a profound longing and intercession for God's will to be accomplished globally. This prayer embodies a spirit of Universalism (theological, not soteriological), emphasizing God's concern for all humanity, not just a select few.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 67:2 is a foundational text for understanding God's global redemptive purpose. It demonstrates that God's blessing upon His people is never an end in itself, but always a means to a greater, universal end: the revelation of His glory and salvation to all nations. This verse anticipates the New Testament's emphasis on the Great Commission and the inclusion of Gentiles into God's family. It reveals a God whose love and desire for reconciliation extend to every corner of the earth, challenging any narrow, ethnocentric view of divine favor. The "saving health" is God's comprehensive salvation, which includes spiritual deliverance, healing, and flourishing, intended for all who would believe.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 67:2 serves as a timeless call to embrace God's expansive heart for all humanity. For believers today, it reinforces our participation in God's global mission. Our experience of God's grace and blessing is not merely for our personal comfort or benefit, but it is a testimony meant to draw others to Him. This verse inspires us to pray fervently for the spread of the Gospel, to support missionary endeavors, and to live lives that authentically reflect God's "way" and "saving health" to those around us, whether in our local communities or across cultural boundaries. It challenges us to move beyond self-interest and parochial concerns, adopting God's global perspective and actively engaging in His redemptive work among every nation, tribe, and tongue, recognizing that the ultimate goal is for all peoples to praise Him.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "thy way" mean in this context?
Answer: "Thy way" refers to God's character, His righteous path, His divine conduct, and the manner in which He reveals Himself and operates in the world. It encompasses His moral law, His justice, His faithfulness, and His redemptive plan. When the psalmist prays for God's "way" to be known, it is a plea for humanity to understand and acknowledge God's true nature and His dealings with His creation. It's a comprehensive term for God's self-revelation.
What is the significance of "saving health among all nations"?
Answer: The phrase "saving health" translates the Hebrew word yeshu'ah, which means salvation, deliverance, or help. It signifies God's comprehensive work of rescue, spiritual well-being, and flourishing. The addition of "among all nations" is profoundly significant because it explicitly broadens the scope of God's redemptive purpose beyond Israel to include every ethnic group and people on earth. It highlights God's universal love and His desire for all humanity to experience His complete salvation, underscoring the global and inclusive nature of His plan, a theme echoed in passages like 1 Timothy 2:4.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 67:2 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. He is the very embodiment of God's "way" (Hebrew, derek), declaring Himself to be "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). In His person and work, the character, will, and redemptive plan of God are perfectly revealed. Furthermore, Jesus is God's "saving health" (Hebrew, yᵉshûwʻâh) made manifest. As Simeon prophesied, Jesus is God's "salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles" (Luke 2:30-32, echoing Isaiah 49:6). Through His atoning death and resurrection, Christ accomplished the comprehensive salvation that God desires to make known "among all nations." The Great Commission, given by the resurrected Christ, directly commands His followers to "go therefore and make disciples of all nations," ensuring that God's "way" and "saving health" are proclaimed to every tribe, tongue, people, and nation, ultimately leading to the fulfillment of the psalmist's prayer for universal praise and recognition of God's glory.