Psalms 67:2

KJV

That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.

KJV (with Strong's)

That thy way {H1870} may be known {H3045}{H8800)} upon earth {H776}, thy saving health {H3444} among all nations {H1471}.

Complete Jewish Bible

so that your way may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.

Berean Standard Bible

that Your ways may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.

American Standard Version

That thy way may be known upon earth, Thy salvation among all nations.

Commentary

### 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
* **Literary Context:** Psalm 67 is a communal psalm of praise and petition, often associated with harvest festivals or national blessings. It opens with an invocation for divine favor in [Psalm 67:1](/psalms/67-1 "Psalm 67:1 - Priestly Blessing Echo"), echoing the ancient Priestly Blessing from [Numbers 6:24-26](/numbers/6-24-26 "Numbers 6:24-26 - The Priestly Blessing"). However, this blessing is not sought for Israel's exclusive benefit. Immediately, in Psalm 67:2, the psalm pivots to a grander, global purpose, linking Israel's blessing directly to the universal revelation of God. The subsequent verses ([Psalm 67:3-5](/psalms/67-3-5 "Psalm 67:3-5 - Nations Praising God")) anticipate a joyful response from all nations, culminating in a renewed blessing upon the land in [Psalm 67:6-7](/psalms/67-6-7 "Psalm 67:6-7 - The Earth Yields Its Increase"), reinforcing the idea that God's favor on His people is a means to demonstrate His goodness to the entire world.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** While the precise historical setting for Psalm 67 is debated, its themes resonate strongly with post-exilic Israel, a community that had experienced God's judgment and restoration and was now tasked with being a light to the nations. The agricultural imagery (e.g., "the earth shall yield her increase" in [Psalm 67:6](/psalms/67-6 "Psalm 67:6 - The Earth Yields Its Increase")) suggests a connection to the harvest festivals, where the people would offer thanks for God's provision. In a world dominated by polytheism and national deities, the psalm's assertion of the one true God's universal sovereignty and saving power was a radical declaration. The concept of God blessing Israel to bless the nations is deeply rooted in the Abrahamic covenant, where God promised to bless all families of the earth through Abraham's descendants, as recorded in [Genesis 12:3](/genesis/12-3 "Genesis 12:3 - The Abrahamic Covenant").
* **Key Themes:** This psalm is rich with theological themes. The most prominent is the **Universal Revelation of God**, emphasizing that God's character, righteous judgments, and redemptive plan ("thy way") are not meant for a select few but for all people. This speaks to the inherent **missionary heart of God**, His desire for all humanity to come to know Him. Closely related is the **Global Scope of Salvation**, highlighted by "thy saving health among all nations," underscoring that God's deliverance and spiritual well-being are intended for every ethnicity and tongue. This is a powerful statement against any narrow, exclusive view of divine favor. Finally, the psalm implicitly stresses **Israel's Missional Purpose**: their experience of God's blessing is meant to be a testimony to the world, drawing others to acknowledge the one true God. Their blessing is directly linked to the spread of God's truth to the Gentiles, making them a conduit for divine grace.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Way (Hebrew, _derek'_):** This term (דֶּרֶךְ, H1870) is rich in meaning, referring not merely to a physical path but to God's character, His divine conduct, His righteous commandments, and the manner in which He operates in the world. When the psalmist prays for God's "way" to be known, it is a plea for humanity to understand God's moral order, His justice, His faithfulness, and His redemptive purposes. It encompasses His entire revelation of Himself and His will, representing His established course of action and self-disclosure.
* **Saving Health (Hebrew, _yᵉshûwʻâh'_):** The KJV's "saving health" beautifully translates the Hebrew word (יְשׁוּעָה, H3444), which is more commonly rendered as "salvation," "deliverance," or "help." It signifies far more than just physical well-being or healing; it encompasses comprehensive spiritual deliverance, victory over sin and death, and the holistic restoration and flourishing that God provides. It speaks to God's complete work of rescue and provision, leading to a state of wholeness, welfare, and peace.
* **Nations (Hebrew, _gôwy'_):** This term (גּוֹיִם, H1471, plural of _gôwy_) refers to the non-Israelite peoples, the Gentiles. Its inclusion here is crucial, as it explicitly broadens the scope of God's redemptive plan beyond the covenant nation of Israel to include all ethnic groups and peoples of the earth. It underscores the universal nature of God's love and His desire for all humanity to experience His salvation, challenging any ethnocentric or exclusive view of divine favor.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"That thy way may be known upon earth":** This clause expresses the psalmist's fervent desire for God's character, His righteous governance, and His revealed will to be universally recognized and understood by all inhabitants of the world. It is a prayer for divine self-disclosure, for humanity to perceive and acknowledge the true nature of the Creator and His dealings with mankind, encompassing His moral order and redemptive plan.
* **"thy saving health among all nations":** This second clause functions as a parallel to the first, intensifying and specifying the nature of what is to be known. It is not just God's general "way" but specifically His comprehensive "saving health"—His deliverance, salvation, and spiritual well-being—that the psalmist longs to see extended to every single ethnic group and people on the globe. This highlights the redemptive and inclusive heart of God, desiring holistic restoration for all humanity.

#### 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.

* [Isaiah 49:6](/isaiah/49-6 "Isaiah 49:6 - A Light to the Gentiles")
* [Matthew 28:19](/matthew/28-19 "Matthew 28:19 - The Great Commission")
* [1 Timothy 2:4](/1_timothy/2-4 "1 Timothy 2:4 - God Desires All to Be Saved")

### 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
* **How does understanding God's desire for His "way" and "saving health" to be known globally impact my personal prayer life and priorities?**
* **In what practical ways can I participate in God's mission to make His "way" known among "all nations," even from where I am?**
* **Does my understanding of God's blessing align with His ultimate purpose of universal revelation, or do I tend to view His favor as exclusively for my own benefit or group?**

### 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](/1_timothy/2-4 "1 Timothy 2:4 - God Desires All to Be Saved").

### 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 "John 14:6 - Jesus is the Way")" (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 "Luke 2:30-32 - Simeon's Prophecy")" (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](/matthew/28-19 "Matthew 28:19 - The Great Commission")," 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.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Titus 2:11

¶ For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Psalms 98:2

The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.

Psalms 98:3

He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Acts 18:25

This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.

Luke 3:6

And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

Isaiah 52:10

The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

Luke 2:30

For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,