TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Psalms 67:1–7. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
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.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
And because this confession leads not to punishment, he continues and says, "Let the nations rejoice and exult" [Psalm 67:4]. If robbers after confession made do wail before man, let the faithful after confessing before God rejoice. If a man be judge, the torturer and his fear exact from a robber a confession: yea sometimes fear wrings out confession, pain extorts it: and he that wails in tortures, but fears to be killed if he confess, supports tortures as far as he is able: and if he shall have been overcome by pain, he gives his voice for death. Nowise therefore is he joyful; nowise exulting: before he confesses the claw tears him; when he has confessed, the executioner leads him along a condemned felon: wretched in every case. But "let the nations rejoice and exult." Whence? Through that same confession. Why? Because good He is to whom they confess: He exacts confession, to the end that He may deliver the humble; He condemns one not confessing, to the end that He may punish the proud. Therefore be thou sorrowful before you confess, after having confessed exult, now you will be made whole. Your conscience had gathered up evil humours, with boil it had swollen, it was torturing you, it suffered you not to rest: the Physician applies the fomentations of words, and sometimes He lances it, He applies the surgeon's knife by the chastisement of tribulation: do thou acknowledge the Physician's hand, confess thou, let every evil humour go forth and flow away in confession: now exult, now rejoice, that which remains will be easy to be made whole...."Let the nations rejoice and exult, for You judge the peoples in equity." And that unrighteous men may not fear, he has added, "and the nations on the earth You direct." Depraved were the nations and crooked were the nations, perverse were the nations; for the ill desert of their depravity, and crookedness and perverseness, the Judge's coming they feared: there comes the hand of the same, it is stretched out mercifully to the peoples, they are guided in order that they may walk the straight way; why should they fear the Judge to come, that have first acknowledged Him for a Corrector? To His hand let them give up themselves, Himself guides the nations on the earth. But guided nations are walking in the Truth, are exulting in Him, are doing good works; and if perchance there comes in any water (for on sea they are sailing) through the very small holes, through the crevices into the hold, pumping it out by good works, lest by more and more coming it accumulate, and sink the ship, pumping it out daily, fasting, praying, doing almsdeeds, saying with pure heart, "Forgive us our debts, as also we forgive our debtors" [Matthew 6:12] — saying such words walk thou secure, and exult in the way, sing in the way. Do not fear the Judge: before you were a believer, you found a Saviour. You ungodly He sought out that He might redeem, you redeemed will He forsake so as to destroy? "And the nations on earth You direct."
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Summary
Psalms 67:4 is a vibrant prophetic declaration and fervent prayer, expressing a profound desire for all humanity to acknowledge and celebrate God's universal reign and perfectly righteous governance. It anticipates a future when the nations, having witnessed God's saving power and just administration, will respond with unbridled joy and worship, recognizing His supreme authority over all the earth.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is central to Psalm 67, a short but powerful communal prayer often interpreted as both a petition for divine blessing upon Israel and a missionary hymn with a global vision. The psalm opens with a plea for God's mercy and blessing upon His people, specifically stating in Psalm 67:1-2 that this blessing is intended "that thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations." Verses Psalm 67:3 and Psalm 67:5 frame our verse, repeatedly calling for the nations to praise God. Therefore, Psalms 67:4 is the joyful, expectant response to such a divine revelation: when God's righteous character and saving power are globally recognized, the nations will naturally rejoice and sing. The "Selah" at the end of the verse serves as a crucial pause, inviting profound reflection on the universal implications of God's just rule.
Historical & Cultural Context
The Psalms served as the hymnal and prayer book of ancient Israel, reflecting their theological understanding and spiritual aspirations. In a polytheistic ancient Near East, Israel's monotheistic faith uniquely proclaimed a God who was not merely a tribal deity but the sovereign Creator and Ruler of all nations. While Israel was God's chosen people, the covenant with Abraham in Genesis 12:3 always carried a universal dimension, promising that through him "all families of the earth shall be blessed." This verse reflects that expansive vision, anticipating a time when God's justice, unlike the often arbitrary or cruel rule of earthly kings, would be universally recognized as the source of true order and joy. The concept of a righteous judge and governor was paramount in ancient societies, and here it is applied to God as the ultimate, perfect arbiter of justice for all peoples.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within the psalm and broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it underscores the Universal Mission and Heart of God, revealing that His redemptive purposes extend far beyond Israel to encompass all peoples on earth. The desire for "the nations to be glad and sing for joy" is a profound expression of God's desire for all humanity to come into a right relationship with Him, as echoed in the prophetic vision of a multitude from every nation standing before the throne in Revelation 7:9. Secondly, it highlights God's Righteous Sovereignty and Governance. The reason for this universal joy is explicitly stated: "for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth." This speaks to God's perfect justice and His active, benevolent role in ruling the world, promising an end to injustice and chaos. Finally, the verse expresses a profound Eschatological Hope, pointing towards a future time when God's kingdom will be fully established, and His righteous rule will be universally acknowledged, bringing ultimate peace and joy to all creation.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This verb (H8055) signifies a deep, internal rejoicing, a profound sense of gladness and merriment, often expressed outwardly. It means to "brighten up" or "be blithe and gleesome," indicating a joy that is not superficial but rooted in a profound truth—in this case, the realization of God's righteous governance and saving acts. It encompasses being joyful, merry, and causing others to rejoice.
This word (H8199) is richer than merely rendering a legal verdict. While it includes the idea of judging in a forensic sense (pronouncing sentence for or against), shâphaṭ also encompasses the broader concepts of governing, ruling, administering justice, setting things right, and vindicating. When God "judges" the people, He is actively administering justice, establishing order, and governing with perfect equity, ensuring fairness and rectitude for all. It implies both vindication for the oppressed and punishment for the wicked.
A term (H5542) of uncertain precise meaning, found frequently in the Psalms and Habakkuk. It is widely understood as a musical or liturgical notation, likely indicating a "suspension (of music)," i.e., a pause. It serves as an invitation for profound reflection, a musical interlude, or perhaps an emphatic exclamation mark, urging the reader or worshiper to ponder the profound truth just stated with deeper contemplation.
Verse Breakdown
"O let the nations be glad and sing for joy"
This opening phrase is an impassioned imperative, functioning as both a fervent prayer and a prophetic declaration. It expresses a deep yearning for a global outpouring of worship and celebration, anticipating a future where all peoples, regardless of their origin, will recognize and respond to God's reign with heartfelt joy and exultation.
"for thou shalt judge the people righteously"
This clause provides the foundational reason for the nations' anticipated joy. It declares God's character as the ultimate, impartial, and perfectly just arbiter of all humanity. His judgment is not merely punitive but restorative, bringing order, truth, and vindication, ensuring that justice ultimately prevails over all injustice and chaos.
"and govern the nations upon earth"
This phrase reinforces and expands upon the previous one, affirming God's active, sovereign rule over all peoples and lands. It emphasizes His ultimate authority and control over all earthly affairs, ensuring that His perfect will and righteous administration will ultimately prevail across the globe, bringing stability and peace to every corner of creation.
"Selah"
This concluding notation serves as a cue for pause. It invites the reader or listener to meditate deeply on the profound implications of God's universal, righteous, and joyful reign over all nations, allowing the truth to resonate and sink into their hearts with spiritual weight and significance.
Literary Devices
Psalms 67:4 employs several powerful Literary Devices to convey its profound message. The most prominent is Imperative/Exhortation, seen in the opening "O let the nations," which functions as both a fervent prayer and a prophetic command, expressing a strong desire for universal worship and gladness. Parallelism is evident in the phrases "judge the people righteously" and "govern the nations upon earth," where the second clause reinforces and expands upon the first, creating a synonymous relationship that emphasizes the comprehensive nature of God's just and active rule. The psalm also exhibits a form of Inclusio when considered with other verses in Psalm 67, as the call for nations to praise God in Psalm 67:3 and Psalm 67:5 frames the central declaration of His righteous judgment, creating a literary embrace around the core theme. Finally, the verse acts as a powerful Theological Declaration, stating a foundational truth about God's character as the righteous, sovereign ruler of all creation, which serves as the basis for the anticipated global joy and worship.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Psalms 67:4 stands as a powerful testament to the universal scope of God's redemptive plan and His inherent character as a just and sovereign ruler. It reveals that God's concern and ultimate purposes extend far beyond the boundaries of Israel, encompassing all peoples and nations. The anticipated joy of the nations is not a result of their own achievements but a direct response to the revelation of God's righteous judgment and benevolent governance. This vision aligns with the biblical narrative's consistent trajectory towards a global acknowledgment of God, where His justice brings order out of chaos and His truth liberates humanity. It underscores that true peace and lasting joy are found only under the perfect rule of the Almighty, a rule that is both just and compassionate.
Reflection and Application
Psalms 67:4 calls believers to embrace a global perspective in their faith and to align their hearts with God's universal purposes. In a world often marked by profound injustice, political turmoil, and widespread suffering, this verse offers immense comfort and a steadfast anchor: God ultimately governs with perfect righteousness. It encourages us not to despair at present chaos but to trust in His sovereign hand, knowing that His justice will prevail and His perfect will shall ultimately be established on earth. This truth should ignite within us a passionate desire to see His "saving health" known among all peoples, compelling us to pray fervently for the nations, to support global missions, and to live as ambassadors of His righteous kingdom, anticipating the glorious day when all nations will indeed be glad and sing for joy before Him. It reminds us that our hope is not in earthly systems, but in the divine, unchanging character of our just God.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is it important for "nations" to be glad, not just Israel?
The importance of "nations" being glad stems from the universal scope of God's redemptive plan, which has always extended beyond Israel. While Israel was chosen as God's special people, their election was never meant to be exclusive but inclusive, serving as a conduit through whom "all families of the earth shall be blessed" as promised in Genesis 12:3. This psalm, therefore, anticipates the ultimate fulfillment of God's kingdom, where people from every tribe, tongue, and nation will acknowledge and worship Him. It underscores that God's love and saving purposes are for all humanity, and His righteous rule is the source of true joy and order for the entire world, not just a select group.
What does "Selah" truly mean?
While its precise meaning has been debated by scholars for centuries, "Selah" is generally understood as a musical or liturgical instruction found frequently in the Psalms and Habakkuk. It is most commonly interpreted as a direction for a pause, either for a musical interlude, silent reflection, or perhaps an emphatic exclamation. Its placement often follows a profound theological statement, as in Psalms 67:4, encouraging the reader or worshiper to stop, ponder, and allow the weight and truth of the preceding words to sink deeper into their heart and mind before proceeding. It serves as a spiritual "full stop" or "amen," inviting deeper contemplation and allowing the truth to resonate.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Psalms 67:4 finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The psalmist's fervent prayer for the nations to be glad and sing for joy under God's righteous judgment and governance is realized in the advent of the Messiah. Jesus is the promised King who reigns in righteousness and the appointed Judge of all the earth. Through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, He made it possible for people from every nation to be reconciled to God, breaking down the dividing wall of hostility and uniting all who believe into one new humanity, as described in Ephesians 2:14-16. The Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20 is Christ's command to His followers to go and make disciples of "all nations," actively bringing about the very global joy and worship envisioned in this psalm. Ultimately, the prophetic longing of Psalms 67:4 culminates in the eschatological vision of Revelation 7:9-10, where a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language stands before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" This is the joyous, universal worship of nations made possible by Christ's righteous judgment and redemptive reign.