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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
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
“The earth has yielded its fruit,” earth, holy Mary who is from our earth, from our seed, from this clay, from this slime, from Adam. “Dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” This earth has yielded its fruit; what it lost in the Garden of Eden, it has found in the Son. “The earth has yielded its fruit.” First, it brought forth a flower. It says in the Song of Songs, “I am the flower of the field and the lily of the valleys.” This flower has become fruit that we might eat it, that we might consume its flesh. Would you like to know what this fruit is? A Virgin from a virgin, the Lord from the handmaid, God from man, Son from mother, fruit from earth. Listen to what the fruit itself says: “Unless the grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it cannot bring forth much fruit.” “The earth has yielded its fruit”; it has yielded a grain of wheat. Because the grain of wheat has fallen into the ground and died, it produces many fruits. The fruit is multiplied in the head of grain. Because one had fallen, it rose again with many; one grain of wheat has fallen into the ground and a fruitful harvest came of it.
He exults, rejoices, exhorts, he repeats those same verses in exhortation. "The earth has given her fruit" [Psalm 67:6]. What fruit? "Let all peoples confess to You." Earth it was, of thorns it was full; there came the hand of One rooting them up, there came a calling by His majesty and mercy, the earth began to confess; now the earth gives her fruit. Would she give her fruit unless first she were rained on? Would she give her fruit, unless first the mercy of God had come from above? Let them read to me, you say, how the earth being rained upon gave her fruit. Hear of the Lord raining upon her: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." [Matthew 3:2] He rains, and that same rain is thunder; it terrifies: fear thou Him thundering, and receive Him raining. Behold, after that voice of a thundering and raining God, after that voice let us see something out of the Gospel itself. Behold that harlot of ill fame in the city burst into a strange house into which she had not been invited by the host, but by One invited she had been called; [Luke 7:37] called not with tongue, but by Grace. The sick woman knew that she had there a place, where she was aware that her Physician was sitting at meat. She has gone in, that was a sinner; she dares not draw near save to the feet: she weeps at His feet, she washes with tears, she wipes with hair, she anoints with ointment. Why do you wonder? The earth has given her fruit. This thing, I say, came to pass by the Lord raining there through His own mouth; there came to pass the things whereof we read in the Gospel; and by His raining through His clouds, by the sending of the Apostles and by their preaching the truth, the earth more abundantly has given her fruit, and that crop now has filled the round world.
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Summary
Psalms 67:6 is a vibrant declaration of divine blessing and the resulting earthly abundance, presented as a direct consequence of God's saving power being recognized and praised by all peoples. It anticipates a future where universal worship leads to God's comprehensive favor, causing the land to yield its produce and signifying holistic prosperity for those in covenant with Him. This verse serves as a hopeful affirmation that God's benevolent hand ensures provision and flourishing when His sovereignty is acknowledged globally, highlighting a profound link between human praise and divine provision.
Context
Literary Context
Psalm 67 is a concise yet profound psalm, often identified as a communal prayer or a missionary psalm, frequently associated with harvest festivals. The psalm opens with a fervent plea for God's mercy upon Israel and for His blessing upon them in Psalms 67:1-2. Crucially, this prayer for divine favor is not insular; its explicit purpose is "that thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations." This outward-focused intention sets the stage for the psalm's universal scope. Psalms 67:3-5 then transitions into an impassioned call for "all people" and "all nations" to praise God, celebrating His righteous judgment and guidance. Verse 6, therefore, stands as the anticipated outcome or blessed consequence of such universal worship and acknowledgment of God's saving power. It represents the fulfillment of the initial prayer and the promised reward for global praise, demonstrating the direct link between human recognition of God and divine provision.
Historical & Cultural Context
Composed likely for public worship, Psalm 67 deeply reflects the agricultural society of ancient Israel, where the "increase" of the earth was directly tied to survival, prosperity, and the very rhythm of life. Harvests were understood as tangible manifestations of God's blessing or judgment, making the imagery of the earth yielding its produce profoundly significant as a sign of divine favor. The psalm's emphasis on "nations" and "peoples" praising God aligns with Israel's unique role as a "light to the Gentiles," a concept rooted in the Abrahamic covenant where through Abraham's descendants, "all families of the earth shall be blessed" (Genesis 12:3). This universal scope was not merely an eschatological hope but also a present theological reality, as God's blessings on Israel were intended to draw others to Him. The phrase "our own God" underscores the covenantal relationship between Yahweh and Israel, a personal and exclusive bond that nonetheless had universal implications, showcasing God's faithfulness to a specific people as a witness to all.
Key Themes
This verse contributes significantly to several major themes within the psalm and broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it highlights Divine Provision, portraying God as the ultimate, benevolent source of all sustenance and abundance. The earth's capacity to produce is entirely dependent on divine enablement, signifying comprehensive prosperity and well-being that flows from God's favor, extending beyond mere agricultural output to encompass overall flourishing. Secondly, the theme of God's Blessing is central, emphasizing the personal and covenantal nature of God's relationship with His people. This blessing is comprehensive, touching every aspect of life – material, spiritual, and relational – and is a direct response to the recognition and praise of His universal sovereignty. Thirdly, the psalm articulates the Interconnectedness of Worship and Blessing, suggesting a profound link between the acknowledgment of God by all nations and the flourishing of the earth and its inhabitants. When God's righteous rule is recognized globally, His blessings are expected to flow abundantly, demonstrating that God's glory and humanity's flourishing are intrinsically linked, anticipating a time when the knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:9).
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term refers to the land, ground, or the entire planet. In this context, it specifically denotes the cultivated land that yields produce, but also carries the broader implication of the global sphere where God's way is to be known. Its yielding of "increase" signifies the tangible, physical manifestation of God's blessing upon the natural world and, by extension, upon humanity.
A versatile primitive root, "nâthan" means "to give," "to put," or "to make." Here, it describes the active process by which the earth produces its bounty. It implies a divine enablement or command for the earth to bring forth its fruit, highlighting that the earth's productivity is not inherent but is a result of God's active will and blessing.
Derived from a root meaning "to bring," this noun specifically refers to the produce, yield, or fruit of the land, particularly agricultural crops. Its use here underscores the tangible, physical bounty that God provides, emphasizing the natural world's capacity to sustain life. In a broader sense, it symbolizes all forms of prosperity and flourishing that result from divine favor, extending beyond mere agricultural output to encompass overall well-being and abundance in every sphere of life.
This plural noun, often used with a singular verb, refers to the supreme God. The repetition of "God, even our own God" (אֱלֹהִים אֱלֹהֵינוּ, ʾĕlôhîm ʾĕlôhênû) serves to intensely personalize and emphasize the covenantal relationship. The possessive suffix "our" (nû) highlights the unique, intimate, and exclusive bond between Yahweh and His people, Israel. It affirms God's faithfulness to His promises and His particular care for those who belong to Him, even as His blessings are intended to extend universally. This phrase grounds the universal blessing in a specific, relational commitment.
A primitive root meaning "to kneel" or "to adore," this versatile verb signifies empowering with divine favor, leading to prosperity, fruitfulness, and success. When God blesses, He imparts life, vitality, and well-being. The blessing is comprehensive, touching every aspect of life – material, spiritual, and relational. It is an active, divine impartation of good, flowing from God's benevolent nature and His covenant faithfulness.
Verse Breakdown
"Then shall the earth yield her increase;"
This clause anticipates a future state of agricultural abundance and general prosperity. The "then" (אָז, ʾāz) connects this flourishing directly to the universal praise and recognition of God described in the preceding verses. The earth, personified, is depicted as actively responding to God's blessing by producing its bounty. This is not merely a natural phenomenon but a supernatural outcome, a divine enablement that ensures the land's fruitfulness. It signifies a time of peace, stability, and material well-being, a hallmark of God's kingdom, where creation itself participates in the divine order.
"[and] God, [even] our own God, shall bless us."
This second clause explicitly identifies the source of the "increase" and the overall prosperity: God Himself. The emphatic repetition of "God, even our own God" reinforces His personal, covenantal relationship with His people, assuring them of His particular favor. The blessing is comprehensive, encompassing all aspects of life, and is a direct, active impartation from the divine. It implies not just material provision but also spiritual favor, protection, and the fulfillment of covenant promises, flowing from His very nature as the benevolent and faithful God of Israel, who delights in showering His people with good.
Literary Devices
Psalm 67:6 employs several powerful Literary Devices to convey its message with depth and impact. Personification is evident in the phrase "the earth yield her increase," attributing the action of producing bounty to the earth itself, as if it is actively responding to God's command or blessing. This imbues creation with a sense of participation in God's redemptive plan. The Repetition of "God, even our own God" is a rhetorical device known as Pleonasm or Emphasis, serving to intensify the personal and covenantal relationship between God and His people. It underscores the certainty and intimacy of His blessing, highlighting His particular commitment. Furthermore, the verse functions as a Result Clause or Consequence, presenting the earthly increase and divine blessing as the direct outcome of the universal praise and acknowledgment of God called for in the preceding verses. This establishes a clear Cause and Effect relationship between global worship and divine favor. Finally, the "increase" of the earth serves as a powerful Metaphor for holistic prosperity and well-being, extending beyond mere agricultural abundance to encompass spiritual, social, and relational flourishing under God's benevolent reign, signifying a comprehensive flourishing that encompasses all aspects of life.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 67:6 beautifully encapsulates the biblical principle that God's blessing is both comprehensive and purposeful. It affirms God as the ultimate provider, whose benevolent hand sustains creation and pours out blessings upon His people. This divine provision, however, is not an end in itself but serves a broader redemptive purpose: to make God's saving power known among all nations. The verse connects the flourishing of the earth to the universal praise of God, suggesting an eschatological vision where creation itself thrives under the righteous reign of a God acknowledged by all peoples. It reflects the covenantal promises of blessing for obedience and highlights the integral link between humanity's worship and the well-being of the created order, anticipating a future where God's glory fills the earth, and His people experience abundant life, demonstrating His goodness to all.
Reflection and Application
Psalms 67:6 offers profound comfort and a compelling challenge for believers today. It reminds us that our God is the faithful and benevolent provider, the ultimate source of all good things, whether material or spiritual. In an age of anxiety, scarcity, and environmental concerns, this verse calls us to cultivate a deep trust in God's unfailing provision, recognizing that the "increase" in our lives, whether tangible or intangible, ultimately flows from His generous hand. This understanding should foster a spirit of profound gratitude and responsible stewardship, prompting us to manage the resources and blessings He entrusts to us with wisdom, integrity, and a generous heart. Crucially, the psalm's context reveals that God's blessing is not merely for our personal comfort or isolated prosperity but is intrinsically linked to His global mission. Our abundance, our flourishing, and our experience of God's goodness are intended to be a testimony to the nations, drawing others to acknowledge and praise Him. Thus, our lives, blessed by God, become a living demonstration of His character, fueling our participation in making His saving health known to all peoples and anticipating the day when the whole earth will yield its praise to Him.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the phrase "our own God" in this verse?
The phrase "our own God" (אֱלֹהֵינוּ, ʾelōhênû) is deeply significant because it emphasizes the personal, covenantal, and exclusive relationship between Yahweh and His people, Israel. While the psalm has a universal scope, calling for all nations to praise God, this specific phrasing grounds that universal blessing in God's particular commitment to His chosen people. It assures Israel that the God who blesses the earth is not a distant, impersonal deity but their very own God, bound to them by covenant promises. This personal affirmation strengthens faith and highlights the intimacy of God's care, even as His blessings are intended to extend to all humanity, demonstrating His character through His relationship with Israel, as seen in the broader context of Psalms 67.
How does this verse relate to the concept of missions or evangelism?
Psalms 67:6 is intimately connected to missions and evangelism through the overarching theme of the psalm. The preceding verses explicitly state the purpose of God's blessing upon His people: "that thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations" (Psalms 67:2). The earth yielding its increase and God blessing His people (verse 6) is presented as a direct result of this universal acknowledgment and praise of God by all peoples. Therefore, the prosperity and flourishing experienced by God's people are not for their isolated benefit but are intended to be a tangible demonstration of God's goodness, drawing the nations to Him. It suggests that when God's people live under His blessing, it serves as a powerful witness to the world, inviting others to join in the praise and experience of God's saving power. This aligns perfectly with the Great Commission, where believers are sent to make disciples of all nations, carrying the good news of God's kingdom and demonstrating its transformative power (Matthew 28:19-20).
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Psalms 67:6 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The "increase" of the earth and the comprehensive blessing of God, yearned for in the Old Testament, are fully realized in the new creation inaugurated by Christ. He is the true source of all spiritual and eternal "increase," providing not merely physical sustenance but the bread of life (John 6:35) and living water (John 4:10). Through His atoning sacrifice and glorious resurrection, Christ has secured for His people every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3), fulfilling the promise of the blessing of Abraham for all nations (Galatians 3:14). The universal praise of God, which in Psalm 67 leads to earthly flourishing, is now centered on Christ, for it is through Him that God's "saving health" is truly known among all nations. The vision of the earth yielding its increase points forward to the new heavens and new earth, where righteousness dwells and creation is fully redeemed from the curse, bearing the fruit of the tree of life for the healing of the nations (Revelation 22:1-2). Thus, the blessings of Psalms 67:6 are not just agricultural or material but are ultimately spiritual and eschatological, culminating in the reign of Christ where all creation flourishes under His benevolent rule and all peoples acknowledge Him as Lord, bringing forth the ultimate harvest of redemption.