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.
The fruit of the earth was first in Jerusalem. For from thence began the Church: there came there the Holy Spirit, and filled full the holy men gathered together in one place; miracles were done, with the tongues of all men they spoke. They were filled full of the Spirit of God, the people were converted that were in that place, fearing and receiving the divine shower, by confession they brought forth so much fruit, that all their goods they brought together into a common stock, making distribution to the poor, in order that no one might call anything his own, but all things might be to them in common, and they might have one soul and one heart unto God. [Acts 4:32] For there had been forgiven them the blood which they had shed, it had been forgiven them by the Lord pardoning, in order that now they might even learn to drink that which they had shed. Great in that place is the fruit: the earth has given her fruit, both great fruit, and most excellent fruit. Ought by any means that earth alone to give her fruit? "May there bless us God, our God, may there bless us God" [Psalm 67:7]. Still may He bless us: for blessing in multiplication is wont most chiefly and properly to be perceived. Let us prove this in Genesis; see the works of God: God made light, [Genesis 1:3] and God made a division between light and darkness: the light He called day, and the darkness He called night. It is not said, He blessed the light. For the same light returns and changes by days and nights. He calls the sky the firmament between waters and waters: it is not said, He blessed the sky: He severed the sea from the dry land, and named both, the dry land earth, and the gathering together of the waters sea: neither here is it said, God blessed....
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Summary
Psalm 67:7 articulates a profound theological truth: God's specific blessing upon His covenant people is not an end in itself, but a divinely purposed means to a universal end. It anticipates a future where the demonstrable favor and prosperity bestowed upon God's community lead directly to the global recognition of His supreme sovereignty and the reverential awe of all humanity. This verse serves as a powerful culmination of the psalm's missional vision, affirming that divine prosperity is intrinsically linked to the worldwide spread of God's glory and the establishment of His righteous rule among all nations.
Context
Literary Context
Psalm 67 is a communal prayer, often associated with harvest festivals, structured to emphasize a clear progression from particular blessing to universal praise. It opens with a direct plea for God's grace and blessing upon Israel in Psalm 67:1, immediately followed by the explicit purpose of that blessing: "that thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations" (Psalm 67:2). This establishes the missional trajectory from the outset. The psalm then incorporates a repeated refrain, "Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee!" (Psalm 67:3; Psalm 67:5), which frames the central petition and anticipation. Verses 6-7, including our focal verse, serve as a confident affirmation and culmination, asserting the certainty of God's blessing and its inevitable global impact, thereby echoing and fulfilling the initial plea and purpose. This chiastic movement, from specific blessing to universal recognition and back, powerfully underscores the psalm's central message of God's redemptive plan for all humanity.
Historical & Cultural Context
Composed likely for public worship, possibly connected to the ancient Israelite Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), an autumn harvest festival, Psalm 67 deeply resonates with the agrarian society of its time. During such festivals, the abundance of the harvest was understood as a direct manifestation of God's covenant faithfulness and tangible blessing. In a polytheistic ancient Near East where nations worshipped their own deities, Israel's experience of YHWH's palpable blessing—evidenced in fertile land, prosperity, and national flourishing—served as a powerful witness to the unique power and benevolence of their God. The psalm's universal scope, however, transcends a mere nationalistic prayer, reflecting Israel's unique calling as a "light to the Gentiles" (Isaiah 49:6). The phrase "ends of the earth" refers not merely to geographical boundaries but comprehensively to all peoples, nations, and ethnic groups beyond Israel's immediate borders, emphasizing a global vision that was remarkably expansive and revolutionary for its historical context.
Key Themes
Psalm 67:7 significantly contributes to several overarching themes within the Psalter and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it highlights the theme of Divine Blessing as a Catalyst for Mission. God's favor bestowed upon His people is never solely for their comfort or prosperity but is always purposed to reveal His character and power to a watching world, transforming recipients into agents of His redemptive plan. This echoes the foundational Abrahamic covenant where God promised to bless Abraham so that "all families of the earth will be blessed through you." Secondly, the verse articulates a profound vision of Universal Reverence and Recognition of God. The "fear" mentioned is not terror, but a profound awe, worshipful respect, and humble submission, signifying the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom and the global acknowledgment of His divine rule, as prophesied in passages like Zechariah 14:9. Finally, the verse powerfully articulates Israel's Missional Purpose. The progression from "God shall bless us" to "all the ends of the earth shall fear him" establishes a clear trajectory from particular blessing to universal impact, underscoring Israel's role in God's global redemptive agenda.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This plural noun, often used with a singular verb, refers to the supreme God, the Creator and Sovereign of the universe. While it can denote gods in a general sense or even magistrates, its specific use here, without an article, points to the one true God of Israel. It emphasizes His divine nature, power, and authority as the sole source of blessing and the ultimate object of universal reverence. The use of this term underscores the absolute nature of the blessing and the fear it elicits.
This primitive root signifies "to kneel," and by implication, to bestow divine favor, prosperity, and well-being. When God blesses, it means He actively confers good, leading to flourishing, abundance, and spiritual enrichment. In the context of Psalm 67, it encompasses both the material bounty of the harvest and the spiritual favor that sets Israel apart. This blessing is not passive but an intentional act of God, establishing the foundation for His global redemptive purpose.
While this root can denote terror or fright, in the context of God, yârêʼ primarily conveys a profound sense of awe, reverence, worshipful respect, and humble submission. It is the appropriate response to God's immense power, holiness, and sovereignty, leading to honor, obedience, and adoration. This "fear of the Lord" is foundational to wisdom and true knowledge of God, as articulated in Proverbs 9:10. Here, it implies a turning from idolatry to the worship of the one true God by all nations.
Verse Breakdown
"God shall bless us;"
This opening clause is a declarative statement of divine intention and action, expressing the certainty of God's blessing upon His covenant people, Israel. It builds upon the initial plea of Psalm 67:1 and the preceding affirmation of the land yielding its increase in Psalm 67:6. This blessing is not contingent on human merit but flows from God's gracious character and unwavering covenant faithfulness. It is a tangible, visible manifestation of His presence and favor, encompassing prosperity, flourishing, and well-being, serving as a powerful witness.
"and all the ends of the earth shall fear him."
This second clause reveals the ultimate purpose and global consequence of God's blessing upon Israel. The conjunction "and" (Hebrew: waw) indicates a direct result or a consequential purpose. The blessing bestowed upon Israel is not for their exclusive benefit but is intended to manifest God's glory so powerfully that every nation, every people group, from the furthest corners of the globe, will come to acknowledge His supreme authority and respond with reverential awe and worship. This is the culmination of the psalm's missional vision, moving from the particular experience of Israel to the universal recognition of God by all humanity.
Literary Devices
Psalm 67:7 effectively employs several powerful literary devices to convey its profound message. The most prominent is Synthetic Parallelism, where the second line expands upon and completes the thought of the first. "God shall bless us" sets the stage, and the consequential "all the ends of the earth shall fear him" reveals the divine purpose and global impact of that blessing, establishing a clear cause-and-effect relationship. There is also a strong sense of Theological Progression, moving from the specific (God's people, Israel) to the universal (all the ends of the earth), and from the internal experience of divine favor to the external manifestation of God's glory in the world. The phrase "ends of the earth" functions as a Merism or Metonymy, where a geographical boundary stands for the totality of people groups inhabiting those regions, emphasizing the comprehensive and global reach of God's redemptive plan. Finally, the psalm as a whole exhibits Inclusio, beginning with a plea for blessing and ending with the confident affirmation of that blessing and its universal impact, creating a cohesive and purposeful structure that reinforces its central missional theme.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Psalm 67:7 stands as a powerful testament to God's dual purpose in His dealings with humanity: to bless His people and, through that blessing, to reveal Himself to all nations. This verse resonates deeply with the foundational covenant with Abraham, where God promised to bless Abraham so that "all families of the earth shall be blessed" through him (Genesis 12:3). It underscores the principle that divine favor is never merely for personal enjoyment but is a stewardship intended to facilitate God's redemptive plan for the entire world. The "fear" of the Lord anticipated in this verse is the proper response to His revealed glory and saving power, echoing the universal worship envisioned by prophets like Isaiah and Zechariah, where all nations will stream to the mountain of the Lord (Isaiah 2:2-3). Ultimately, the verse points to God's sovereign intent to establish His kingdom universally, drawing all peoples into a relationship of awe and worship, a vision that finds its ultimate fulfillment in the New Covenant.
Reflection and Application
Psalm 67:7 challenges believers to re-evaluate the purpose of God's blessings in their lives, moving beyond a self-centered view of prosperity to a profound missional understanding: God blesses "us" so that "all the ends of the earth" might come to know and fear Him. This means our spiritual gifts, material resources, relational networks, professional platforms, and even our personal peace and joy are not solely for our comfort or accumulation but are divine instruments for God's global glory. We are called to live as living testimonies to God's goodness, allowing His light to shine through us in such a way that it draws others to Him, demonstrating His character and power to a watching world. This verse compels us to pray not only for personal and communal blessing but also with a fervent heart for the nations, desiring that every corner of the globe would acknowledge and worship the one true God. It is a powerful reminder that our individual flourishing is inextricably linked to God's universal redemptive plan, urging us to participate actively and intentionally in making His name known among all peoples.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "fear him" mean in the context of "all the ends of the earth shall fear him"?
In this context, "fear him" (Hebrew: yârêʼ) does not primarily mean terror or dread, but rather a profound sense of awe, reverence, and worshipful submission. It signifies a recognition of God's immense power, holiness, and supreme authority, leading to a proper response of honor, obedience, and adoration. For "all the ends of the earth" to "fear him" means that all nations will ultimately acknowledge Him as the one true God, turning from idolatry and false worship to worship Him in truth and spirit. This is the "fear of the Lord" that is described as the beginning of wisdom in Proverbs 9:10, a foundational concept in biblical theology that leads to life and blessing, not destruction.
How does God's blessing on "us" lead to "all the ends of the earth" fearing Him?
The psalmist understands God's blessing on His people as a visible, undeniable demonstration of His power, goodness, and faithfulness. When God's people prosper—whether spiritually, materially, or socially—it serves as a tangible witness to the world of the reality and benevolence of the God they serve. This visible blessing acts as a magnet, drawing the attention of other nations and prompting them to inquire about the source of such favor. It is through the testimony of a blessed people that God's "way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations" (Psalm 67:2). This aligns perfectly with the Abrahamic covenant, where God blessed Abraham so that he would be a blessing to "all families of the earth" (Genesis 12:3). The blessing is not an end in itself, but a divinely ordained means to a greater, universal missional purpose—to bring all peoples into a relationship of reverent awe and worship of the one true God.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Psalm 67:7 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The blessing promised to "us" (Israel) and its subsequent universal impact is perfectly embodied and extended through the Messiah. Jesus Himself is the ultimate "blessing" to humanity, the one through whom God's "saving health" is made known to "all nations" (Psalm 67:2). His incarnation, sinless life, sacrificial death on the cross, and glorious resurrection constitute the supreme act of divine favor, establishing a new covenant through His blood that extends God's blessing beyond ethnic Israel to all who believe, regardless of their background (Galatians 3:14). The "fear" (reverence and worship) that "all the ends of the earth shall fear him" is now supremely directed towards Christ, who is God incarnate, worthy of all adoration and submission (Philippians 2:9-11). The Great Commission, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (Matthew 28:19), is the New Testament expression of this psalm's missional vision, empowering believers, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, to carry the good news of God's blessing in Christ to every tribe and tongue, ensuring that indeed, "all the ends of the earth" will ultimately bow in reverent awe before the Lamb of God (Revelation 7:9-10).