Bible Commentaries

God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah.

Psalms 67:1-7.-Prayer for God's mercy upon God's people, that so His way may be known to all nations; also that His righteous reign may come upon earth to the joy of the nations (Psalms 67:1-4); as the result of the praises of all peoples, the earth shall yield her increase, and God shall bless us (Psalms 67:5-7). 'Elohiym is used throughout, as appropriate to the recognition of the God of the whole earth by all.

God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us - literally, 'with us;' implying His presence with us as our source of blessedness. The allusion is to the Mosaic blessing, Numbers 6:24-26 (cf. Psalms 4:6; Psalms 31:16). Accordingly the Psalmist here speaks of God, and not until the 2nd verse speaks to God. Compare also the manifold blessing, Deuteronomy 28:1-14.

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

That thy way may be known upon earth. "Thy way" - i:e., thy dealing in grace, as explained in the parallel, "thy saving health" (Acts 18:25). His ways of saving and blessing us, sinners though we be (Psalms 25:10; Psalms 103:7).

Thy saving health among all nations. Thus, the original promise to Abraham's seed, Israel and Messiah, at last shall be fulfilled (Genesis 22:18; Genesis 26:4; Isaiah 60:3).

Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.

Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee - a prophetical prayer. The manifested blessedness of Israel in her Lord shall attract all nations to the same Saviour (Isa. ).

O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.

O let the nations be glad, and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern ... - literally, guide (Isaiah 58:11). "Righteously" - literally, in evenness; i:e., equity (Psalms 45:6).

Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.

-When all the peoples praise God, then the earth itself shall be delivered from the curse.

Verse 6. Then shall the earth yield her increase - literally, 'hath yielded:' the prophetical preterite. The future is to the eye of inspiration as sure as the already past. The blessing in Leviticus 26:4 shall then be realized: primarily referring to thy Holy Land; ultimately to the whole earth. So also Psalms 65:5; Psalms 65:9-13.

And God, even our own God, shall bless us. Israel own God, and the God of the Church, shall go on blessing us.

Verse 7. God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him - (Psalms 22:27.) The conclusion sums up the psalm: God's blessing on the literal and the spiritual Israel shall he the forerunner of the conversion of the world.