Bible Commentaries

CONTENTS

The church rejoices in the love and favour of her Lord, and desires that the same blessings she enjoys in her beloved, may be the happy portion of both Jew and Gentile.

To the chief musician on Neginoth, A Psalm or Song.

Psalms 67:1

Is not this prayer an answer of faith to the blessed precept of Jehovah given to Aaron the high-priest? Numbers 6:22, etc. If we read this scripture with reference to this injunction, nothing can be more interesting, for then it becomes the exercise of faith on God's promises in Christ. It is as if the church with one voice should say, Hath the Lord Jehovah appointed our almighty Aaron to bless his people? Is Jesus still exercising this high-priestly office? Doth God our Father bless and keep his people? Doth God the Son make his face to shine upon us, and be gracious unto us? And doth God the Holy Ghost lift up his countenance upon us, and give us peace? Then, Lord, hear thy church while exercising faith in these promises, and do thou be merciful to us; and bless us, and do as thou hast said.

Observe how blessed are the effects which follow God's mercy, and the shining of his countenance upon the soul. The church of our elder brother, the Jew, is praying for the conversion of her younger sister, the Gentile church, and desiring that the salvation by Jesus may be as universal as it is great. And we may suppose, with great propriety, that this is spoken, partly in a way of prayer, and partly by way of prophecy of what will be accomplished. The Lord had said, that in him, that is in Christ, should all the families of the earth be blessed. And here the church is looking forward to it, and longing to see it fulfilled. Genesis 12:3.

Gospel mercies demand gospel praise; and whenever the name and power of Christ are known and felt, praise will burst forth from every heart and every tongue.

The prophet had foretold that the nation and kingdom, which would not serve Christ, should perish; Isaiah 60:12. But the same prophet had it in commission to tell the church, that so blessed should be the advent of Christ's kingdom, and such the prosperity of the church, that strangers should stand and feed their flocks, and the sons of the alien should be their plowmen and their vine-dressers. So that in the contemplation of those auspicious events, the nations should be glad, and sing for joy, the Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice. Isaiah 61:5.

The call on the people is again repeated, to rejoice, like the repeated hallelujahs of Heaven. He that hath once sung to the praise of Christ's redeeming love, will everlastingly sing to it, and make it his every-day song.

The earth, with all her blessings, shall be sanctified to the church in her use of them; for by the fall thorns and briers only were to be her product; but now in Jesus all is sweetened, sanctified, and blessed. And the foundation and security of all these mercies are in the covenant relationship between God and his people. If God be our God, our own God in Christ, we may be well assured that he will give us his blessing having given us his only begotten Son, will he not with him freely give us all things? Reader, let you and I convert these sweet words into a prayer, then act faith upon it, and be assured that the blessing will most certainly follow. From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. Isaiah 24:16.

Ps 67

REFLECTIONS

IN the contemplation of the blessings contained in this devout hymn of the church, methinks, Reader, I would have your soul go forth, as I pray the Lord lead forth mine, in praising and adoring the God of all our mercies, for the sweet view here given of the harmony and love of the Jewish church towards that of the Gentiles, in so ardently desiring the advent of those blessed consequences of her conversion to the knowledge and enjoyment of the Lord Jesus. Surely it will be a glorious church, a blessed church, an harmonious church, when the fulness of the Gentiles shall be completed, and the Deliverer shall arise out of Zion to turn away ungodliness from Jacob. Lord, I would pray, hasten the happy hour: God be merciful to us, and bless us: let thy way be known upon earth, thy saving health unto all nations. Bring, Lord, thy church, both Jew and Gentile, into one fold, under one Shepherd, and let the whole redeemed be gathered unto our glorious Shiloh, that God in all things may be glorified in Jesus Christ.

And, until this blessed era arrive, and Christ's kingdom come, let us look up, and daily pray for these vast blessings. God hath said, For these things I will be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them. Be gracious, Lord, I would say, in making thy way known through the earth, and thy saving health in salvation-blessings among all nations. And oh! thou almighty Aaron! thou great High Priest and Melchizedec of thy church and people! do thou bless us in the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit! May God the Father bless us, and keep us! May God the Son make his face to shine upon us, and be gracious unto us! May God the Holy Ghost lift up his countenance upon us, and give us peace! Amen.