Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Psalms 67
Psalm 67:1-2May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations.
This opening prayer directly echoes the famous priestly blessing from Numbers 6 but adds a crucial purpose: God's blessing is the very thing that will make His ways known to all nations.Psalm 67:4Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.
This verse gives the reason for global praise. The nations can be genuinely glad because God governs them with fairness and justice, offering guidance instead of oppression.Psalm 67:7God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him!
The psalm concludes by linking God's blessing to a universal, reverent awe. The ultimate goal is for every person on earth to recognize God's power and goodness and hold Him in the highest esteem.
Historical & Cultural Context
A Song for the Harvest and the Nations
Psalm 67 is not a story but a song, likely intended for corporate worship in ancient Israel. Its themes of harvest and blessing suggest it may have been sung during one of the annual festivals celebrating God's provision, like the Feast of Tabernacles. The song functions as a prayer that looks both inward, asking for God's favor, and outward, praying for that favor to impact the entire world. It’s a moment of worship where Israel remembers its unique calling to be a light to the other nations.
Echoes of the Priestly Blessing
The opening line, 'May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us,' is a direct quote from the Aaronic Blessing found in Numbers 6:24-26. This would have been a deeply familiar and cherished prayer for the people of Israel. By taking these well-known words and immediately tying them to a global mission in verse 2, the psalmist gives them a powerful new dimension. He shows that this ancient blessing was never meant to be exclusive but was always intended to overflow to the rest of the world.
From Local Blessing to Global Praise
Psalm 67 unfolds as a beautiful, expanding prayer. It starts with a personal plea for God's favor upon His people, using familiar language from Israel's history. But this request quickly blossoms into the psalm's central theme: that this blessing has a global purpose. The structure moves logically from the cause (God's blessing) to the effect (worldwide knowledge of His salvation), culminating in a chorus of universal praise.
A Prayer for Missional Blessing (Psalm 67:1-2)
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
2 that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations.
Commentary:
The psalmist asks for God's blessing so that all nations might see His salvation.
A Call for Universal Worship (Psalm 67:3-5)
3 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!
4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.
5 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!
Commentary:
A repeated chorus calls all people to praise God because His rule is just and fair.
A Harvest of Blessing and Awe (Psalm 67:6-7)
6 The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us.
7 God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him!
Commentary:
God's provision in the harvest is a sign of His blessing that should lead the whole world to revere Him.
God's Heart for the Whole World
Blessing with a Purpose
This psalm teaches that God's blessings are never an end in themselves. They are given so that His people can become a conduit of His grace and salvation to the world, fulfilling the promise He made to Abraham to bless all nations through him.
The Joy of Righteous Rule
True and lasting joy for all people is found under the governance of God. The psalm presents God's judgment not as something to be feared, but as a source of gladness and security because it is perfectly fair and equitable.
Worship as the Goal of Mission
The ultimate aim of God's blessing and salvation is worship. The psalm's vision encompasses the conversion of nations and their joyful, wholehearted praise of God, creating a global chorus of adoration.
Living Out the Blessing
Psalm 67 encourages you to see every blessing - whether it's your health, your resources, or your relationships - as a tool for God's mission. Instead of viewing them as purely for your own comfort, verses 1-2 challenge you to ask, 'How can this blessing in my life help someone else see God's goodness?'
This psalm gives you a hopeful vision for a reconciled world united in worship. It reminds you that God's plan is bigger than our current divisions. According to verse 4, the foundation for this unity is God's fair and just rule, which means you can pray for and work towards justice and reconciliation, knowing it aligns with God's ultimate purpose.
Verse 6 directly links the earth's harvest to God's blessing. You can apply this by practicing gratitude for the food and for the God who provides it. This thankfulness can then fuel a desire to share both your physical resources and the spiritual truth of God's goodness with those who have less.
God's Blessing Is For Everyone
Psalm 67 reveals that God's grace is not a private treasure to be hoarded but a brilliant light to be shared with the world. The blessing given to His people is the very means by which His saving power becomes known to all nations. The message is clear: God's heart is for the whole earth, and He invites His people to be a part of His global plan of redemption.
What This Means for Us Today
This psalm is a missionary prayer at its core. It asks for God's favor not for selfish gain, but so that we can more effectively reflect His character to a watching world. It invites us to see every blessing as a tool for global outreach.
- What blessing in my life can I use to show someone God's goodness this week?
- How can I pray for the nations to know the joy of God's righteous rule?
- In what area of my life do I need to see God's face 'shine upon me' so I can be a better witness for Him?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
Connections Across Scripture
This is the original Aaronic Blessing that Psalm 67:1 directly quotes, providing the foundational prayer that the psalmist expands with a missional purpose.
This passage contains God's foundational promise to bless Abraham and make his descendants a blessing to all nations, which is the theological bedrock of Psalm 67.
Known as the Great Commission, this is Jesus's final command to His disciples to take the message of salvation to all nations, fulfilling the prayer of Psalm 67.
Thematic Connections
Here, God calls His servant to be a 'light for the Gentiles,' that His salvation may reach to the ends of the earth, mirroring the theme of Psalm 67.
This passage offers a stunning vision of the prayer in Psalm 67 being fulfilled, showing a great multitude from every nation, tribe, and language worshiping God.
Discussion Questions
- Psalm 67 links God's blessing on one group of people to the salvation of all nations. How does this challenge the idea that faith is solely a personal matter between an individual and God?
- The psalmist says the nations will be 'glad and sing for joy' because God judges with equity (v. 4). In a world that often distrusts authority, why is God's perfect rule presented as such good news?
- The psalm ends with a call for 'all the ends of the earth' to fear God. What is the difference between a healthy, reverent 'fear' of God and being afraid of Him?