Psalms 67

General context

The speakers ask God to be merciful to us, bless us and cause his face to shine on us, Selah, so that his way may be known on earth and his saving health among all nations. They ask that the people praise God, that all the people praise him, that the nations be glad and sing for joy, because he will judge the people righteously and govern the nations on earth, Selah. The request that the people praise him, all the people, is repeated. Then the earth will yield her increase, and God, even our own God, will bless us; God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him.

Cited passages: Psalms 67:1, Psalms 67:2, Psalms 67:3, Psalms 67:4, Psalms 67:5, Psalms 67:6, Psalms 67:7

Psalms 67 (KJV)

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Historical context

The text as printed here carries no heading; verse 1 opens with "God be merciful unto us, and bless us", so this source names no author, occasion or musical direction. The voice is a plural "us", which calls God "our own God" without naming a people or place; no king, city or event appears. Verse 1 speaks of God in the third person, "cause his face to shine upon us", and verses 2 to 5 address him as "thou" and "O God", before verses 6 and 7 return to the third person. "The people", "all the people", "the nations" and "all the ends of the earth" are the ones whose praise and fear are asked for, distinguished from the "us" who ask. "Thy saving health" and "thy way" are not defined further. The promise that "the earth yield her increase" is tied by "Then" to the praise of the peoples, with no harvest or season named. Selah stands after verses 1 and 4.

Cited passages: Psalms 67:1, Psalms 67:6, Psalms 67:2, Psalms 67:7, Psalms 67:4

Literary context

Seven verses are arranged around a repeated line: "Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee" stands at verse 3 and again word for word at verse 5, with verse 4 between them as the centre, the one verse that gives a reason, "for thou shalt judge the people righteously". On either side of that core the poem speaks of blessing on "us": asked for in verse 1 and stated as coming in verses 6 and 7. The logic runs in a chain of purpose: blessing on us, "That thy way may be known upon earth", so that the nations praise, and "Then" the earth yields and God blesses again. Face, way, judgment and increase are the four things named. The words "earth" and "nations" recur, moving the psalm from one group's prayer to "all the ends of the earth". Selah divides the opening request from the call to the peoples and the reason from the second refrain. This short psalm follows the long thanksgiving of Psalm 66 and precedes the march of Psalm 68.

Cited passages: Psalms 67:3, Psalms 67:5, Psalms 67:4, Psalms 67:2, Psalms 67:6, Psalms 67:7, Psalms 68:1

Key moments

1. Cause his face to shine (Psalms 67:1). The speakers ask God for mercy, blessing and a shining face, and Selah follows.
2. Thy way known upon earth (Psalms 67:2). The purpose of the blessing is that God's way and saving health be known among all nations.
3. Let all the people praise thee (Psalms 67:3). The refrain asks that all the peoples praise God.
4. Judge the people righteously (Psalms 67:4). The nations are to be glad because God judges righteously and governs them.
5. The earth yields her increase (Psalms 67:6). Then the earth will yield its increase and God will bless the speakers.
6. All the ends of the earth shall fear him (Psalms 67:7). God will bless them and the whole earth will fear him.

For reflection

The speakers ask for a blessing on themselves so that God's way may be known to everyone else; what does the poem assume about the connection between one group's good and the nations' gladness?