Every verse here opens — tap a number for what that one means.
1God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah.
2That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.
3Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.
4O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.
5Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.
6Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.
7God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.
Commentary
Psalm 67, explained
What Psalm 67 is saying
A brief but theologically expansive psalm, Psalm 67 adapts the Aaronic blessing of Numbers 6:24–26 into a missionary prayer for God's ways to be known among all nations. The repeated refrain calling all peoples to praise creates a liturgical structure with universal scope. The psalm envisions agricultural blessing as a witness to the nations—when God blesses Israel, the whole earth takes notice.
The background behind it
The psalm's harvest language and universal vision suggest a festival context, possibly Sukkot, when Israel's worship was most visible to surrounding nations. Its adaptation of the priestly blessing democratizes what was originally a Levitical prerogative.
Themes running underneath
The psalm's missional theology is remarkable for its Old Testament context—Israel's blessing exists not for its own sake but so that God's saving power becomes known to all nations. The repeated 'let all the peoples praise you' anticipates the New Testament's Great Commission. Agricultural abundance serves as tangible evidence of divine faithfulness.
Why it still matters
Psalm 67 reframes personal and national blessing as missional: God's gifts are always meant to flow outward. It challenges insular faith by insisting that every blessing carries an implicit commission to witness.
Scripture text: King James Version — public domain.