Psalm 67, Shining upon All the Earth

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.

What is the difference between a psalm and song?

Psalm 67: 1-2, His face

 May God be gracious to us 

and bless us 

and make his face shine upon us,

Selah.

that your ways may be known on earth, 

your salvation among all nations

The psalmist identifies God's attention with blessing, knowledge, salvation. Verse 1 echoes Numbers 6: 24-25.

All the nations are to be included in the knowledge of God and the accompanying salvation. This is a thanksgiving psalm.

Psalm 67: 3-4, Nations sing 

 May the peoples praise you, O God; 

may all the peoples praise you.

 May the nations be glad and sing for joy, 

for you rule the peoples justly 

and guide the nations of the earth.

Selah.

This stanza begin with synonymous parallelism, repeating the theme that all people will praise God, shifting from third to second person in the first two lines. Then in a tricolon (three stichs), the author builds on the theme of all nations responding to God, responding to His guidance. The theme of this song echoes God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12: 1-3.

Psalm 67: 5, Nations sing 

May the peoples praise you, O God; 

may all the peoples praise you.

The psalmist then repeats verse 3, calling for all nations to worship and praise God.

There is a chiasmus in verses 3 to 5:

• People praise you;
•     Nations are glad;
•         You rule justly; 
•     Nations are guided;
• People praise you.

Psalm 67: 6-7, Blessings and harvest  

 Then the land will yield its harvest, 

and God, our God, will bless us.

God will bless us, 

and all the ends of the earth will fear him.

Worshiping and praising God is equated with blessings and appropriate fear, respect, knowedge of the Creator.