Psalms 67:1-7 - Homilies By C. Short

A missionary psalm.

The psalmist prays "that the favour of God towards the chosen people may become visible, in order that, by its splendour, it may lead the heathen to the hope of sharing in it." The salvation of the heathen is here felt to depend upon the following conditions:—

I. THE SALVATION OF THOSE WHO CLAIM TO BE HIS CHURCH . ( Psalms 67:1 , Psalms 67:2 .) If it is God's "way" to save any, he must be able and willing to save all. And if his face shone upon them, his "saving health" would be made manifest to all peoples. This is the force of the prayer here used.

II. THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD 'S RIGHTEOUS GOVERNMENT OF THE WORLD . ( Psalms 67:4 .)

1. God, as the experience of Israel shows, governs men upon righteous principles. The psalm was most probably written after the Exile—a terrible part of their history, which taught them how God punishes sin.

2 . God is leading the world forward upon a Divine course. ( Psalms 67:4 .) He "governs" or leads the nations as a shepherd leads his flock. To this truth the Hebrews bore emphatic testimony.

III. GOD 'S BOUNTY TO THE EARTH IS HIS BOUNTY TOWARDS MAN . ( Psalms 67:6 .) "The earth yields her increase; God, our God, blesses us." But the harvest is only a single, though a splendid, instance of God's goodness towards men; he blesses them in a thousand ways, which, when considered, are adapted deeply to impress the heathen mind.—S.