The Prayer of Israel for the blessing which Messiah is to bestow on them, for the sake of earth at large

David prays for the enlargement of God’s kingdom that is His church. It is through the church that His message is conveyed, His saving health (salvation) declared, and His glory revealed. There is a prophetic nature about the psalm because it envisages the ingathering of the Gentiles. Not only the Jewish nation should praise Him, but all the nations of the earth.

When His face shines upon His people, then His way shall be made known throughout the world. His shining face is His favour, but also there is this sense that “God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our heart to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” It is the face or person of Jesus Christ that shines and casts the radiance of His grace and love upon our sick souls. He is the One who gives saving health. The psalm teaches us to be expansive in worship, and in our desire to evangelise.

Pastor Jeff O’ Neil

Recommended Tune: Tiverton, Crediton

Psalm 67 – Second Version (Common metre)

¹Lord, unto us be merciful,
Do thou us also bless;
And graciously cause shine on us
The brightness of thy face:

²That so thy way upon the earth
To all men may be known;
Also among the nations all
Thy saving health be shown.

³O let the people praise thee, Lord;
Let people all thee praise.
⁴O let the nations be glad,
And sing for joy always:

For rightly thou shalt people judge,
And nations rule on earth.
⁵Let people praise thee, Lord; let all
The folk praise thee with mirth.

⁶Then shall the earth yield her increase;
God, our God, bless us shall.
⁷God shall us bless; and of the earth
The ends shall fear him all.