Chapter Overview
Summary
Psalm 67 (MT) / Psalm 66 (LXX) is a short universalist-praise psalm (7 verses) that opens with a direct echo of the Aaronic blessing (Num 6:24–26): 'may God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine on us.' The psalm extends the patriarchal-national blessing outward to 'all the nations' (vv. 2, 3–5, 7) — making the Aaronic-blessing the instrument of gentile-inclusion. The psalm also celebrates harvest: 'the earth has yielded its increase' (v. 6).
Notable Variants
67:1 direct echo of Num 6:24–26 Aaronic blessing; the three-fold 'let the nations praise you' repetition; the nations-blessed-through-Israel theology (cf. Gen 12:3).
Structural Notes
MT Ps 67 = LXX Ps 66. 8 verses (MT/LXX), 7 verses (English).
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.
Superscription tracks MT.
May God be gracious to us and bless us; may he make his face shine on us. Selah.
'May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us' tracks MT. AARONIC BLESSING ECHO. Numbers 6:24–26's priestly benediction: 'The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make HIS FACE TO SHINE UPON YOU and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.' This psalm transposes the priest's-blessing-over-Israel into Israel's-prayer-for-itself, then extends it outward to the nations. Luke 1:78's Benedictus ('the dawn from on high shall visit us' — episkepsetai) draws on the light-shining tradition.
so that your way may be known on earth, your deliverance among all nations.
'That your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations' tracks MT. The missional-motive: Israel's being-blessed serves the nations' knowing-God purpose. Genesis 12:3's 'in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed' is the foundation.
Let the peoples thank you, God; let all the peoples thank you.
'Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!' tracks MT — FIRST occurrence of the refrain. The universal-praise call.
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations on earth. Selah.
'Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth' tracks MT.
Let the peoples thank you, God; let all the peoples thank you.
'Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!' tracks MT — SECOND REFRAIN.
The earth has yielded its produce; God — our God — blesses us.
'The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us' tracks MT. Harvest-blessing theology — divine-fertility following divine-favor.
God blesses us, and all the ends of the earth revere him.
'God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him!' tracks MT. Closing-with-universal-fear-of-God — the nations-receive-blessing-and-respond-with-reverence pattern.