Psalm 67 — 68
when the kingdoms of the world belong to Jesus Christ (Rev. 11:15).
PSALM 67
Except for verses 1 and 6, each verse in this brief psalm mentions "all nations" or "all peoples," and in that respect fits in with Psalms 65 and 66. It's a psalm of praise to God for all His blessings, as well as a prayer to God that His blessings will flow out to the Gentiles, especially His salvation. This was part of God's covenant with Abraham (Gen. 12:1–3). A blessing is a gift from God that glorifies His name, helps His people, and through them reaches out to help others who will glorify His name. God blesses us that we might be a blessing to others. The psalm describes the stages in this sequence.
The Lord Sends the Harvest (vv. 6–7) What does the harvest have to do with the conversion of the nations of the world? The phrase "Then shall the earth yield her increase" (v. 6) is a quotation from Leviticus 26:4, and Leviticus 26 is a summary of God's covenant with Israel. (See also Deut. 28—30.) God made it clear that His blessing on the land depended on Israel's obedience to His law (Lev. 26:1–13). The blessings He would send Israel would be a witness to the pagan nations that Jehovah alone is the true and living God, and this would give the Jews opportunity to share the Word with them (Deut. 28:1–14). But if Israel disobeyed the Lord, He would withhold the rain, and their fields would yield no harvest (Lev. 26:14–39), and this would put Israel to shame before the Gentile nations (Jer. 33:1–9; Joel 2:17–19; Deut. 9:26–29). Why would "all the ends of the earth" fear a God who didn't provide food for His own people? The application to the church today is obvious: as we obey the Lord, pray, and trust Him, He provides what we need; and the unsaved around us see that He cares for us. This gives us opportunity to tell them about Jesus. While verse 6 speaks of a literal harvest, it also reminds us of the "spiritual harvest" that comes as we witness for the Lord (John 4:34–38).
Israel Blesses the Nations (vv. 1–2) This prayer asks God to bless Israel so that His ways (laws) and His salvation might be known ("experienced personally") throughout the world. It's adapted from the high priestly prayer in Numbers 6:24–26, with the psalmist using Elohim instead of Jehovah. (Other references to this prayer are 4:6; 29:11; 31:16; 80:3, 7, 19.) The glory of God was an important part of Israel's heritage (Rom. 9:1–5), for God's glory led Israel through the wilderness and rested over the tabernacle wherever the nation camped. To have the light of God's countenance smile upon them was the height of Israel's blessing, and to lose that glory meant judgment (1 Sam. 4, especially vv. 21–22). The prophet Ezekiel watched the glory depart before the temple was destroyed (Ezek. 8:4; 9:3; 10:4, 18; 11:22–23). God's people today have God's glory within (1 Cor. 6:19–20; 2 Cor. 4:6), and in our good works, godly character, and loving ministry we should reveal that glory to the world (Matt. 5:16; Phil. 2:14–16). In the same manner, Israel was to be a light and a blessing to the nations (Isa. 42:6; 49:6–7; Acts 13:47). Israel gave us the knowledge of the true and living God, the Word of God, and the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.
God blesses the nations through His people Israel and through His church, and all the nations should trust Him, obey Him, and fear Him.