John Calvin Commentary Psalms 67

God be merciful to us, and bless us. The psalm contains a prediction of Christ’s kingdom, under which the whole world was to be adopted into a privileged relationship with God; but the Psalmist begins by praying for the divine blessing, particularly upon the Jews. They were the first-born (Exodus 4:22), and the blessing was to rest upon them first, and then extend to all the surrounding nations.

I have used the imperative mood throughout the psalm, as other translators have done, although the future tense, which is used in the Hebrew, would also suit well. The passage might then be understood as encouraging the minds of the Lord’s people to trust in the continuation and increase of divine favor.

The words, however, are generally construed as a prayer, and I merely offered this as a suggestion.

Speaking, as the Psalmist does, of those who belonged to the Church of God and not of those who were outside it, it is noticeable that he still traces all the blessings they received to God’s free favor. From this we may learn that as long as we are here, we owe our happiness, our success, and prosperity entirely to the same cause.

This being the case, how can anyone think to anticipate His goodness by their own merits?

The light of God’s countenance may refer either to the sense of His love shed abroad in our hearts or to its actual outward manifestation. On the other hand, His face may be said to be clouded when He strikes terrors into our conscience because of our sins, or withdraws the outward marks of His favor.

That they may know your way upon the earth. Here we have a clear prophecy of that extension of the grace of God by which the Gentiles were united into one body with the posterity of Abraham. The Psalmist prays for some conspicuous proof of favor to be shown his chosen people, which might attract the Gentiles to seek participation in the same blessed hope. By the way of God is meant his covenant, which is the source or spring of salvation, and by which he revealed himself in the character of a Father to his ancient people, and afterwards more clearly under the Gospel, when the Spirit of adoption was poured out in greater abundance. Accordingly, we find Christ himself saying, “This is life eternal, that they may know you, the only true God” (John 17:3).

Let the people praise you, O God! Having spoken of all nations participating in the saving knowledge of God, he next tells us that they would proclaim His goodness and exhorts them to the exercise of gratitude. The repetition itself clearly shows that he alludes to an event of a new and unprecedented kind.

Had the allusion been to some such manifestation of His favor as He ordinarily made to the Jews, we would not have looked for the same vehemence of expression. First he says, Let the people praise you; then he adds, Let all the people praise you. Afterward, he repeats the exclamation once more.

But he appropriately mentions, in between, rejoicing, and the reason for it, since it is impossible that we can praise God rightly unless our minds are tranquil and cheerful—unless, as persons reconciled to God, we are animated with the hope of salvation, and the peace of God, which passes all understanding, reigns in our hearts (Philippians 4:7).

The cause assigned for joy itself plainly points to the event of the calling of the Gentiles. The reference is not to that government of God which is general in its nature, but to that special and spiritual jurisdiction which He exercises over the Church, in which He cannot properly be said to govern any but those whom He has gathered under His sway by the doctrine of His law. The word righteousness is inserted in commendation of His government. Language almost identical is used by Isaiah and Micah when they speak of the times in which the word of salvation would be diffused throughout all the earth (Isaiah 11:4; Micah 4:3).

The earth has given its increase. Mention having been made of the principal act of Divine favor, attention then turns to the temporal blessings He bestows upon His children, so that they may have everything necessary to complete their happiness.

It should be remembered here that every benefit God bestowed upon His ancient people was, as it were, a light displayed before the world to draw the nations' attention to Him.

From this, the Psalmist argues that if God generously supplies the needs of His people, the result would be an increase in the fear of His name. This is because all the ends of the earth, witnessing His fatherly care for His own people, would more cheerfully submit to His rule.