GLEANINGS IN THE PSALMS

(Psalm 67)

Verse 1 “God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah.”

1. The Psalm begins at the beginning with a cry for mercy. Forgiveness of sin is always the first link in the chain of mercies experienced by us. Mercy is a foundation attribute in our salvation. The best saints and the worst sinners may unite in this petition. It is addressed to the God of mercy, by those who feel their need of mercy, and it implies the death of all legal hopes or claims of merit
2. Next, the Church begs for a blessing; “bless us” – a very comprehensive and far reaching prayer. When we bless God we do but little, for our blessings are but words; but when God blesses He enriches us indeed, for all his blessings are gifts and deeds.
3. But His blessing alone is not all His people crave; they desire a personal consciousness of His favour, and pray for a smile from His face – “his face to shine upon” them. These three petitions include all that we need here or hereafter.

Spurgeon

Verse 2. “That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.” As showers which first fall upon the hills afterwards run down in streams into the valleys, so the blessing of the Most High comes to the world through the Church. We are blessed for the sake of others as well as ourselves. God deals in a way of mercy with His saints, and then they make that way known far and wide, and the Lord's name is made famous in the earth. Ignorance of God is the great enemy of mankind, and the testimonies of the saints, experimental and grateful, overcome this deadly foe. God has a set way and method of dealing out mercy to men, and it is the duty and privilege of a revived Church to make that way to be everywhere known.

Spurgeon

Verse 2. “That thy way” etc. Note that the spreading of the truth abroad springs out of the receiving of the truth at home – “God be merciful unto us; and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us, that thy way may be known upon earth …” Spreading Christianity abroad is sometimes and the excuse for not having it at home. A man may cut grafts from his tree, till the tree itself has no top left with which to bear fruit. In the end, the power of Christian missions will be measured by the zeal of enlightened piety at home; as the circulation of the blood at the extremities of the body will depend on the soundness of the lungs and heart. I do not say that we should not send the gospel abroad! But that we may do it, there must be more of it at home. We must deepen the wells of salvation, or drawing will run them dry.

H.W.B.

Verse 3. “Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.” Mark the sweet order of the blessed Spirit: first, mercy; then, knowledge; last of all, praising of God. We cannot see His countenance except He be merciful to us; and we cannot praise Him except His way be known upon earth. His mercy breeds knowledge; His knowledge, praise.

John Boys

Verses 5 and 6. “Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.” What then? “Then shall the earth yield her increase, and God even our own God, shall bless us.” We have comforts increased the more we praise God for what we have already received. The more vapours go up, the more showers come down; as the rivers receive, so they pour out, and all run into the sea again. There is a constant circular course and recourse for the sea and into the sea; so there is between God and us. The more we praise Him, the more our blessings come down, the more we praise Him again; so that we do not so much bless God as bless ourselves. When the spring lies low, we pour a little water into the pump, not to enrich the fountain, but to bring up more for ourselves.

Thomas Manton

Verses 5 and 6. “Let the people praise … then shall the earth” etc. While man is blessing God for His mercies, He is blessing man with His mercies.

William Secker

Verse 6. “Then shall the earth yield her increase …” Those trees flourish most and bear sweetest fruit, which stand most in the sun. The praying, praising Christian stands near to God and has God near to him in all that he calls upon Him for; therefore, you may expect that Christian's fruit to be sweet and ripe. Another Christian who stands, as it were, in the shade and at a distance from God, through neglect of this duty of prayer and praise, will have little fruit found on his branches, and as such as there is will be green and sour.

William Gurnall

This Page Title – Gleanings in the Psalms (Psalm 67) The Wicket Gate Magazine "A Continuing Witness". Internet Edition number 108 – placed on line May 2014 Wicket Gate contact address – Mr Cliff Westcombe cw@wicketgate.co.uk If you wish to be notified when each new edition goes on line please send an e-mail to the above address Magazine web address – www.wicketgate.co.uk