A Call for the World to Believe
An aspect of God’s relationship with the nation of Israel was that they were to be a light unto the world. In Psalm 67 the psalmist echos the Aaronic blessing of Numbers 6:24-26 in the form of a prayer to God asking for God’s grace and blessing. This blessing of Israel would be in the form of physical and spirit enrichment that enabled them to follow and honour God. The tangible evidence of God’s presence and pleasure in His children in this psalm is the harvest mentioned in 67:6.
The purpose of asking for this blessing is so that the God would be known to the peoples of the earth (67:1-2). They would know that Yahweh is the one true God, and they would respond to Him in faith and obedience. God’s grace to Israel was to be a sign to all the peoples that they could come humbly before Him and receive salvation (67:2). Yahweh is a saving God. Even today believers are to teach the world that God is compassionate and gracious, patient, loving, truthful, faithful, and just (Ex 34:6-7); and every person must respond to Jesus Christ in faith.
The psalmist prays for all the peoples of the earth to praise God and sing for joy (67:3-4). Let the nations rejoice now because God directs the affairs of the nations according to His sovereign plan and blesses the world with His common grace (67:4, 6). In the future, Christ’s sovereign reign over the nations will be a reign of equity and justice (67:4).
The psalmist prays that God would continue to bless His people, so that as the earth see God’s character, all the earth would become true worshippers of the one true God (67:7).