Psalm 67:7

EXPOSITION

Verse 7. God shall bless us. The prayer of the first verse is the song of the last. We have the same phrase twice, and truly the Lord's blessing is manifold; he blesses and blesses and blesses again. How many are his beatitudes! How choice his benedictions! They are the peculiar heritage of his chosen. He is the Saviour of all men, but specially of them that believe. In this verse we find a song for all future time. God shall bless us is our assured confidence; he may smite us, or strip us, or even slay us, but he must bless us. He cannot turn away from doing good to his elect.

And all the ends of the earth shall fear him. The far off shall fear. The ends of the earth shall end their idolatry, and adore their God. All tribes, without exception, shall feel a sacred awe of the God of Israel. Ignorance shall be removed, insolence subdued, injustice banished, idolatry abhorred, and the Lord's love, light, life, and liberty, shall be over all, the Lord himself being King of kings and Lord of lords. Amen, and Amen.

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

Verse 6-7. See Psalms on "Psalms 67:6" for further information.

Verse 7. Note, how joy in God, and fear of God, are combined. By joy the sadness and anxiety of diffidence are excluded, but by fear contempt and false security are banished. So Psalm 2, "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling." Wolfgang Musculus.

HINTS FOR PASTORS AND LAYPERSONS

Verse 5-7.

1. The prayer ( Psalms 67:5 ).
2. The promise ( Psalms 67:6 ).
   1. Of temporal good.
   2. Of spiritual good.
   3. The prediction ( Psalms 67:7 ).

Verse 6-7. See "Spurgeon's Sermons," No. 819: "The Minstrelsy of Hope."

Verse 7.

1. God to man: shall bless us.
   
2. Man to God: shall fear him.