Salmi 67:4 Commento

This psalm relates to the church and is calculated for the public. Here is, I. A prayer for the prosperity of the church of Israel (Psa 67:1). II. A prayer for the conversion of the Gentiles and the bringing of them into the church (Psa 67:2-5). III. A prospect of happy and glorious times when God shall do this (Psa 67:6, Psa 67:7). Thus was the psalmist carried out by the spirit of prophecy to foretel the glorious estate of the Christian church, in which Jews and Gentiles should unite in one flock, the beginning of which blessed work ought to be the matter of our joy and praise, and the completing of it of our prayer and hope, in singing this psalm. To the chief musician on Neginoth. A psalm or song.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 67 To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm or Song. According to the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, this psalm is a psalm of David; and very probably it was written by him, since the spirit and language of it agree with that sweet singer of Israel, though his name is not in the title; wherefore Aben Ezra says, we know not who composed it: and so the inscription of the Syriac version pronounces the same uncertain; which adds, "the people sung it when they brought David over Jordan;'' meaning after Absalom's rebellion was over, Sa2 19:41; but what follows better expresses the occasion and intent of it; "but to us it intimates a prophecy in it concerning the calling of the Gentiles, and the preaching of the apostles; likewise concerning the judgments of the Lord:'' and it seems indeed to breathe out the desires of the church after the coming of Christ, and spiritual blessings by him, and the spread of the Gospel among the Gentiles, as what would bring forth much fruit in the earth, and be the occasion of great joy. The ancient Jews (i) apply it , "to future time"; the world to come, the times of the Messiah: and Kimchi understands it of the gathering of the present captivity when the Messiah comes, and of the destruction of Gog and Magog. Of the word "neginoth", See Gill on Psa 4:1, title. (i) Debarim Rabba, s. 1. fol. 233. 4. Yalkut Simeoni in loc.

O let the nations be glad and sing for joy,.... As they were glad, and did sing for joy, and glorified God, when Christ was made known, and the Gospel was preached unto them, Act 8:5. for thou shalt judge the people righteously; meaning not the people of the world at the last day, at the general judgment, which will be a righteous one; when God will judge the world in righteousness, according to the strict rules of justice and equity, by him whom he has ordained, Psa 96:1; but either the righteous judgment which will be executed on the enemies of Christ's church and people; particularly on antichrist, which will be matter of great joy, Rev 19:1; and Kimchi interprets it of the judgment of the nations which shall come with Gog and Magog; or else the judging and vindicating the Lord's own people, defending their cause, righting their wrongs, and suffering no weapon to prosper against them; and govern the nations upon earth; or "lead them" (n); not to punishment, as Kimchi, who interprets this clause as the other; but by his grace and Spirit, into the knowledge of his way, and saving health; or as a shepherd leads his flock into green pastures, and beside the still waters; or as a king leads and governs his people, as David guided the people of Israel, with the skilfulness of his hands; so Christ leads and governs his people, protects and defends them, holds them by his right hand, guides them with his counsel, and then receives them to glory; see Psa 23:2. Selah; on this word; see Gill on Psa 3:2. (n) "duces eas", Montanus; "deduces", Junius & Tremellius, Cocceius; "deducis", Piscator.

And because this confession leads not to punishment, he continues and says, "Let the nations rejoice and exult" [Psalm 67:4]. If robbers after confession made do wail before man, let the faithful after confessing before God rejoice. If a man be judge, the torturer and his fear exact from a robber a confession: yea sometimes fear wrings out confession, pain extorts it: and he that wails in tortures, but fears to be killed if he confess, supports tortures as far as he is able: and if he shall have been overcome by pain, he gives his voice for death. Nowise therefore is he joyful; nowise exulting: before he confesses the claw tears him; when he has confessed, the executioner leads him along a condemned felon: wretched in every case. But "let the nations rejoice and exult." Whence? Through that same confession. Why? Because good He is to whom they confess: He exacts confession, to the end that He may deliver the humble; He condemns one not confessing, to the end that He may punish the proud. Therefore be thou sorrowful before you confess, after having confessed exult, now you will be made whole. Your conscience had gathered up evil humours, with boil it had swollen, it was torturing you, it suffered you not to rest: the Physician applies the fomentations of words, and sometimes He lances it, He applies the surgeon's knife by the chastisement of tribulation: do thou acknowledge the Physician's hand, confess thou, let every evil humour go forth and flow away in confession: now exult, now rejoice, that which remains will be easy to be made whole...."Let the nations rejoice and exult, for You judge the peoples in equity." And that unrighteous men may not fear, he has added, "and the nations on the earth You direct." Depraved were the nations and crooked were the nations, perverse were the nations; for the ill desert of their depravity, and crookedness and perverseness, the Judge's coming they feared: there comes the hand of the same, it is stretched out mercifully to the peoples, they are guided in order that they may walk the straight way; why should they fear the Judge to come, that have first acknowledged Him for a Corrector? To His hand let them give up themselves, Himself guides the nations on the earth. But guided nations are walking in the Truth, are exulting in Him, are doing good works; and if perchance there comes in any water (for on sea they are sailing) through the very small holes, through the crevices into the hold, pumping it out by good works, lest by more and more coming it accumulate, and sink the ship, pumping it out daily, fasting, praying, doing almsdeeds, saying with pure heart, "Forgive us our debts, as also we forgive our debtors" [Matthew 6:12] — saying such words walk thou secure, and exult in the way, sing in the way. Do not fear the Judge: before you were a believer, you found a Saviour. You ungodly He sought out that He might redeem, you redeemed will He forsake so as to destroy? "And the nations on earth You direct."

A prayer that, by God's blessing on His people, His salvation and praise may be extended over the earth. (Psa 67:1-7) cause his face to shine--show us favor (Num 6:24-25; Psa 31:16).