PSALM 67. PRAISE GOD!. David wrote this ode. According to the Syriac he and the people sang this as they passed over Jordan after the rebellion of Absalom his son. In the language of typology, passing over Jordan speaks of death. David had quite a shock when his son led a rebellion against him. But even that was not to be compared with the agony he suffered when he received the news of the death of Absalom, who he truly loved. Now the Lord is bringing him back over Jordan and he sings a song. There was something in the very heart of David that whether things were going right or things were going wrong, he had a song to sing. God can put a song in the heart of the believer whatever the circumstances. There are FOUR outstanding themes in this beautiful brief psalm. FIRST, he emphasises the Mercy of God, "God be merciful unto us and bless us." This is the type of benediction used by the priests under the Law (Numbers 6.24-25.) They used this benediction repeatedly. There are times when we feel very much on our own, but when we use the word US, it brings everybody together. Those people had been through a great deal together. The Lord would be merciful to them and bless them. The Shining of the Countenance of God on His people is always Gracious, and David asks that God might make His Face to Shine upon them. The phrase refers to the smile of God in your life. The lustre that refreshes the heart and pours blessing on all your ways. All the blessings we receive come through the Mercy and Grace of God. Christ said to His disciples one day, "The Father Himself loves you!" In Christ we see the smiling of God's Face and rest in the refuge of His Grace. SECOND, the psalmist sings of the Mediation of Christ. "That Thy way may be known upon the earth, and Thy saving health among all nations." The Lord Jesus Christ came to show us that way. One of the sayings Christ used is so specific. He said, "I am the Way!". Christ is the exponent of the Perfect Way. His way is the New Covenant with God, and His Will is the New Testament. David's prayer is answered in Christ. He is the Way of God known in all the earth. Christ is the only man who ever was born on earth, having made His Will, died to make it effective, then rose from the dead to ensure that it was carried out. Not only did David ask that God's Way should be revealed, but also that His Saving Health should be known among the nations. The word "Saving Health" is translated SALVATION 50 times out of 70 in the Hebrew Scriptures. Sometimes it is given as WELFARE and DELIVERANCE and twice as HEALTH. Here alone it is translated SAVING HEALTH. God's Way is Saving Health = SALVATION. This we receive through Jesus Christ. great David's greater SON. God has made provision for our soul's social security - our saving health - from earth to heaven. Christ's mediation brings it to us. THIRD: The Millennial Reign of Christ, is inferred in the fourth verse of this short song. It is in this prophetic utterance: "Thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon the earth. Selah." God will make the people glad and they will sing for joy. What a different scene from the present panorama of earth. The whole earth now seethes with discontent. Constant change weakens human constitutions. Internecine conflicts destroy the unity of the people. The world scene is a devil's cauldron of death, disease and disaster. There is one coming soon who knows the answer to our problems. Jesus Christ shall reign over all the earth. "Let all the nations be glad and shout for joy." The psalmist sings prophetically, "Thou shalt judge righteously. Thou shalt govern the nations upon earth." God will make them glad. God will give them all cause for rejoicing. THE GOVERNOR WILL COME. FOURTH: GOD'S MONITORY is mentioned in verses six and seven. A monitory in the ordinary use of the term is a bishop's or pope's letter of admonition. This is the Almighty's letter. HE WILL BLESS YOU. "Then shall the earth yield her increase and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the Lord." When all the people praise HIM, then shall the earth yield her increase. Is it really dependent upon that?. Without doubt it is, for it refers to the willingness of the people on earth to do what the Lord God requires of them. The quotation above is from the book of the prophet Ezekiel (34.27) and emphasises the same principle. This is God's promise to His people. When the Son of God shall reign, the whole earth shall know peace and prosperity. "God shall bless us and all the ends of the earth shall fear Him." What a transformation there would be in this old world if people really began to believe there is a God and that He does speak to men. When Christ returns to reign on earth mankind will know that God is in control. Here then is God's monitory - His letter of reassurance - HE WILL BLESS US. It is strange however, that what is an issue of life to some, is an issue of death to others. To some this word is a savour of death unto death, If you open a Bible in the presence of some people, they smell death. But, to every believer, the open Book is an issue of life unto life. O to know the light of God's Countenance and the smiling of His face. Then shall we truly say, "Praise God!" Copyright (c) 1996, Hedley Palmer. All rights reserved. ---------------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/hpalmer/psalms: ps-067.txt .