1God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah.
2That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.
3Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.
4O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.
5Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.
6Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.
7God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.
📖 Chapter study
Summary
A brief psalm asking God to bless his people so that his way may be known throughout the earth, calling all nations to rejoice and give praise, ending with the assurance that the earth will yield its harvest.
Explanation
This short psalm uses the language of the priestly blessing from Numbers 6:24-26 ('God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us') as a starting point, but expands its purpose: the blessing on Israel is not an end in itself, but a means so that 'all nations' may know God's salvation. This missionary vision, already present in the Old Testament, shows that Israel's election always had a broader purpose — to bless all humanity, as promised to Abraham in Genesis 12:3. Today's application: blessings received are not just for personal benefit, but to be shared and witnessed to others.