Psalms 67:2
in Psalms 67that Your ways may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
That thy way may be known upon earth, Thy salvation among all nations.
KJV
That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.
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This verse in Psalms 67
Commentary
13 notes on this verseThat thy way may be known upon earth. As showers which first fall upon the hills afterwards run down in streams into the valleys, so the blessing of the Most High comes upon the world through the church. We are blessed for the sake of others as well as ourselves. God deals in a way of mercy with his saints, and then they make that way known far and wide, and the Lord's name is made famous in the earth.
This site's exposition
cause His face to shine upon us
on Psalms 67:1-3
Verse 1 reworks the priestly blessing of Numbers 6:24 to 26. Aaron said it in the singular; this psalm asks it in the plural, for the whole congregation. Verse 2 gives the reason: God's ways known on earth and His salvation among all nations.
This site's exposition
Your salvation among all nations
The blessing and the shining face of verse 1 are asked so that God's ways may be known on earth. Charles Spurgeon compares the blessing to showers on the hills that run down into the valleys. Salvation reaches all nations.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
This, I say, is the universal way for the deliverance of believers, concerning which the faithful Abraham received the divine assurance, "In thy seed shall all nations be blessed." He, indeed, was by birth a Chaldaean; but, that he might receive these great promises, and that there might be propagated from him a seed "disposed by angels in the hand of a Mediator," in whom this universal way, thrown open to all nations for the deliverance of the soul, might be found, he was ordered to leave his country, and kindred, and father's house. Then was he himself, first of all, delivered from the Chaldaean superstitions, and by his obedience worshipped the one true God, whose promises he faithfully trusted. This is the universal way, of which it is said in holy prophecy, "God be merciful unto us, and bless us, and cause his face to shine upon us; that thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations." And hence, when our Savior, so long after, had taken flesh of the seed of Abraham, he says of himself, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."
"That we may know on earth Thy way" [Psalm 67:2]. "On earth," here, in this life, "we may know Thy way." What is, "Thy way"? That which leadeth to Thee. May we acknowledge whither we are going, acknowledge where we are as we go; neither in darkness we can do. Afar Thou art from men sojourning, a way to us Thou hast presented, through which we must return to Thee. "Let us acknowledge on earth Thy way." What is His way wherein we have desired, "That we may know on earth Thy way"? We are going to enquire this ourselves, not of ourselves to learn it. We can learn of it from the Gospel: "I am the Way," [John 14:6] the Lord saith: Christ hath said, "I am the Way." But dost thou fear lest thou stray? He hath added, "And the Truth." Who strayeth in the Truth? He strayeth that hath departed from the Truth. The Truth is Christ, the Way is Christ: walk therein. Dost thou fear lest thou die before thou attain unto Him? "I am the Life: I am," He saith, "the Way and the Truth and the Life." As if He were saying, "What fearest thou? Through Me thou walkest, to Me thou walkest, in Me thou restest." What therefore meaneth, "We may know on earth Thy Way," but "we may know on earth Thy Christ"? But let the Psalm itself reply: lest ye think that out of other Scriptures there must be adduced testimony, which perchance is here wanting: by repetition he hath shown what signified, "That we may know on earth Thy Way:" and as if thou wast inquiring, "In what earth, what way?" "In all nations Thy Salvation." In what earth, thou art inquiring? Hear: "In all nations." What way art thou seeking? Hear: "Thy Salvation." Is not perchance Christ his Salvation? And what is that which the old Symeon hath said, that old man, I say, in the Gospel, preserved full of years even unto the infancy of the Word? For that old man took in his hands the Infant Word of God. […]
That we may know your way upon earth. This is what we ask: that you may make your countenance shine, that is, your image, upon us — that image which has always been hidden with you, and was, as it were, in the secret and darkness of your mysteries, according to what is written: "He made darkness his hiding-place." This is what we ask, that you make it shine upon us, so that the mystery which was hidden from the generations, as the apostle says, may be revealed in us. But why do we ask for all this?
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Thy way - The way of truth, or the true religion; the same which in the next clause is called his saving health, and both together signify the way of salvation; deal so graciously with thy people, that thereby the Gentile-world may at last be allured to join with them.
(2.) As a prophecy that it shall be as he here prays. Many scripture-prophecies and promises are wrapped up in prayers, to intimate that the answer of the church's prayer is as sure as the performance of God's promises. Three things are here prayed for, with reference to the Gentiles:-- (1.) That divine revelation might be sent among them,
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
All upon earth are bound to walk in God's way, all need his salvation, and there is in it enough for all; and therefore we should pray that both the one and the other may be made known to all. (2.) That divine worship may be set up among them, as it will be where divine revelation is received and embraced (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
That thy way may be known upon earth,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
That thy way may be known upon earth. As showers which first fall upon the hills afterwards run down in streams into the valleys, so the blessing of the Most High comes upon the world through the church. We are blessed for the sake of others as well as ourselves. God deals in a way of mercy with his saints, and then they make that way known far and wide, and the Lord's name is made famous in the earth. Ignorance of God is the great enemy of mankind, and the testimonies of the saints, experimental and grateful, overcome this deadly foe. God has set a way and method of dealing out mercy to men, and it is the duty and privilege of a revived church to make that way to be everywhere known. Thy saving health among all nations, or, thy salvation. One likes the old words, "saving health, "yet as they are not the words of the Spirit but only of our translators, they must be given up: the word is salvation, and nothing else. This all nations need, but many of them do not know it, desire it, or seek it; our prayer and labour should be, that the knowledge of salvation may become as universal as the light of the sun. Despite the gloomy notions of some, we cling to the belief that the kingdom of Christ will embrace the whole habitable globe, and that all flesh shall see the salvation of God: for this glorious consummation we agonize in prayer.
That thy way may be known - That thy will, thy gracious designs towards the children of men, thy way of reconciling them to thyself, of justifying the ungodly, and sanctifying the unholy, may be known to all the nations upon the earth! God’s way is God’s religion; what he walks in before men; and in which men must walk before him. A man’s religion is his way of worshipping God, and going to heaven. The whole Gospel is called this way, Act 19:9. Thy saving health - ישועתך yeshuathecha, “thy salvation.” The great work which is performed in God’s way, in destroying the power, pardoning the guilt, cleansing from the infection, of all sin; and filling the soul with holiness, with the mind that was in Christ. Let all nations - the whole Gentile world, know that way, and this salvation!
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
That thy way may be known upon earth - The law of God; the principles and methods of the divine administration; the way in which God rules mankind and in which he bestows his blessings on people. The prayer is, that all the earth might be made acquainted with the methods in which God deals with his people, or confers favors on people. The happiness of man depends on a knowledge of the principles on which God bestows his favors; for all people are, in all things, dependent on him. The success of a farmer depends on his understanding, and complying with, the laws and principles on which God bestows a harvest; the preservation of health, the restoration of health when we are sick, depends on a knowledge of the great laws which God has ordained for the continuance of the healthy functions of our bodies, and on the use of the means which he has provided for restoring health when those functions are disordered; and, in like manner, the salvation of the soul depends on the right understanding of the method which God has appointed to secure his favor. In neither of these cases - in no case - is it the business of people to originate laws of their own; laws for the cultivation of the earth, or for the preservation of health, or for the saving of the soul. The business of man is to find out the rules in accordance with which God bestows his favors, and then to act in obedience to them. The psalmist here supposes that there are certain rules or principles, in accordance with which God bestows blessings on mankind; and he prays that those rules and principles may be everywhere made known upon the earth. Thy saving health among all nations - The original word here rendered “saving health,” is “salvation.” It is with great uniformity so rendered. […]
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
He will cause His countenance to shine To show a laughing countenance, to give dew and rain.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
That Your way should be known on earth To make known that Your trait is to benefit Your people, and because of this, kingdoms will rejoice and sing praises.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
6 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לָדַ֣עַת | ladaat | to know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| בָּאָ֣רֶץ | baaretz | on the earth | H776 → | 2504 times |
| דַּרְכֶּ֑ךָ | darkekha | way your | H1870 → | 707 times |
| בְּכָל־ | bekhol | among all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| גּ֝וֹיִ֗ם | goyim | nations | H1471 → | 561 times |
| יְשׁוּעָתֶֽךָ׃ | yeshuatekha | salvation your | H3444 → | 78 times |
לָדַ֣עַתto know
ladaatH3045 →945 times
בָּאָ֣רֶץon the earth
baaretzH776 →2504 times
דַּרְכֶּ֑ךָway your
darkekhaH1870 →707 times
בְּכָל־among all
bekholH3605 →5413 times
גּ֝וֹיִ֗םnations
goyimH1471 →561 times
יְשׁוּעָתֶֽךָ׃salvation your
yeshuatekhaH3444 →78 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Titus 2:11For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to everyone.
it leads to
- Ephesians 2:8
For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God,
- 1 Timothy 2:4
who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
- Isaiah 45:22
Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.
- Hebrews 2:9
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death…
- Ephesians 2:5
made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!
- Ephesians 2:8
Through
Luke 3:6And all humanity will see God’s salvation.’”
it leads to
- Isaiah 52:10
The LORD has bared His holy arm in the sight of all the nations; all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.
- Isaiah 40:5
And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all humanity together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
- Isaiah 52:10
Through
Isaiah 52:10The LORD has bared His holy arm in the sight of all the nations; all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.
it leads to
- Luke 3:6
And all humanity will see God’s salvation.’”
- Luke 3:6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Psalms
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, City of God 10.32; Augustine of Hippo, On the Psalms, Psalm 67; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 3; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; Jerome, Homily 6, on Psalm 66; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.