Psalms 67:4
in Psalms 67Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You judge the peoples justly and lead the nations of the earth. Selah
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Oh let the nations be glad and sing for joy; For thou wilt judge the peoples with equity, And govern the nations upon earth. [Selah
KJV
O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.
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This verse in Psalms 67
Commentary
10 notes on this verseLet the nations be glad and rejoice. Because they have been freed from the captivity of the devil; because those who before were bent down to adore idols, wood and stones, now with upright face look upon the heavens. Because you judge the peoples in equity. Wherever there is equity and judgment, there is not gladness, but the dread of sinners. And how did he say, May God have mercy on us and bless us; and now he says, Let the nations be glad and rejoice, because you judge the peoples in equity? It seems to be contradictory.
This site's exposition
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy
on Psalms 67:4-5
The nations are told to be glad and sing for joy. The reason is that God judges the peoples justly, and the verb behind lead is nachah, which Gill reads as a shepherd leading the nations. Verse 5 repeats the call for all the peoples to praise God.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
And because this confession leadeth not to punishment, he continueth and saith, "Let the nations rejoice and exult" (ver. 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 wringeth out confession, pain extorteth it: and he that waileth in tortures, but feareth to be killed if he confess, supporteth tortures as far as he is able: and if he shall have been overcome by pain, he giveth his voice for death. Nowise therefore is he joyful; nowise exulting: before he confesseth the claw teareth him; when he hath confessed, the executioner leadeth 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 exacteth confession, to the end that He may deliver the humble; He condemneth one not confessing, to the end that He may punish the proud. Therefore be thou sorrowful before thou confessest; after having confessed exult, now thou wilt be made whole. Thy conscience had gathered up evil humours, with boil it had swollen, it was torturing thee, it suffered thee not to rest: the Physician applieth the fomentations of words, and sometimes He lanceth it, He applieth 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 remaineth will be easy to be made whole. […]
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
19 ) and set up the kingdom of his grace among them upon the ruin of the devil's kingdom--that he shall make them a willing people in the day of his power, and even the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ. [2.] That every man's judgment proceeds from the Lord.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens
O let the nations be glad and sing for joy,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Thanks will be rendered for the blessings of His wise and holy government (compare Isa 2:3, 4; The blessings of a fruitful harvest are mentioned as types of greater and spiritual blessings, under which all nations shall fear and love God.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
O let the nations be glad and sing for joy, or, they shall joy and triumph. When men know God's way and see his salvation, it brings to their hearts much happiness. Nothing creates gladness so speedily, surely, and abidingly as the salvation of God. Nations never will be glad till they follow the leadership of the great Shepherd; they may shift their modes of government from monarchies to republics, and from republics to communes, but they will retain their wretchedness till they bow before the Lord of all. What a sweet word is that to sing for joy! Some sing for form, others for show, some as a duty, others as an amusement, but to sing from the heart, because overflowing joy must find a vent, this is to sing indeed. Whole nations will do this when Jesus reigns over them in the power of his grace. We have heard hundreds and even thousands sing in chorus, but what will it be to hear whole nations lifting up their voices, as the noise of many waters and like great thunders. When shall the age of song begin? When shall groans and murmurs be exchanged for holy hymns and joyful melodies? For thou shalt judge the people righteously. Wrong on the part of governors is a fruitful source of national woe, but where the Lord rules, rectitude is supreme. He doeth ill to none. His laws are righteousness itself. He rights all wrongs and releases all who are oppressed. Justice on the throne is a fit cause for national exultation. And govern the nations upon earth. He will lead them as a shepherd his flock, and through his grace they shall willingly follow, then will there be peace, plenty, and prosperity. It is a great condescension on God's part to become the Shepherd of nations, and to govern them for their good: it is a fearful crime when a people, who know the salvation of God, apostatize and say to the Lord, "Depart from us."
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
O let the nations be glad and sing for joy, or, they shall joy and triumph. When men know God's way and see his salvation, it brings to their hearts much happiness. Nothing creates gladness so speedily, surely, and abidingly as the salvation of God. Nations never will be glad till they follow the leadership of the great Shepherd; they may shift their modes of government from monarchies to republics, and from republics to communes, but they will retain their wretchedness till they bow before the Lord of all. What a sweet word is that to sing for joy!
Glad and sing for joy - They shall be made happy in thy salvation. Even their political state shall be greatly meliorated; for God will be acknowledged the supreme Judge; their laws shall be founded on his word; and the nations of the earth shall be governed according to judgment, justice, and equity. Selah - This is true. There are innumerable facts to confirm it. All the nations who have received the Gospel of Christ have been benefited politically, as well as spiritually, by it.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
O let the nations be qlad, and sing for joy - All the nations of the earth. Let them all be made acquainted with thee; with thy character; with the principles of thy govermnent; with the methods by which thou dost bestow thy favors, that they all may be made glad. These things pertain to them all. The knowledge of these things would convey inestimable blessings to them all, and fill all their hearts with joy. Nothing would, in fact, diffuse so much happiness over a miserable and guilty world - nothing would furnish such an occasion for universal joy, gratitude, and praise - as the possession of the knowledge of the great principles on which God rules the world, and on which he blesses people. For thou shalt judge the people righteously - That is, The great principles of thy administration are right, or righteous. and the nations will have occasion to rejoice in them. And, govern the nations upon earth - Margin, lead. So the Hebrew. That is, God would instruct them what to do; he would guide them in paths of prosperity, happiness, salvation. Individuals and nations, as they follow the counsels of God, are safe and happy; and in no other way.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
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
11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יִֽשְׂמְח֥וּ | yismechu | may they rejoice | H8055 → | 155 times |
| וִֽירַנְּנ֗וּ | viranenu | and they may sing for joy | H7442 → | 54 times |
| לְאֻ֫מִּ֥ים | leumim | nations | H3816 → | 31 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| תִשְׁפֹּ֣ט | tishpot | you judge | H8199 → | 202 times |
| עַמִּ֣ים | ʾamim | peoples | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| מִישׁ֑וֹר | mishor | uprightness | H4334 → | 23 times |
| וּלְאֻמִּ֓ים׀ | uleumim | and nations | H3816 → | 31 times |
| בָּאָ֖רֶץ | baaretz | on the earth | H776 → | 2504 times |
| תַּנְחֵ֣ם | tanchem | you guide them | H5148 → | 39 times |
| סֶֽלָה׃ | selah | Selah | H5542 → | 74 times |
יִֽשְׂמְח֥וּmay they rejoice
yismechuH8055 →155 times
וִֽירַנְּנ֗וּand they may sing for joy
viranenuH7442 →54 times
לְאֻ֫מִּ֥יםnations
leumimH3816 →31 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
תִשְׁפֹּ֣טyou judge
tishpotH8199 →202 times
עַמִּ֣יםpeoples
ʾamimH5971 →1873 times
מִישׁ֑וֹרuprightness
mishorH4334 →23 times
וּלְאֻמִּ֓ים׀and nations
uleumimH3816 →31 times
בָּאָ֖רֶץon the earth
baaretzH776 →2504 times
תַּנְחֵ֣םyou guide them
tanchemH5148 →39 times
סֶֽלָה׃Selah
selahH5542 →74 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
Psalms 98:9before the LORD, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity.
it leads to
- Psalms 96:13
before the LORD, for He is coming— He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in His faithfulness.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 17:31
For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 96:10
Declare among the nations: “The LORD reigns!” The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved; He will judge the peoples with equity.
- Acts 24:25
As Paul expounded on righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened and said, “You may go for now. When I find the time, I will call for you.”
- Psalms 72:2
May he judge Your people with righteousness and Your afflicted with justice.
- Psalms 96:13
Through
Psalms 9:8He judges the world with justice; He governs the people with equity.
it leads to
- Revelation 20:12–13
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And there were open books, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their…
- Psalms 98:9
before the LORD, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity.
- Romans 2:5–6
But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
- Revelation 20:12–13
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 on the Book of Psalms; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 67; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 3; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Homily 6, on Psalm 66; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.