Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 67:4
O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.
4. The reason for the universal rejoicing of the nations is given in the words, for thou shalt Judge the peoples with equity; i.e. rule them with just and equitable government. Cp. the attributes of the true king as God’s representative, Isa 11:3 f; Psa 72:12 ff. Judge does not here mean punish, but govern.
govern ] Or, lead, a word often applied to God’s leading of Israel through the wilderness (Psa 78:14). All nations are under His providential guidance, not Israel only, His specially chosen flock. Cp. Amo 9:7.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
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.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 4. 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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Be glad and sing for joy, for thy transcendent mercy to them, in rescuing them from the vanities and damnable errors of their fathers, and in bringing them to the knowledge of the true God, and of eternal life.
Shalt judge, i.e. rule and govern them, as it is explained in the next clause, and as this phrase is used.
Righteously; which is the great commendation of any government, and the greatest argument and encouragement to the Gentiles to put themselves under it; the rather, because they had found the misery of living under the unrighteous and tyrannical government of the devil, and of their idolatrous and heathenish rulers.
Govern, Heb. lead, to wit, gently, as a shepherd doth his sheep; and not rule them with rigour, as other lords had done.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
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, Ac 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, Ps 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,
Re 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 Ps 23:2.
Selah; on this word, [See comments on Ps 3:2].
n “duces eas”, Montanus; “deduces”, Junius Tremellius, Cocceius “deducis”, Piscator.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(4) For thou shalt judge:Better, for thou judgest.
And govern. . . .Better, and dost lead. The word is used in Psa. 23:3 of the pastoral care of God.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Oh let the nations The word , ( ammeem,) peoples, occurs in the plural seven times in this short psalm; , ( goyeem,) nations, Gentiles, once; and , ( ahretz,) earth, the world, four times, always in connexion with the universal knowledge of God, and the happy effect of the universal acknowledgment of him. The verbs which, in our English version, are rendered optatively as expressing a wish, as, “Let all the people praise thee,” etc., should be read as predictions in the declarative future, “All the people shall praise thee,” etc. The psalm is a glorious anticipation of the universal spread of the gospel, and the conversion of the Gentile nations.
Judge govern The latter word signifies to lead, as in Psa 22:3; Psa 77:20, and is the office of a shepherd. As a ruler, God will judge righteously; as a shepherd, he will lead gently; and when he shall be accepted in these offices by the nations, “Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven.” Psa 85:11
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 67:4. Thou shalt judge i.e. “Thou shalt hereafter govern them by righteous and good laws, who were before under the government of Satan, and had nothing to guide them but some few laws and tendencies of nature, or some precepts of an old tradition which are now almost obliterated.” The word tanchem, rendered govern, in the original, signifies, in a comprehensive latitude, all acts of conduct, as of a shepherd towards his sheep, leading them into their pasture; and so of God, leading and directing men into those courses which are most eminently profitable for them; of a general towards his soldiers, marshalling them and going before them, and so animating them in fighting against their enemies; and of a king, ruling and ordering his subjects, as God doth those who sincerely submit themselves to him: all which the word lead or conduct may contain in it; and that will be the fitter, because the more literal, and therefore more comprehensive rendering, and to be preferred to that of governing.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
The prophet had foretold that the nation and kingdom, which would not serve Christ, should perish; Isa 60:12 . But the same prophet had it in commission to tell the church, that so blessed should be the advent of Christ’s kingdom, and such the prosperity of the church, that strangers should stand and feed their flocks, and the sons of the alien should be their plowmen and their vine-dressers. So that in the contemplation of those auspicious events, the nations should be glad, and sing for joy, the Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice. Isa 61:5 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 67:4 O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.
Ver. 4. O let the nations be glad, &c. ] As they cannot but be upon their sound conversion, Act 8:8 , there being no such joy as the joy of faith, and that a man’s name is written in heaven. Beatus Ludovicus would be called Ludovicus de Pissiaco rather than take greater titles; because there he became a Christian.
For thou shalt judge the people righteously, &c.
And govern the nations upon earth. Selah
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the nations. (No Art.)
govern = gently lead.
Selah. Connecting the righteous rule of God of Psa 67:4 with renewed praise for it in Psa 67:5. See App-66.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
O let: Psa 97:1, Psa 138:4, Psa 138:5, Deu 32:43, Isa 24:14-16, Isa 42:10-12, Isa 54:1, Rom 15:10, Rom 15:11, Gal 4:27
for thou: Psa 9:8, Psa 96:10-13, Psa 98:9, Gen 18:25, Act 17:31, Rom 2:5
govern: Heb. lead, Psa 2:8, Psa 82:6, Isa 55:4, Rev 11:15-17
Reciprocal: 1Ch 16:28 – ye kindreds Job 29:13 – sing Psa 58:11 – verily he Psa 68:4 – Sing unto God Psa 81:1 – Sing Psa 96:7 – O ye kindreds Psa 96:13 – judge Psa 97:6 – all the Psa 98:4 – General Psa 100:1 – all ye lands Psa 145:21 – let all flesh Isa 49:22 – Behold Isa 51:5 – mine Zec 14:9 – the Lord Mat 2:10 – they rejoiced
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
67:4 {c} O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.
(c) By these repetitions he shows that the people can never rejoice and give thanks enough for the great benefits that they will receive under the kingdom of Christ.