A PRAYER FOR THE SAKE OF THE EXTENSION OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD This psalm includes the blessing by which Aaron and his sons were commanded by God to bless the people (Numbers 6). As it was only presented in Jerusalem, some believe that the psalmist looks forward to the return of the people from captivity to get the blessing of the Lord in Jerusalem. Its divisions: 1- Our enlightenment by His face 1 2- knowledge, the grantor of life 2 3- A call to the peoples to praise God 3 - 5 4- The increase of fruition 6 – 7 The title: An invocation and a doxology. To the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.(Concerning the title see psalms 3, 4, 30). According to the Syrian version, the title of this psalm came as: [Sung by the people as they crossed over the Jordan together with David’; after the rebellion of his son Absalom against him (See 2 Samuel 19: 11-43)]. And in the same Syrian version it came: [As for us, it is a prophecy concerning the call to the Gentiles; the preaching of the apostles; and the ordinances of the Lord1]. Some believe that this psalm is a praise of thanksgiving to God, presented after the harvest; sung in the feast of the Pentecost, or in that of the Tabernacles. While others believe that it is sung for the sake of the realization of God’s promise to bless Abraham, and to make him a blessing. 1- OUR ENLIGHTENMENT BY HIS FACE: “May God be merciful to us and bless us, and make His face to shine upon us” (1) The psalmist seeks from God to shine upon His people; not as a Judge, for then, no one will be justified before Him; but as a Giver of mercy and blessing. And, on another aspect, he seeks from Him to present to the people a kind of security, and to pour His splendor upon them, being the subject of His pleasure. “May God be merciful on us and bless us” (1). I wish He does not Judge us, but be merciful on us “Make His face to shine upon us”. I wish we do not look at Him, sorrowful because of our sins, but joyful in our virtues. I wish we do not experience Him as a Judge, but know Him as a merciful Father. I wish He shines upon us with His image (His Son); For the light of the Father is the light of the Son2. (St. Jerome) 1 Plumer on Ps. 67. 2 Hom. 6. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 107 In an ancient Jewish interpretation, the Face of God is the Messiah; the shining Face that proclaims the love and grace of the Father. For through Him, the Father looks at His people, and see them a holy people. According to St. Cyril, God’s Face is His only-begotten Son, for, according to the words of the apostle Paul, He is His image and the feature of His Person, And as the Lord Himself says: “He who has seen Me has seen the Father“ (John 14: 9). By His incarnation, and His dwelling among us, He shone over us, and through Him we have recognized the Father, and we enjoyed the divine mercies. The shining of God’s face upon mankind means looking down on them with mercy and compassion; by His splendor He brings joy to their hearts, and pour the flood of His blessings and gifts upon them; For He seeks the salvation of all, even the wicked, and does not wish for the perdition of anyone; He intends to enter into a covenant with all, and for all to enjoy the eternal life. The face of God, shining upon His people with compassion and mercy, supports their hearts, and pours blessings into them. “And make His face to shine upon us” (1). God does not make His face shine, as though it was not shining before; But He makes it shine upon us, that what was hidden, would be proclaimed to us; The way He is, and was hidden from us, would be revealed to us. Or it could be interpreted as follows: Since You created us “in Your image; according to Your likeness” (Genesis 1: 26); And since You made us Your coin, It would not be fitting for Your image, printed on it, to be in darkness; Send, therefore, the ray of Your wisdom to scatter our darkness, to know that we are Your image! Let us hear the Song of songs, say: “If you do not know, you fairest among women” (Song 1: 8). This is said to the church: [If you do not know that your soul is created in the image of God; is saved by the blood of the blameless Lamb; You should know how precious You are; You should think about what you are given]. I wish we say “Make Your face to shine upon us”, and say it with longing. … I wish we talk about His face, the way we talk about the faces of kings and emperors; … For it is actually the holy face of the Father in His image. The wicked, however, who does not know that he is the image of God; In order for God’s face to shine upon him, he should say: “For You will light my lamp; the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness” (psalm 18: 28). I am in the darkness of sins; but with the ray of Your wisdom, You will scatter my darkness, for Your face to be revealed; And in case there would be any distortion on it, You will reform the face You have created. (St. Augustine) 2- KNOWLEDGE, THE GRANTOR OF LIFE: “That Your way may be known on earth; Your salvation among all nations” (2) The way of God is His commandment through which we enjoy encountering and seeing Him. That commandment, He presented to all nations to enjoy His salvation, the eternal life with its glories. According to St. Athanasius the apostolic, the Holy Book is the way of God. And the Lord Christ Himself says: “I am the way (John 14: 6)… No one can come to the Father except through Me”. And to let us know that the Father is the Way leading https://coptic-treasures.com/ 108 us to the Son; He says: “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (John 6: 44). In psalm 65, the psalmist sings: “You visit the earth and water it; You greatly enrich it” (Psalm 65: 9). Here, he reveals the divine care and the heavenly visitation, by the coming down of the Word of God in flesh, and invites the nations and peoples to enjoy His salvation work. It is a Messianic psalm that portrays to us the harvest of the evangelic call that embraces the whole world with the spirit of unity. “That Your way may be known on earth”. That we, on earth, would come to know it. “On earth as it is in heaven” (Mathew 6: 10). That He before Him, Whom the angels worship in heaven, those on earth would worship as well1. (St. Jerome) “Your salvation among all nations”. That was how the psalmist sang before the coming of the Savior; and what filled the heart of Simon the elder with joy when he carried the infant Jesus on his arms, and praised Him, saying: “… for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples” (Luke 2: 30-31). I wish we know Your way which leads to You? I wish we know where we are, and where we are heading; something we cannot do in the darkness! … We ask our souls, not to learn it on our own, but from the gospel, where the Lord Christ says: “I am the Way” (John 14: 6). Lest you may go astray, He adds: “and the Truth”. Who would go astray with the Truth? It is only He who forsakes the Truth! The Truth is Christ; The Way is Christ; Go along that way. Do you fear lest you die before gaining it? He says: “I am the Life”. It is as though He says: What makes you afraid? By Me, and to Me you walk; and in Me you will find comfort. (St. Augustine) 3- A CALL TO THE PEOPLES TO PRAISE GOD: “Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You” (3) As Christ the Way becomes known in the earth, and all the peoples who walk along it enjoy the salvation; the psalmist calls on them to walk with the spirit of joy, praise, and singing; as the life of joy in Christ gives a sense of security. The word “peoples” came in pleural, for the gate of faith is opened before all the peoples of the world. The repetition of the verse is to draw the attention to that what he talks about is a very great issue indeed: All the peoples of the earth worship with the spirit of joy and gladness. Now, listen how he collectively says: “Let all the peoples praise You”; Walk along the way together with all the nations; with all the peoples, O children of peace, children of the (catholic) church; Walk along the way and look forward! Even those who fear the thieves, sing along the way; How much more you would feel safe while singing in Christ! There are no thieves along this way, unless you go astray from the way; for then you would fall into the hands of thieves! 1 Hom. 6. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 109 (St. Augustine) The repetition of the saying “Let all the peoples praise You” causes men to be more active, and motivates them to give thanks, and to confess the goodness of God. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) “Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy; for You shall judge the people righteously, and govern the nations on earth” (4) Some believe that this psalm was sung during the feast of the harvest (the Pentecost), or the feast of the tabernacles. While some others believe that it proclaims the fulfillment of the divine promise to Abraham that he will be a blessing, and by him all nations shall be blessed. The reason why all the nations will praise God, is that they have enjoyed the life of joy and gladness. Reading the writings of the early fathers who came from the gentiles to faith in the Lord Christ, we can perceive the extent of their joy for finding the Truth, For they felt that they were in the darkness, then entered into the divine light; that they were dead, then enjoyed resurrection; that they have been in hell, then were called by God, not only to come out of it, but also to enjoy sonhood to Him, instead of the old animosity. After the appearance of God’s Face on earth, and the knowledge of His Way, the believers rejoice, and praise His work, for He led the nations to the land of the meek, namely, to the dwelling place of the righteous. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) “For You shall judge the people righteously” (4). For wherever justice is, there will be no joy but fear for the sinners! “and govern the nations on earth”. What nations? Those who used before to walk along the wrong way, You made them now walk along Your straight way; … You made them know Your way on earth, and walk along one way, and not along several ways; … to come to You; the One Way -- Jesus Christ -- begotten from You. … He who thinks that we blaspheme when we say that the Way is the Son, through whom we go to the Father; let him listen to what the Way Himself says: “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws Him” (See John 6: 44). … The Son leads to the Father, and the Father leads to the Son; For they are One nature and one essence1. (St. Jerome) As this confession (the praise) does not lead to punishment; hence he adds: “The nations be glad and sing for joy” (4). If the thieves, after confessing, cry before people, I wish the believers, after confessing, rejoice before God. Why are nations glad, and why do they sing for joy? Because of the confession itself. Why? Because God is Good for those who confess. He seeks confession to save the humble. He condemns him who does not confess, to punish the proud. Because of this, be sorrowful before you confess; and when you do, be glad; By that you will be sound. (St. Augustine) 1 Hom. 6. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 110 “Let the people praise You, O God; Let all the people praise You” (5) The psalmist calls all the peoples to repent and confess the goodness of God. Saying: “all the peoples” is a prophecy that everywhere a sacrifice of praise and prayer will be offered to God, not just by the Jews, and not only in Jerusalem. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) 4- THE INCREASE OF FRUITION: “Then the earth shall yield her increase; God, our own God shall bless us” (6) Some marvel how could it come in the psalms that we exhort ourselves to bless God, and seek from God to bless us? St. Augustine clarifies this issue by saying that in either cases, the benefit comes back to us and not to God. God, by the riches of His grace pours blessing on us; and, enjoying it, we stand grateful to Him, and by His grace “we bless Him”; Namely, (we testify to Him), … Blessing be Yours, O Grantor of blessings. … God blesses us by His work in us, to set us a unique vineyard, a building, or a holy temple. And once we so become, we praise, bless Him, and testify to His continuous blessings on us. Remember, beloved brethren, that in the two psalms 103 and 104, we exhort ourselves to bless the Lord, and by a pious song we say: “Bless the Lord, O my soul” (Psalm 104: 1) … And in the present psalm it is well said: “God be merciful to us and bless us” (1). Let our souls bless the Lord, for the Lord to bless us. When God blesses us, we grow; And when we bless the Lord, we grow. Namely, in both cases, the benefit is ours; For blessing the Lord adds nothing to Him; and reviling Him takes nothing away from Him. He who reviles the Lord decreases. Let us then sing these words; yet, not with a barren piety, nor by an empty voice, but with a faithful heart. God the Father is called “A vinedresser” (John 15: 1). And the apostle says: “You are God’s field (vine), you are God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3: 9). How can we be both? We are the Lord’s vine, for He plants us to produce fruition; And we are the Lord’s building, because He dwells in us … This is realized by the grace He grants us. (St. Augustine) What is the ‘fruition’? “All the peoples confess (praise) You”. They were before an “earth” full of thorns and thistles; Then came the Hand of Him who took those thorns away, and the earth started to confess, … “for the earth shall yield her increase”. … Could it yield her increase without the rain falling on it? … Could it yield her increase without the mercy of God coming down on it from up high? … Hear the words of John the Baptist about the Lord who rains on it, saying: “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3: 2). (St. Augustine) “The earth shall yield her increase”. The earth is St. Mary, the Mother of God, who came from the earth, from dust, from Adam, to whom is said: “You are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3: 9). That earth has yielded her increase. What she lost in the garden of Eden, she found in Her divine Son…. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 111 In the Song of songs it is said: “I am the rose of Sharon, a Lily of the valleys” (Song 2: 1). She, (the earth, St. Mary), first produced a rose. Then this rose became a fruit to eat, to eat her body … “The earth will yield her increase”. It yielded a grain of wheat, that fell down to earth and died, to produce an increase of fruition. … The fruit multiplied in the head of grain; ... One grain of wheat fell down to earth, and from it a fruitful harvest came forth1. (St. Jerome) The prophet says “earth” to mean mankind living on it; as it is said to man: “From earth you came, and to earth you shall return”. That nominal earth produced fruition, namely, produced upright faith, and good works befitting of it, to earn the blessing from God for presenting to Him what would please Him. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) “God shall bless us, and all the ends of the earth shall fear Him” (7) According to St. Cyril the Great, God blessed Israel by choosing the twelve disciples from the tribes of Israel, to preach to the world. The blessed disciples were chosen almost from every tribe of Israel, to become bearers of the Light to the world, to present the word of life. (St. Cyril the Great) Having received faith, the peoples of the world forsook idol worship and its abominations; came to bear the fear of God, and to taste His love as well. He who thinks of God’s judgment will do good works (and will fear God); to be worthy of earning His blessing. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) “And all the ends of the earth shall fear Him” … Fear is for the beginners, but love is for those of perfect faith. For “All things work together to those who love God” (Romans 8: 28). Fear concerns the little souls; while love concerns the perfect. (St. Jerome) He rains, and with the rain He thunders…. to receive Him when He rains, and to fear Him when He thunders, “The earth yielded her increase”. This, I say, happened when the Lord rained through His mouth, and through His clouds, by sending the apostles to preach the Truth. The earth produced her yield with abundance; and behold, the harvest fills the whole world. The fruition of the earth started first in Jerusalem, and from there the church began. There, the Holy Spirit came down and filled the saints gathered together with one accord in one place. There; miracles were performed; they were filled with the fullness of God’s Spirit and “they began to speak with other tongues” (Acts 2: 1, 4).; They received the rain of the Spirit with fear; and by their confession they yielded an abundance of fruition… An extremely exalted kind of fruition. (St. Augustine) 1 Hom. 6. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 112 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 67 SHINE WITH YOUR LIGHT ON ALL Our souls perpetually shout loud; How could we pay You back, O Father, for Your amazing ordinance? You have sent Your only-begotten Son, by whose light He poured light on us His cross gave us the daring of love; We see You as a Father, compassionate on us, and not as a Judge seeking our condemnation. Your Son came, Your splendid Face, came down. For our sake He became the Way, by which we may come to You; By whom we come to know Your divine love; By whom we come to enjoy the heavenly glories His coming opened the gates of faith before all nations; The peoples set forth as though out of hell; To cast themselves into Your divine bosoms; Instead of the darkness, they came to be in the heavenly light; Instead of the grave and death, they came to enjoy the resurrected life; Instead of the depression and despair, their life was filled with joy and exaltation; “The peoples praise You, O God; All the peoples praise You”. Your only-begotten Son carried us to You; He granted us His righteousness and holiness; We do not fear judgment any more; But anticipate the day of His second coming with joy and gladness; Fot it will be the day of our heavenly wedding; The day of our coronation and our eternal joy. Your incarnation sanctified our earth; By Miriam Your Virgin Mother, our earth produced roses. She is earth; yet She carried You; She carried You, who neither heaven nor earth can limit; Behold, the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valley. Have produced a unique Fruit; By the Holy Spirit, O the divine Word You came down, and incarnated from her; You became a grain of wheat, to die, and to be buried in the earth; And once You are risen, You let us rise together with You; Glory be to You, O who blessed the whole mankind.
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