Psalm 67 (66):6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

So now, when the apostles begin with, "Let all nations acknowledge You," the nations, anticipating this call, respond: "Let the nations acknowledge You, O God; let all peoples give You praise." As they witness silence from the nations, each individual fervently proclaims, "Let the nations acknowledge You, O God; let all peoples give You praise." When we first proclaimed it, it went unheard. Let us repeat it so that you may join in song. Why do we express it once and then again that the nations acknowledge God? What is the purpose of this declaration? Why the anticipation? "The earth has yielded its fruit" (Psalm 66:7).

This state is attained when we, having reconciled with God, glorify the hope of salvation that has been revealed to us, and when peace that surpasses all understanding is established within our hearts (Phil. 4:7). The inclusion of the rationale clearly highlights the purpose of speech: for the judgment referred to here does not signify mere retributive justice that rewards individuals based on their actions, but rather the spiritual authority that God holds over His church, where both righteousness and the words of teaching are established. Similar sentiments are expressed in Isaiah 11:4 and Micah 4:3.

In this psalm, the psalmist earnestly petitions for the blessings of the Messianic age (v. 2) and expresses a desire for true knowledge of God to spread among the Gentiles. However, one might argue that if the abundant harvest directly inspired this psalm, it would likely have been emphasized more prominently than just in passing (v. 7). It appears that the psalmist’s primary focus is the conversion of the Gentiles, with references to the flourishing of nature serving as a secondary affirmation of the expected transformation in humanity. The psalmist implores God to reveal His mercy, that the Gentiles may come to believe in Him through this divine revelation (vv. 2-3).

Verse 2 likely alludes to the priestly blessing of Moses (Num. 6ff.), though it may not have been articulated in the Tabernacle as outlined in the Pentateuch. "Know" – from the Hebrew – emphasizes the call for Thy way to be recognized by all, Jew and Gentile alike. The "way of God" encompasses the profound acts of God particularly manifested in Christ, while "salvation" refers to both the works of redemption found in the Old and New Testaments. The psalmist fervently longs for the arrival of this prophesied time when all nations, united under the Messiah's just sovereignty, will extol the Lord. With prophetic insight, he envisions the earth – the external world – already blessed and glorified in the days of the Messiah (v. 7). The psalmist anticipates the righteous judgment to come, reflecting the prevailing expectations of the Messianic age when truth and justice will reign across the earth (cf. Ps. 44:7-8; 71:12; 84:11). The phrase "the earth shall give" signifies a prophetic vision of future fulfillment. Currently, the land, still under the curse, does not yield the fruit it was meant to produce (Apoc. 22:2), concluding with yet another appeal for Messianic blessings (vv. 7-8).

This passage also prophesies about the Mother of God, with the earth—representing humankind—birthing its fruit in the Virgin Mary. The human race emerged from Eve, through whom death entered the world. Conversely, from the Virgin Mary comes life, the New Adam, the Resurrection, and eternal joy. The staircase seen by the patriarch Jacob on his journey to Mesopotamia symbolizes the Blessed Virgin, bridging the earthly realm and the heavens. The divinely-inspired Moses witnessed the image of the Mother of God as a burning bush that was not consumed, signifying, “Thus the Virgin hath begotten you, and the Virgin hath abideth you,” akin to the burning bush of Neopalimaya.

The Mother of God is revered as the exalted mountain of the Lord, surpassing all hills and mountains in magnificence, outshining both angels and humankind, surpassing the Most Honorable Cherubim and the Most Glorious Seraphim, standing as the Virgin and the Mother of Light. The prophet Daniel described a grand image of gold, silver, bronze, iron, and clay (2:31-35). “And the stone was torn away from the mountain without hands... And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.” This envisions the kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome, all of which attempted to suppress the stone of our faith, the Lord Jesus Christ, who emerged from the mountain—born of the Most Pure Virgin—defeating the ancient pagan world and proclaiming the establishment of His Kingdom, the Holy Church.