Background

The Menorah Project was first envisioned as a means of encouraging and calling forth the glorious praise that God is preparing for Himself throughout the earth.

After being drawn in by Máire Brennan's beautiful Gaelic rendition of this psalm, I began to reflect on why God blesses His undeserving and often ungrateful people. Although many have deceived themselves, thinking that they are worthy of His blessing, this psalm makes it clear: God blesses us to make His Way and His Salvation known to all people, so that all might fear Him and rejoice in His righteous judgment. He is seeking to glorify Himself - for He alone is worthy. It is not about us. It's about HIM!

Here are a just few of the treasures I have discovered as I've spent time studying and meditating on this short passage. I hope you find as much delight in them as I have.

-- Paul McAndrew, Project Coordinator

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Insights on Psalm 67

In the original Hebrew text of Psalm 67 there are 8 verses. The first verse is the heading for the Psalm and is not numbered in most translations. The remaining seven verses reflect an exquisite poetic structure that is balanced in some intriguing ways.

When this Psalm is rotated 90 degrees to the left (or if you tilt your head to the right), you will see an obviously intentional graphic representation of the Menorah, the lamp stand which stood in the Temple in Jerusalem.

Psalm 67
{For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.}

1 God - may he bless and favor us,
may he shine his face on us. - Selah

2 Oh, to know on earth your Way,
in all nations - your Salvation!

3 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.

4 May nations be glad and cheer for joy,
for you judge the peoples justly,
you guide the nations of the earth. - Selah

5 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you

6 The earth gave her produce -
God, our God, blesses us!

7 God blesses us,
that they may fear him to the ends of the earth.

Do you see any parallels between vvs. 1 & 7? vvs. 2 & 6? vvs. 3 & 5?

verse	words	key words	semantics*	motif	theme
1 (2)	7	God, bless us	prayer	His face shines (sun)	God's blessing is
2 (3)	6	earth	request	your Way, your Salvation-Yeshua	to make Him known, so
3 (4)	6	peoples, praise	petition	praise from all	all peoples may praise Him
4 (5)	11	nations, joy	summary	the joy of God with us	All will rejoice in Him
5 (6)	6	peoples, praise	petition	praise from all	All peoples praise Him and
6 (7)	6	earth	result	the fruit of the earth	enjoy the harvest
7 (8)	7	God, bless us	answer	all are in awe (enlightened)	of God's blessing

Although Hebrew poetic structure does not often emphasize the number of words, it appears that this is a significant feature of this particular psalm. The Psalmist has crafted 49 perfectly balanced words, which corresponds to the number of days (7x7) between the offering of First Fruits after the Passover and the Feast of Shavuot /Pentecost (cf. Leviticus 23:15-21). This is the harvest season, and this harvest theme is paralleled here with the pouring out of God's blessing and revelation of Himself to all mankind (cf. v. 2 and v. 6 in translation). He is still seeking to dwell among people who will return His love.

There were also 49 years separating each Year of Jubilee, which was to be declared every 50 years (Leviticus 25:10-55). This was a time for great rejoicing, proclaiming "liberty throughout the land," releasing of debts, recovery of inheritances, reunion of families, freeing of slaves and rest for the land.

The theme of rest is alluded to by the use of the word Selah twice in this short passage. This word is difficult to define, but seems to refer to a musical interlude for the purpose of reflection. The joyful theme is emphasized in the central verse of this psalm, which is the marked as the most prominent verse by the overarching poetic structure (chiasmus).

This is made explicit by the exact parallelism of vvs. 3 and 5. There are also parallel lexical and semantic relationships between vvs. 1 and 7 (prayer-answer), and between vvs. 2 and 6 (request-result).

The Messianic overtones are also significant; by allusion to the Jubilee, the establishment of justice in the earth and the reference to "your Salvation / your Yeshua" (which is the name of Jesus in Hebrew). The passage from Isaiah 61:1-2 which Jesus quoted at the beginning of His ministry was a public declaration of this joyful season.

Click for other related Biblical References

* Note: "semantics" refers to semantic structure, or functional roles of these verses.

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