Psalm 67 6

Psalm 67:6 kjv

Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.

Psalm 67:6 nkjv

Then the earth shall yield her increase; God, our own God, shall bless us.

Psalm 67:6 niv

The land yields its harvest; God, our God, blesses us.

Psalm 67:6 esv

The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us.

Psalm 67:6 nlt

Then the earth will yield its harvests,
and God, our God, will richly bless us.

Psalm 67 verses

Psalm 67 6 Meaning

Psalm 67:6 declares God's faithful provision, illustrating His blessing through the abundant fruitfulness of the earth. It is an affirmation that the Lord, Israel's covenant God, is the ultimate source of all good, physical provision, specifically manifested in a successful harvest. This prosperity is presented as a tangible sign of God's favor and presence among His people, reinforcing His sovereignty over creation and His covenant faithfulness.

Psalm 67 6 Context

Psalm 67 is a communal psalm of thanksgiving and prayer, often categorized as a harvest psalm due to its explicit mentions of the earth yielding its increase. The preceding verses (Psa 67:1-5) establish the psalm's unique blend of desire for God's blessing on Israel and the missional purpose of that blessing: "that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations." The specific request for the earth's fruitfulness, then, is not merely for sustenance but also serves as a visible demonstration of God's favor to the nations, prompting them to praise Him. Verse 6 functions as either a declaration of God having already granted the requested blessing or a confident statement of faith that the blessing will certainly come, building anticipation for the climax in verse 7 where all ends of the earth will fear God. Historically, such prayers and thanksgivings for agricultural bounty were integral to ancient Israel's agrarian society and deeply intertwined with their covenant relationship with Yahweh, the one true God who controlled rain and fertility, unlike pagan deities.

Psalm 67 6 Word analysis

• הָאָרֶץ (hā·’ā·rets): The earth/land.
  • Meaning: Refers to the physical ground, often specifically the land of Israel (as `erets` can denote). In the context of a harvest, it highlights the terrestrial realm which produces food.
  • Significance: Underscores that the produce comes from the land, but not by the land itself; the land is the recipient and medium of divine blessing. It links God's blessing directly to tangible, material provision.
• נָתְנָה (nā·ṯə·nāh): has yielded/has given.
  • Meaning: Perfect tense verb, indicating a completed action: the earth has indeed produced or given its produce.
  • Significance: This implies a declarative statement of past or current experience – a realized blessing, or a prophetic declaration of future certainty. It highlights the agency of the land as the provider of the produce, though, as context shows, empowered by God.
• יְבוּלָהּ (yə·ḇū·lāh): its increase/its produce.
  • Meaning: Refers to the fruit, yield, or product of the earth, typically agricultural harvest (grain, wine, oil, etc.).
  • Significance: Specifies the type of blessing—material sustenance and agricultural abundance. This `yebûl` is essential for life and was often seen as a direct sign of God's blessing or curse in the covenant (e.g., Deut 28).
• אֱלֹהִים (ʾĕ·lō·hîm): God.
  • Meaning: The general Hebrew word for God, often used for the one true God of Israel.
  • Significance: This term connects the earthly provision directly to the divine source. It asserts that this specific God (not any other) is the cause of the increase, distinguishing Him from the pagan gods of fertility (like Baal) worshipped by surrounding nations.
• אֱלֹהֵינוּ (ʾĕ·lō·hê·nū): our God.
  • Meaning: The possessive suffix 'our' establishes a personal and covenantal relationship between the speaker (Israel, the community) and God.
  • Significance: Reinforces the exclusive and intimate covenant bond. The God who provides so richly is not a distant deity but "our God," the faithful One of Israel, underscoring His particular care for His people. This relationship assures the community that they are specifically under His protection and provision.
• יְבָרְכֵנוּ (yə·ḇā·rə·ḵê·nū): blesses us/will bless us.
  • Meaning: Imperfect tense verb, indicating ongoing or future blessing. It combines the idea of giving favor, bestowing prosperity, and making fruitful.
  • Significance: Points to God's continuous and active involvement in the lives of His people. The blessing is dynamic, encompassing both the present experience of fruitfulness and the expectation of continued favor. The harvest is not merely a natural outcome but a direct result of God’s intentional blessing.

• The earth has yielded its increase: This phrase highlights the outcome of divine favor – a bountiful harvest. It positions the earth as the tangible sphere where God's blessing is evident, crucial in an agrarian society where prosperity directly depended on agricultural success. This stands as a direct challenge to the notion that fertility derived from other gods, emphasizing Yahweh's sole authority over creation's productivity.
• God, our God, blesses us: This emphatically attributes the fruitfulness directly to God. The repetition and specificity "our God" cement the covenantal relationship. It reinforces that the harvest is not due to human effort alone, nor to chance, but is a direct manifestation of God's character and His ongoing, active benevolence towards His covenant people. It moves from general acknowledgment of a good harvest to pinpointing the divine source and the recipient of the blessing.

Psalm 67 6 Bonus section

The chiastic structure (ABBA) of the psalm, though not explicitly detailed in verse 6, frames this verse's importance. The outer rings (v.1, 7) speak of God blessing His people and all nations fearing Him, while the inner rings (v. 2, 6) mention knowing His way on earth and the earth yielding its increase. This suggests that the earthly prosperity and tangible blessings (like a good harvest) are intimately connected to the worldwide recognition of God's saving power. This tangible demonstration of God's blessing serves as an evangelistic witness to surrounding nations, reinforcing the theological point that God's blessing is never merely for His people's isolated comfort, but part of His universal plan for redemption and praise from all peoples. This echoes the Abrahamic covenant (Gen 12:2-3) where Israel is blessed to be a blessing.

Psalm 67 6 Commentary

Psalm 67:6 beautifully encapsulates the direct link between God's blessing and physical prosperity, particularly an abundant harvest. This verse serves as a confident declaration, reflecting an immediate experience of God's faithfulness or a profound certainty that He will act. In a world deeply reliant on agricultural yields, the phrase "the earth has yielded its increase" was a vital testament to survival and flourishing, unequivocally attributed not to nature itself, or to the capricious pagan gods of fertility (like Baal), but to God, our God. This distinction underscores a central biblical truth: Yahweh alone controls the forces of nature and is the benevolent giver of all good things. His blessing is an active, ongoing force, indicated by "blesses us," ensuring continued provision for His covenant people. Furthermore, within Psalm 67's broader context, this material blessing serves a greater, missional purpose: for Israel to prosper visibly so that the nations may recognize and praise this same saving God (Psa 67:1-2, 7). It implies that God's physical provisions are not an end in themselves, but a means for His glory to be magnified among all peoples. For believers today, while recognizing that all true blessings come from God, it draws focus to trusting in His perfect provision, both material and spiritual, acknowledging His sovereignty over all creation, and living in such a way that His goodness is made known.