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Christmas Season · Solemnity of Mary: The Holy Mother of God · Year A

Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6+8 (2a)

May God’s Face Shine upon Us

January 1, 2026

Wheatfield with a Reaper, Vincent van Gogh
Wheatfield with a Reaper, Vincent van Gogh, 1889Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (PD-Art)
Van Gogh wrote that he saw in the reaper the image of death, but without sadness: it happens in broad daylight, in a field of gold.The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us.Vincent van GoghVan Gogh (1853-1890) trained first for the ministry and preached in a Belgian mining district before taking up painting, which he did seriously for only the last decade of his life.Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (PD-Art)Built around the pictures Van Gogh's brother kept, and so the only place to follow his ten working years in order.Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (PD-Art)
Roman Lectionary
GospelLuke 2:16-21Lk 2:16-21
Second ReadingGal. 4:4-7Gal 4:4-7
First ReadingNum. 6:22-27Nm 6:22-27
Responsorial PsalmPs. 67:2-3, 5, 6+8 (2a)Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6+8 (2a)

Overview & Insights

“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us.” (Psalm 67:2)

Psalm 67 takes up the priestly blessing and turns it outward. Its first petition, that God be gracious and make his face shine upon us (v. 2, numbered 67:1 in most English Bibles), quotes the language of Numbers 6:25 almost exactly, but verse 3 immediately gives the reason: so that God’s way may be known on earth and his saving power among all nations. The poem is built around a repeated refrain asking that all the peoples praise him (vv. 4 and 6), which frames a center in which God judges the peoples with equity. Its concluding note is agricultural, the earth has yielded its increase (v. 7), which has led many to read it as a harvest thanksgiving. Appointed beside the blessing of Aaron, the psalm keeps the gift from turning inward, since Israel is blessed so that the nations may learn who blessed her.

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Take it further: Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6+8 (2a)

Commentary

Psalm 67:1 CommentariesPs 67:1 Commentaries Bible Hub

Classic commentaries on the psalm's prayer that God's ways be known and his blessing extend to all nations.

Psalm 67 Commentary: A Missionary PsalmPs 67 Commentary: A Missionary Ps Enduring Word

Verse-by-verse treatment of the psalm's blessing and its missionary, universal scope.

Background & Word Study

Psalm 67:1 InterlinearPs 67:1 Interlinear Bible Hub Interlinear

Hebrew word-by-word text for the psalm's opening blessing formula.

Psalms 67Ps 67 Sefaria

Hebrew Psalter text with Jewish commentary tradition for this responsorial psalm.

The Church Fathers

Psalms 67Ps 67 Catena Bible

Patristic readings on the psalm's prayer for God's face to shine and his way to be known among all nations.

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