Psalm 67
King James Version
A short psalm asking for God's blessing so that His way may be known among all nations.
Download the handwriting worksheet (PDF)Printable, ruled for handwriting: copy it by hand, then type it here.
About this text
Psalm 67 is a short psalm of blessing that widens outward as it goes — from "us" in verse 1, to "all nations" by verse 2, to "all the people" and "all the ends of the earth" by its close. Its structure is often described as a chiasm, where the psalm's ideas mirror each other around a central turning point rather than simply moving forward in a line.
The line "let the people praise thee" repeats twice, word for word, in verses 3 and 5, marking the psalm's midpoint the way a refrain would in a song. Copying both instances exactly as written is good practice for precision — it's easy to assume a repeated-looking line must be identical and stop paying close attention to it.
What to watch for
- 6 semicolons: a semicolon joins two complete thoughts that belong together, a pause longer than a comma but shorter than a period.
- 1 colon: a colon points ahead to what explains or completes the first half of the sentence.
- Capital letters in the middle of a sentence: Selah, God. Ask why each one is capitalized before typing it.
- Old-fashioned words: unto, thy, thee, thou, shalt. These are easy to "correct" by accident into modern spelling, so copy them exactly as written.
- Longest word: "righteously" (11 letters). Try spelling it aloud once before reaching it.
- 7 lines averaging about 16 words each. A comfortable line length for a single sitting.
Full text (reference)
1God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah.
2That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.
3Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.
4O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.
5Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.
6Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.
7God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.