Psalm 67:10
the final rain
Thou shalt set aside for thy inheritance a free rain, O God: and it was weakened, but thou hast made it perfect. (Psalm 67:10 DR)
In the previous verse the Psalmist made note of the heavens dropping, a reference to the manna which fell from heaven and which was God’s provision for them in the desert and—importantly—a symbol of His abiding presence with them. For although there were other signs such as the pillars of cloud and fire, there is something more immediate about that presence being signed by food, as it was given every morning and literally sustained their lives.
But now the Psalmist seems to move into a prophetic voice, as he describes God’s action in the future. After all, the Psalmist is recalling God’s acts in the past, and now looks forward to the future. Yet by coupling these verses within the poetic parallelism he expands on the previous thought and draws out of it its deeper meaning.
The manna was not meant as an end unto itself; it was not merely to be food for God’s people but also a sign of His abiding presence and provision as well as a foretaste of the Promised Land. Yet most of the generation who came out of Egypt and ate the manna did not receive their inheritance.
The Psalmist is not unaware of this but rather sees in the manna a further significance of God’s future dealings with His people. St. Robert Bellarmine sees this as a prophetic foretelling of the coming of the Holy Ghost:
The heavens dropped a certain rain, the manna, to our fathers in the desert; but you “have set aside a free rain;” a rain that descends freely; the grace of the Holy Ghost, which is called free or voluntary, because it does not descend by reason of our merits, as the rain is collected through exhalations from the earth; but is freely poured into the hearts of the faithful by the influence of the Holy Ghost; and it is said to be “set aside for thy inheritance,” because temporal blessings are common to all, faithful and infidels; but the grace of the Holy Ghost is set aside that it may be imparted to the faithful only, members of the Church, out of which there is no salvation. (St. Robert Bellarmine, A Commentary on the Book of the Psalms, 67, 9.)
The Psalmist thus prophetically anticipates Pentecost and the descent of the Holy Ghost. The Church becomes that inheritance which will receive this free rain. And just as the manna sustained the people of God in the desert and was a sign of His abiding presence with them, so the Holy Ghost sustains the Church and is God indwelling his people:
But when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will teach you all truth. For he shall not speak of himself; but what things soever he shall hear, he shall speak; and the things that are to come, he shall shew you. He shall glorify me; because he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it to you. All things whatsoever the Father hath, are mine. Therefore I said, that he shall receive of mine, and shew it to you. (John 16:13-15 DR)
The proof of this is provided by the Psalmist who demonstrates the reason why the free rain which surpasses the giving of the manna in the desert:
“And it was weakened, but thou hast made it perfect.” The word “and” has the force of the word “because;” and thus, the meaning is, because your inheritance was weakened through ignorance, and through concupiscence, in the worship of idols, and in the indulgence in all manner of vice, you have, through the grace of the Holy Ghost, confirmed and strengthened it by a salutary rain. (St. Robert Bellarmine, A Commentary on the Book of the Psalms, 67, 9.)
The Old Covenant, as St. Paul will argue, was not able to give life, and this is amply demonstrated by the continual falling of God’s people into idolatry and wickedness. The prophets would prophecy a New Covenant in which the law would be written in their hearts, and this is fulfilled in Christ:
Was the law then against the promises of God? God forbid. For if there had been a law given which could give life, verily justice should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise, by the faith of Jesus Christ, might be given to them that believe. But before the faith came, we were kept under the law shut up, unto that faith which was to be revealed. Wherefore the law was our pedagogue in Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (Galatians 3:21-24 DR)
The grace of the Holy Ghost, as St. Bellarmine says, is the free rain that strengthens and confirms the inheritance—that is, the Church. The manna of the Old Covenant which dropped from the heavens strengthened the bodies of God’s people and confirmed His presence and guidance, but the Holy Ghost which falls as a free rain on the Church dwells within and strengthens the spirits of those in the Church and is Himself God’s abiding presence.
This animation was very simple. I found a great stained glass window of the Holy Ghost and added some lighting effects and color correction in After Effects. I also added in some light particle streaks using Trapcode Particular. It’s pretty subtle but I like it.
Enjoy.
Thou shalt set aside for thy inheritance a free rain, O God: and it was weakened, but thou hast made it perfect.
(Psalm 67:10 DR)
View a higher quality version of this gif here: