Psalms Reading – 3.4.2022
Psalm 67
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine on us—
2 so that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
and make his face shine on us—
2 so that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
3 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples with equity
and guide the nations of the earth.
5 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
may all the peoples praise you.
4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples with equity
and guide the nations of the earth.
5 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
6 The land yields its harvest;
God, our God, blesses us.
7 May God bless us still,
so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.
God, our God, blesses us.
7 May God bless us still,
so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.
No other psalm so beautifully captures the overarching vision that God is the God of all people and nations. God wants the world to know, to accept, and to follow His ways. This psalm clearly tells us what our role is. The people of God are to be mediators of that blessing to the world.
This is not new information. It has its foundation in God’s promise to Abraham,
Genesis 12:2-3, “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
The psalm begins with a prayer asking God to bless his people. It is almost a word-for-word repetition of the first part of the Aaronic Blessing found in Numbers 6:24-26. The difference is that here the people are asking for the blessing themselves instead of the priests pronouncing it upon them. Here we, also, see the purpose of asking for God’s blessing is not solely for ourselves but for God’s light and truth to be shown and known among the nations.
Paul would later say it this way,
2 Corinthians 5:18-20, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”
May we pray this prayer of blessing so that we can be true evangelists of the grace and generosity of our God who through Jesus came to redeem and reconcile the world back to Him. Be prepared to answer the prayer through shining the light of Christ through integrity of character and gracious words.
Memory Verse: Psalm 63:7, Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
Question(s) to Consider: Will you join me in praying this prayer so that we can live out our mission?