Day 138

Psalm 67: Read here – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2067&version=NASB

The opening verse comes from the Aaronic Blessing of Numbers 6:24-26, where the High Priest of Israel would pronounce this beautiful blessing upon the people. Likewise, Paul wrote, using priestly language, Romans 15:16.  1 Peter 2:9-10 tells us that all believers are also a priesthood. We offer a priestly service to the world through evangelism. 

To have the glorious, happy face of God shining upon us is the greatest gift we could have. To know that as God looks upon you, He is well pleased – not because of who you are, or what you have done, but because you are in Jesus Christ – there is no greater source of peace and power in life.

V2 gives the reason for this request and should remind us of Matt28:19-20. 

Notice that this is first and foremost a prayer to God. It is fine to call upon the peoples to praise God, but it is also fine to ask God to bring the nations to Himself. (V3). When we pray like this, we pray according to the heart of God. He desires that none perish but all come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9), and He has ordained a great multitude from all nations, tribes, people, and tongues to praise Him before His throne (Revelation 7:9). 

Why should the nations be so happy? Because God is coming to ‘judge the people righteously, and govern the nations on earth’(vs4-5.NKJV) Jesus is coming back, and it should make us even more excited about bringing the nations to God’s way, God’s salvation, and God’s praise.  The idea of Psalm 67:3 is so important that the psalmist repeated it in v5.  

If the psalmist had not yet been strong enough, he makes the point even clearer in his conclusion. God’s heart and plan are for ‘all the ends of the earth.’ 

God gets the respect, the honour, the praise, the glory, He is worthy of. We may never get respect; we may never face anything but hardship; we may end up poor and broken and persecuted and even laying down our lives – and be more blessed than ever because God has used us in a great way.