A Verse
Psalm 67
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song.
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
2 that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations.
3 Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!
4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
5 Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!
6 The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
7 God shall bless us;
let all the ends of the earth fear him!
A Comment
Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of time on planes. I don’t tend to sleep well on them, so I typically spend my time listening to audiobooks. Yesterday, I finished listening to an audiobook I read years ago. The book is entitled Let the Nations Be Glad!: The Supremacy of God in Missions by John Piper. This is a wonderful book on the heart of God for the nations. I highly recommend it! The title comes from this morning’s passage, specifically verse 4, which says, “Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.”
But why does the psalmist appeal to the nations to “be glad and rejoice?” The reason is found in verses 1-2, which state, “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations,” and the end of verse 4, which states, “For you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon the earth.” Thus, the appeal to “be glad and rejoice” is rooted in the nations knowing God’s saving power and seeing His sovereign rule over the earth. The psalmist continues, noting that as the Lord blesses His people, the nations will fear Him.
As I have reflected on this passage over the last few days, I have felt its gravitational pull, causing me to think about how desperate we are for God’s salvation to be known throughout the earth. The call of the nations to be glad in God demands that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven. And nothing short of the supernatural power of God’s grace working through the gospel of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit can lead to all the nations of the earth being glad in God.
So, as we reflect on this psalm and the call to the nations to be glad, let us also recognize that this work depends on the Lord’s blessing. It is not a task that we can accomplish in our own strength. It is a work that requires Jesus’ presence with us (Matthew 28:18-20). We can trust Him to fulfill His purposes in us for His glory and the good of the peoples of earth!
A Prayer
Would you pray with me?
A Blessing
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah, that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations.
Let the Nations Be Glad! (Psalm 67)