The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Psalm 67:1-7,
"May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine on us—
so that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples with equity
and guide the nations of the earth.
May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
The land yields its harvest;
God, our God, blesses us.
May God bless us still,
so that all the ends of the earth will fear him."
Here is Psalm 67 in its short seven verse entirety. It is one of the most beautiful and pleasant pieces of literature to be found anywhere. It begins with an expression of desire for the Lord to bless his people and to be gracious to them. In turn the psalm anticipates that all people will express themselves out of the gladness and joy that God's blessing brings them. It observes the equity and guidance God brings nations and finishes with a view of God's wonderful bounty he provides peoples, such that it brings a felt sense of reverence for him, "all the ends of the earth will fear him."
"May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine on us—
so that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples with equity
and guide the nations of the earth.
May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
The land yields its harvest;
God, our God, blesses us.
May God bless us still,
so that all the ends of the earth will fear him."
Here is Psalm 67 in its short seven verse entirety. It is one of the most beautiful and pleasant pieces of literature to be found anywhere. It begins with an expression of desire for the Lord to bless his people and to be gracious to them. In turn the psalm anticipates that all people will express themselves out of the gladness and joy that God's blessing brings them. It observes the equity and guidance God brings nations and finishes with a view of God's wonderful bounty he provides peoples, such that it brings a felt sense of reverence for him, "all the ends of the earth will fear him."
I can't think of a better antidote to bring some relief to the hostility, hyperventilating and mean-spiritedness found in the public square today. The message of this psalm stands as an island of tranquility, peacefulness, joy and happiness in the sea of the ugliness of the collective sinful nature expressing itself so viciously these days.
Sadly, it is a piece of literature that gets passed over as mere "fluff". However, to me, it is within the confines of this psalm we believers need to rest ourselves, and to find our strength in God. It is such a wonderful picture of what the public square will be like in the next age.
This truly is a wonderful and beautiful expression in the book of Psalms.
A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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