Psalm 67 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 67 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
Verse 2that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations.
Verse 3Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
Verse 4Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
Verse 5Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
Verse 6The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us.
Verse 7May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him.
Devotion
Receiving God’s blessing is powerful experience for the life of the faithful. Psalm 67 is a song of thanks for God’s blessings. It is reminiscent of Numbers 6:24-26, which records the Lord telling Moses to give a particular blessing to Aaron. This blessing would be passed on for generations to come. We still rely on these words today. At the close of worship, we hear this:
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
These are encouraging words to hear, but they are not just meant to make us feel good. So what is the purpose of a blessing? Psalm 67:2 suggests that the blessings we receive are meant to show all nations God’s saving power. God’s blessings are meant to be shared and known by all.
Prayer
God of Blessing, give us grateful hearts and generous hands to share the blessings we have received. Amen.