Psalm 67 Commentary
This psalm poses a huge challenge to the saint. Yes, the saint wants the LORD to be gracious, to bless, and to make His face shine on the saint. But for what? Well, it is for the saint’s wellbeing. Who wouldn’t want to enjoy an elevated status?
The psalmist, on the other hand, is motivated differently. Let the LORD God make His face shine on the saint so that God’s ways may be known on the earth. Specifically, so that God’s salvation may be known on the earth. So admirable!
There is no denying that humanity is in need of salvation. The saint is called upon to pray for God’s intervention so that the world can find its way back to good times under the leadership of the Creator God. This is amazing. The LORD achieves this evangelism work by making the saint look great. The saint becomes the model of what the LORD can achieve in a soul that fully submits to the lordship of the Creator God.
The prayer in this psalm finds its full expression when the saint sits down to ask the LORD for a blessing that brings honor and glory to God’s name.
On the one side are misrule, greediness, hatred, and lack of respect for life. It is all meaningless. But the LORD announces the good news of gladness, joy, and equity – the desire of nations. It is this other side that hosts hope for a blessed immortality. In the meantime, the saints can pray that the LORD shines His face on them, bless them, and be gracious to them.
In praying this way, we are reminded of the LORD Jesus Christ who enjoyed the full package of God’s blessings. We can look at His life and know what it means to be blessed. We are members of the Body of Christ because the LORD made his face shine on the man Jesus Christ. This is our calling also.
Saints know exactly what they mean when they pray for the blessing of the LORD over their lives. Vanity is never the motivation. Indeed, let the world praise the name of the LORD because of the blessing of the LORD on the saint.
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