May God be Gracious

Psalm 67:1 “May God be gracious to us and bless us and cause His face to shine upon us”

How many times have I failed and prayed for God’s Grace and Mercy?

You need only ask my wife and she wouldn’t have enough time in the day to tell you how many ways I have failed.

The heart that desires God, first looks for His grace.

Why is grace so necessary?

Knowing the extent of who we are in light of God’s Holiness brings dimension and significance into our actions.

After Grace

How can we ask for blessing if we stand in enmity before God?

How does God bless?

I would propose that blessing first begins with being made acceptable in His sight.

Revelation 22:3-5 “And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.”

To those who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, the curse of sin is broken. The hope that awaits God’s people is a hope that has began with a promise. The Holy Spirit of promise has already been given, the future glory of God’s people is found in the One who was glorified already—Jesus Christ.

God’s Purpose

The ‘Why’ of God’s grace, blessing, and acceptance is revealed in verse 2.

Psalm 67:2 “that Your ways may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.”

God redeems His people, blesses them, and makes them acceptable so that we might be a testimony to the nations.

How often in this culture of prosperity gospel do people think that God’s blessings are only meant for their edification? Scripture takes on a different focus when we look at it through the lens of God’s purpose.

Isaiah 8:16-18 “Bind up the testimony,
Seal the law among my disciples.
And I will wait on the Lord,
Who hides His face from the house of Jacob;
And I will hope in Him.
Here am I and the children whom the Lord has given me!
We are for signs and wonders in Israel
From the Lord of hosts,
Who dwells in Mount Zion.”

God’s glory is revealed through His people to the world.

Praise Given

Psalm 67:3,4 “Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You. Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You judge the peoples justly and lead the nations of the earth.

Notice the reference?

Let all the peoples praise You!—Why?

Because God does not judge unjustly.

God is fair in His estimation of people, who holds everyone to the same standard of His law, and He likewise gives each person the opportunity to receive grace.

He knows who will respond, and yet the call goes out—Let all the peoples praise you!

Does the world know just how good God really is?

They cannot know unless we tell them.

Romans 10:16-18 “But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed:

“Their sound has gone out to all the earth,
And their words to the ends of the world.”

The Harvest

Why should the people rejoice?

Psalm 67:5 “Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You.

Because God is deserving of praise. But you may ask, why does He deserve such adoration?

Psalm 67:6-7 “Then the earth shall yield her increase;
God, our own God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us,
And all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.”

What increase does the earth bring forth?

The harvest of supply mirrors the harvest of souls.

To those who claim ownership unto God, His blessing will follow and those blessings are a reminder to a rebellious world of who is on the Throne.