Psalm 67
A Call for God's Blessing on All Nations
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Intro: In Psalm 67, the psalmist offers a prayerful call for God's blessing on all nations and the proclamation of His salvation to the ends of the earth. As we study this psalm from a New Covenant perspective, we will see how it points to Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of God's plan to bless all nations through His redemptive work. We will explore the themes of seeking God's favor, experiencing His salvation, and sharing His blessings with others.
Section 1: Seeking God's Favor (vs 1-2)
"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."
Talking Points:
The psalmist's prayer for God's grace, blessing, and favor upon His people.
The recognition that God's favor and shining face upon His people serve a greater purpose: the proclamation of His ways and salvation to all nations.
Harmony: Acts 4:12 (NIV), "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved."
Questions:
How does the psalmist's prayer for God's favor challenge you to seek His grace and blessing in your own life?
In what ways can we reflect God's favor and shine His light to others, so that they may come to know His ways and experience His salvation?
How does Jesus, as the ultimate expression of God's grace and the only means of salvation, inspire us to seek God's favor and share His redemptive message with all nations?
Section 2: Experiencing God's Salvation (vs 3-5)
"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."
Talking Points:
The psalmist's desire for all peoples and nations to praise and rejoice in God.
The recognition of God's righteous rule and guidance over all nations.
The repeated call for the peoples to praise God.
Harmony: Revelation 5:9 (NIV), "And they sang a new song, saying: 'You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.'"
Questions:
How does the psalmist's longing for all peoples to praise God challenge you to actively participate in the spread of the Gospel and the proclamation of His salvation?
In what ways can we demonstrate the joy and gladness that come from experiencing God's salvation, so that others may be drawn to praise Him?
How does Jesus, as the one who purchased people from every tribe, language, and nation through His sacrificial death, inspire us to join in the global worship and proclamation of God's salvation?
Section 3: Sharing God's Blessings (vs 6-7)
"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."
Talking Points:
The acknowledgment of God's abundant blessings and provision for His people.
The continued prayer for God's blessing to extend and for all the ends of the earth to fear Him.
Harmony: Matthew 5:16 (NIV), "In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."
Questions:
How does the psalmist's recognition of God's blessings challenge you to be grateful for His provision and generous in sharing with others?
In what ways can we demonstrate God's goodness and blessings through acts of love and service, so that others may come to fear and reverence Him?
How does Jesus, as the ultimate expression of God's blessings and the source of abundant life, inspire us to live generously and shine His light to the ends of the earth?
Summary
Psalm 67 portrays a prayer for God's blessings to be poured out upon all nations, finding its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus.
The psalmist's plea for God's face to shine upon us prefigures the grace and favor we receive through Jesus, who reveals God's love and mercy to the world (2 Corinthians 4:6, John 1:14).
The psalmist's call for all nations to praise God anticipates Jesus' commission to make disciples of all nations and spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth (Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 16:15).
The psalmist's proclamation of God's righteous rule over the nations points to Jesus as the King of kings and the Lord of all (Revelation 19:16, Philippians 2:9-11).
The psalmist's declaration of God's abundant harvest and blessings aligns with the spiritual harvest brought about by Jesus, who said, "The harvest is plentiful" (Matthew 9:37, John 4:35).
The psalmist's call for the earth to yield its increase foreshadows the transformation and restoration brought about by Jesus' work of redemption (Romans 8:19-21, Revelation 21:5).
Psalm 67 leads us to Jesus as the source of God's blessings and the hope for all nations, inviting us to be vessels of His love and share the good news of salvation with the world.