Psalm 67 is so wonderful! He asks God to Bless…For …OTHERS SAKE,

“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.”

Note the phrase, “So that,”  which gives the reason or explanation for his request, that God would be known, His Ways, His salvation, not just to some particular portion of people but to “all nations!” He had an evangelistic outlook. He wanted God to be known to all people  in every place, none excluded.

“So that…they ALL may Praise and Honor Him! {v2,7} .

“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.” -{Psalm 67:3-7}

The Psalmist wants… GOD HIMSELF! He appeals to His Grace, He asks Him to bless, not just him but “us,” His concern looks out and embraces others! And also prays, desires greatly that God would…”make His face shine upon us.” To have the favor, the smile of God upon them. Not to have God turn His face away from them, but Himself He desired and His favor, His pleasure, His smile upon them. What a request. Some want His Blessing, but not Him, as the case of those who desired what the LORD Jesus could do for them in providing what they wanted. They wanted what He could do for them, but did not want His rule in their life or a relationship with Him, only what He could give! This was not the Psalmist. He desired God Himself! He desired His favor! He knew it was all by God extending His Grace to them!

Look also at his Passion, desire, He wanted God to be Known, His ways, His salvation and that to “all nations,” to what end? That “ALL” the nations would Know Him, rejoice in Him, sing for Joy because of Him, Know His character and how He rules and guides, and that “all the peoples praise YOU.” As God had chosen Abraham, and chosen Israel to know Him and be blessed by Him as a testimony to the nations- they had a mission. So too the Psalmist has this outlook on life… his mission is that others would come to submit to His Him, know Him, Praise, worship Him. He is jealous for God!

The Psalmist acknowledges and tells others by conveying in his writing that God has blessed them and the blessings they have are a result of His Doing! It is good for us to remember His Blessings to us! It is good for us to share with others and testify it is a result of God’s grace that we are experiencing  blessings, which come in many different ways.

And so again He asks God to continue to “Bless us still” to what end? “SO THAT…ALL the ends of the earth will fear Him!” -{v7}. All may honor, worship GOD! What he and the people have – they do not put down to themselves but give GOD the Credit He deserves.The Scriptures say “What do you have that you have not received!” -{1 Cor 4:7}. Too often we Take the Glory that is God’s rather than Giving Him the Glory. One is self centered the other is God centered! The Psalmist acknowledges God has blessed them and asks once again for His blessing, which shows His humility, dependence, appreciation and heart Vision…. for God’s Honor and that others would Praise and Honor and Worship Him too!

Think of it, he does not ask God to “bless” for his sake and end there, but for Others sake that they may turn to Him and together would PRAISE Him! He had a God honoring end in his request! How often do we ask God to “Bless us,” for OUR Sake and that is our end goal. It stops with “Us!” Can I say that is often how selfish we are. We seek to “use” God to our own chief end rather than His glory and Him having the affection, devotion, worship of all the nations! If we would prayerfully ask Him to change our THINKING and INTENTIONS OF OUR HEART’S when asking His Blessing- that He would “Bless,”- Do GOOD TO us and FOR US…. not for our sake but for HIS… and for OTHER’S BENEFIT!

Psalm 67 teaches that the Blessing is to be a means to Testify to Others and point and have them turn to Praise Him. He has an evangelistic goal in sight as you read. We ask Him to “bless us” ultimately for His end! God Bless Me To Think And Pray Right, And Keep Your End In Sight! “May God bless us still, so that all the ends of the earth will fear Him.”-{v7}. And these Blessings are grounded in the Graciousness of God-{v1}. We don’t “merit” it, deserve it, have a”right” to it, can manipulate it, but are recipients of the grace of God! How wonderful He is!  The heart’s cry is-Bless me to be a Testimony to You LORD and to OTHERS for Your sake,… that they may Know You, Praise and Worship You…. Bless me to be a Testimony! 

Note;

The REQUEST for Blessing v 1

The REALITY of Blessing v 6

The PURPOSE of Asking His Blessing vs 2-5,7

Prayer -God Bless Me To Be a TESTIMONY. 😀

 

 

(Read Psalm 67:2,7}