Summer in the Psalms - Week Six Gathering Place

Hi Girls, and welcome to our Week Six Gathering! Although Psalm 67 may be considered a 'little' one, it has been my prayer that you were able to enjoy the sheer 'bounty' of it all. There is so much to share, however, for our purposes today I'll just keep to a few of my notes from this week's reading and then perhaps in the Comment Cafe we can take it even deeper.

One of the first things that I noticed in this Psalm, upon first reading, was that v.1 seemed quite familiar to me, that's because the words of v.1 have been taken from the words of the priestly blessing found in Numbers 6:24-26. This priestly blessing was given by God to Moses, who in turn, was then to give it to Aaron and to Aaron's sons, so that they would then speak these words of blessing over the sons of Israel; and there was a purpose in it all - God says in Numbers 6:27, "So they (the priests) shall invoke (put) My Name on the sons of Israel, and I then will bless them."

The word 'then' found in that verse is in italics in your Bible, because it was added during translation to give clarity to the meaning, the original Hebrew does not have it. Go ahead and read that verse again, leaving that word out - did you see that? When that priestly blessing was spoken over the sons of Israel - according to God - His Name was was being put upon them...and once that Name was put upon them, God promised, "I WILL bless them."

For those of us who are fresh from our year long study in the book of John, remember with me that in Chapter 17, Jesus, while praying to the Father, said, "I am no longer in the world; yet they themselves (to keep it brief...that's us!) are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your Name, the Name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your Name which you have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished..."

During the time of Moses, the priestly blessing could only put the Name of God upon God's chosen people, Israel; but, on this side of the cross, God's chosen people do not just have the Name of God put on them... we are now kept in His Name. What does this mean? Well, read v.21,23 - the Father in Jesus, Jesus in the Father (they are One!), and v.23, Jesus in us, the Father in Jesus. I hope that you are taking the time to really get this, you just need to know the reality of where you truly are! Read Colossians 3:3... our life has now been hidden with Christ in God. This just takes my breath away each and every time I think of it. In more ways than one girls, we are Covered... we are Covered!

Now, just one thing more - John 17 has long been known as the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus, and with good reason - turn with me, if you will, to Hebrews 3:5-6 where we see that while "Moses was faithful in all (God's) house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; Christ was faithful as a Son over (God's) house - Whose house we are, if we hold fast the confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end." We are 'the house' girls! and Jesus, Who is our Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14) dwells within us. And our Great High Priest does not just invoke (put) God's Name on us... He is The Blessed Name! and we are with Him, in God!

One thing to keep in mind when reading through the Old Testament - particularly when it comes to the topic of 'blessing' - is that everything that was true of God's chosen people (Israel) physically is true of God's chosen people (believer's) today, spiritually. For instance, their promised land was physically realized - our promised land is spiritually realized. In Psalm 67 there is one reference to the word 'bless' in v.1 and two references to 'blesses' in v.6-7 and here is the thing... being 'blessed' is never an end in itself - the blessing of God upon His people is to have an 'effectual' result upon others.

The prayer of v.1 includes this realization in v.2, that God's blessing and favour is to have the result of His way being made known on the earth, His salvation among all the nations, and the acknowledgement of the reality of the answer to this prayer is found in v.6-7 - that because the earth had yielded its produce (the physical blessing), God had indeed blessed them and all the ends of the earth would see and know it and fear God.

Think about what this means for us today, spiritually. It is not our full bank accounts, and our full cupboards and stomachs and our luxurious homes that causes the world to take notice - many enjoy the same things, maybe more than us! What will make the ends of the earth fear God is what has been done in God's people spiritually - the out workings of which will show the ways of God, His salvation among the nations.

I don't know if you did this, but as I was going through and marking key words throughout Psalm 67, I marked the five references to the word 'Let', each one beginning a statement in v.3 -5. The Psalmist knew that ONLY GOD HIMSELF could cause people to praise Him, could cause the nations to be glad and sing for joy, and he explains why in v.4b - because it is God Who "judges the people with uprightness and the guides the nations on the earth."

Remember how the words at the beginning of this Psalm were actually words taken from Numbers 6:24-26? Well, there is something interesting to be found there, because the reference to God in Numbers is "Yahweh", which carries with it the meaning of God being the Self Existing One, He simply is and always has been. Yet, here in Psalm 67, the word "God" is "Elohim", meaning Judge, Creator. This Psalm is showing God as all sufficient in accomplishing His purposes. Doesn't it just astound you as it does me, that the Jews of Jesus' day did not understand what their forefathers knew - that the blessing of God upon them was for the salvation of the nations, the Gentiles? They were eager to recieve the Aaronic blessing, but had forgotten the Abrahamic blessing of Genesis 12:1-3, which reads in part, "...And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed."

So, for me, this Psalm is all about God's glory being made evident and seen in His people; God's grace being known and received among the Gentiles; God's blessing upon His people. By the way, did you look at v.6 and wonder how the earth (physical) yielding its produce could equate with us today - oops! that thought will have to wait, I just now lifted up my eyes, looked out the window and I'm tellin' ya - it looks like those fields are white for harvest! Gotta go!

Ok, there is so much more, but I am going to leave it at that for now! Looking forward to seeing you in the Comment Cafe!