The Priestly Blessing

The Priestly Blessing

Reflections from Psalm 67:-

Psalm 67

 ¹ May God be gracious to us and bless us
       and make his face shine upon us,
       Selah

 ² that your ways may be known on earth,
       your salvation among all nations.
The first verse reminds us of the great priestly blessing the Lord gave the Israelites which goes “The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord turn his face towards you and give you peace.” I once read a book that encouraged each father or mother to declare this blessing on their children and each other. We are called to be a kingdom of kings and priests in Christ Jesus, and we can and should use our authority especially for fathers of a household to bless the family in this way.
God’s face shining on us brings to mind the life and warmth that the sun brings to the earth. It is the rays of the sun that enables plants to live and ultimately sustain all life. It is the heat of the sun that brings warmth to all creatures and men. In heaven, it is written there is no sun because God Himself radiates life-giving light. The next time we feel the warmth of the sun upon us, imagine the blessing and grace and favor of God upon us and take a moment to thank God and praise Him.
In the second verse, we learn that the reason that God blesses us is so that He may be known. In his message to the Gentiles in Lystra, Paul declared that God did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, giving mankind rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling their hearts with food and gladness. All good and wonderful things that happen to us in our lives are God’s way of revealing Himself to us.
 ³ May the peoples praise you, O God;
       may all the peoples praise you.
 ⁴ May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
       for you rule the peoples justly
       and guide the nations of the earth.
       Selah
 ⁵ May the peoples praise you, O God;
       may all the peoples praise you.
 ⁶ Then the land will yield its harvest,
       and God, our God, will bless us.
 ⁷ God will bless us,
       and all the ends of the earth will fear him.

Verses 3-7 speak of peoples from all nations praising God. In an age when the Israelites were primarily consumed with themselves, they often failed to appreciate their destiny as a light to the Gentiles, the ultimate purpose of God to be known and worshipped by people in all the world.

Some may be disheartened and question how it can be said that God rules the people justly and guides the nations of the earth. There are so many countries with terrible injustices, and there are many countries and peoples who do not know God or fear God. Yet these verses are in fact pointing to a time in the future where God will in fact come down physically and rule the earth in all justice and guide the nations. This time is spoken of in the book of Revelation when Jesus Christ will come down and rule the earth with an iron scepter and all the kings and nations of the earth will come before Him and bow down to Him as the Great King of all the earth.

May the Lord help us

1)      Remember to bless each other with the Priestly Blessing

2)      Appreciate His grace each time we feel the sun or rain

3)      Look forward to the coming reign of Jesus

God bless,

Jason