Week 6
Psalm 67:1-2 “God be gracious to us and bless us and cause His face to shine upon us – that Your way may be known on the earth, your salvation among all nations.”
This is a cry by a servant of the Lord whose earnest passion is for God to be glorified in the world. He longs for God to be magnified in all things in this world. And yet, he finds himself in a cauldron of defeat and discouragement.
Who knows the painful backdrop of this emotional expression, but it is certain that God’s servant is hurting and droopy in spirit. Perhaps all human comfort and aid have gone to naught; thus, he is cast upon God alone. His plaintiff cry is, “God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us.” There is no more hope if God turns away His holy face. The psalmist casts himself upon this rock of certainty as the waves of the sea of trouble break all around him.
But though he may tremble at the fearful prospects of the strong and dark storm swirling around him, still the rock of divine assistance does not tremble, nor is it threatened in the least. It matters not how weak we are, we are strong in the gracious and powerful provision of the God of heaven and earth.
It is noteworthy to observe that the writer seeks the face and presence of God. If God will shine His countenance upon him, he knows that soon the dark clouds will part and the rays of glorious mercy will streak upon him with happy effect. It is almost as if the psalmist says, “I can bear anything except the absence of my precious God and Savior; oh Lord, please grant sweet fellowship with You, and I will survive.”
And in addition, we must note that the passion and purpose of the writer is for the Lord to be magnified in all the earth. He writes, “that Your way may be known on the earth, your salvation among all nations.” The Lord’s servant seeks the will of God to be known throughout the earth; he seeks that God’s ways will prevail and hold sway over the peoples of the world. What a noble motivation this is! Surely God will answer this deep plea from the heart of one who eagerly longs for God to be worshiped and served in such a fashion.
Dear one, in this age when so many dishonor the Lord and so few serve Him faithfully, let us seek the same yearning in our lives and ministries. May we also pray and work tirelessly and energetically that the Lord may be known in the lives of others. Let us be vigorous in our prayers and in our service that we might be instruments in the hands of our gracious and powerful Lord to bring many into the sunlight of truth with regard to Christ and the gospel.
Prayer: Dear Lord, use my life to make Yourself known to someone today. Please shine Your face upon me that my efforts will be fruitful in this regard. Amen.