Photo by Nick Bondarev on Pexels.com

praise from the peoples

Psalm 67:3-5 (JDV)

Psalm 67:3 The peoples will praise you, God; all the peoples will praise you.
Psalm 67:4 The nations will rejoice and shout for joy, because you judge the peoples with fairness and lead the nations in the land. Selah.
Psalm 67:5 The peoples will praise you, God, all the peoples will praise you.

praise from the peoples

Note that the praise of which the psalmist speaks is from the peoples (plural), not people (singular). The singular word (Hebrew ‘am [עַם]) usually refers to the people of Israel. But peoples is parallel with nations (verse 4).

So, the sequence the psalmist describes is this: God smiles on his people (verse 1); they are empowered to make his name known, and spread the good news of his salvation among the nations (verse 2), and that witness results in praise from the peoples because God steps in as their judge and leader (today’s text).

What started as a smile from God on a particular people would spread onto the other nations. A nation blessed by God would spread his word, his love, and his blessing to the surrounding nations. This is how missions worked in the great missionary century.  The good news of the gospel was spread by those who had the blessing of new technology and science to share with needy nations.

But in order for that process to start, there have to be citizens of a particular nation who seek his face for their own people.

Lord, smile on us, so that we can spread your gospel.