darkened world by the purity of its own living and the
proclamation of God's truth. Such a purpose can be
found in Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the first
Temple. "As for the foreigner who does not belong to your
people Israel but has come from a distant land because
of your name--for they will hear of your great name and
your mighty hand and your outstretched arm--when
they come and pray toward this temple, then hear from
heaven, your dwelling place. Do whatever the foreigner
asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may
know your name and fear you" (1 Kings 8:41-43). And
later as Jesus was addressing a Jewish crowd, He said,
"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill
cannot be hidden" (Matthew 5:14).
of praise, the psalmist immediately recognized that
Israel's blessing could never be restricted to a single
people or nation. "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. May the peoples praise you, God; may all the
peoples praise you" (vs. 1-3). Imagine the moment when
the psalmist stepped out on a spectacular morning, the
sun gloriously shining on a blossoming landscape. With
a heart brimming with joy, the psalmist sings his praise
to the only One who could have created such a world.
The sun reminded him of the near presence of God
Himself, warming him while lighting the way. In that
setting is the reminder that we are lit up by the Lord to
light the way for the world to find Him.
of the psalm. When "peoples" are mentioned, the word
is variously translated in the Bible as nations, peoples
or inhabitants, but it more accurately means people
groups. This reach is multiethnic, seeking all the people
groups of the world to know Christ, whether the Inuit
of Alaska, the Machala of India, Paiaku of Brazil or the
Daribi of Papua New Guinea. The psalmist calls on all
the redeemed people in the world's people groups to
sing anthems glorifying our common Creator. Salvation
was never meant to be monopolized by any one people,
but freely poured out upon all.
guide the nations of the earth. May the peoples praise
you, God; may all the peoples praise you" (Psalm 67:4,5).
One of the reasons the people can praise God is because
not that unusual a depiction in the Old Testament. As
modern believers, we tend to see ourselves standing as
the accused, hoping for acquittal for our crimes. But the
Jews of Old Testament time saw this more as a civil
court where they had a rightful claim that they wished
to have enforced. The peoples of the world, children of
God, have a rightful claim on the Kingdom of God. This
is a privilege the Great Judge of the Earth will uphold
and protect. Injustice is plowed aside as the Kingdom
of God advances across the world.
chain gang, but as a shepherd who tenderly leads his
flock. The psalmist speaks of protection and benefit,
not servile labor. Jesus spoke of His gentle leading
even while employing the believer's efforts: "Take my
yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and
humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (Matthew
11:29, 30).
harvest not only was make�or�break for individual
families but for nations as a whole. So the psalmist
wrote, "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" (vs. 6-7). To eat well was
to be well. And to be well meant to be able to meet
victoriously the challenges that came.
sick person, but the ones in the best health. The well
nourished and healthy are in a position to make a
difference. It is the same spiritually. If you would make a
difference in the world where you live, make sure you are
well nourished spiritually. If you are not what you should
be, you are scarcely in a position to instruct another.
cannot be for only those within the geographical bounds
of our nation or among the people of our own race. We
must have a panoramic view that takes in all the world
that God dearly loves, that does not count the souls
among the impoverished and marginalized one whit
less than the most powerful government leaders or the
ones who fill our TV screens. It is His world, and He has
chosen to love it. And He has invited us to enter into the
harvest, to light the way home.