God’s plans are bigger, and His promises reach wider, than we often think.
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine on us
2 so that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
3 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples with equity
and guide the nations of the earth.
5 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
6 The land yields its harvest;
God, our God, blesses us.
7 May God bless us still,
so that all the ends of the earth will fear him. Psalm 67
The first verse is based on the way God told His priests to bless His people (Numbers 6 v 24).In other words, this is what God says that we most need—His grace; His blessing; and His loving presence.
Where do we find the shining, blessing, gracious face of God turned towards us? 2 Corinthians 4:6 tells us this:
“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”
Reading through New Testament lenses, we could paraphrase verse 1 as: May God enable us to know Jesus better and better.
If we are truly filled with the blessing of knowing Christ, it will overflow, and we will want it to overflow. God does not want His grace to be shut within the walls of our church buildings. He wants everyone to know Him, His justice and guidance; to praise Him for saving them, too.