Psalm 67

In a recent newsletter, Neil R. wrote a really helpful paragraph about Psalm 67.
First a reminder of what the psalm says:

Psalm 67

 ¹ May God be gracious to us and bless us
       and make his face shine upon us.
 ² that your ways may be known on earth,
       your salvation among all nations.
 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.
 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.

 "Psalm 67 tells us that God's people get God's promised blessings so that God gets the glory among all the other nations. That is the mandate for mission.
The first time the nations are mentioned (Gen 10 & 11) they are under God's judgment at Babel. The next mention (Gen 12), they are to be blessed by God's choice of Abram. Our God, whose nature is always to have mercy, is for ever finding ways to reach out and bless those who deserve His judgment. Thus began the complicated relationship between the people of God and the surrounding nations; forever trying to cling hold to the promise of the Land, forever forgetting that they were to be a conduit of divine blessing to their neighbours. When Israel forgot this calling, the Lord would scatter them among the nations and would use His people as instruments of His blessing in strange lands: Jacob in Haran, Joseph in Egypt, Moses in Midian, Elijah in Zarephath, Jonah in Nineveh, Esther and Nehemiah in Susa, Daniel in Babylon. Home-sick emissaries, who wanted nothing more than to go home to their land, reluctantly found themselves feeding the nations, bringing prosperity to their masters, acting as civil servants, healers, wise men and royal wives."

Thanks Neil!!