“God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us” (Psalm 67:1 KJV).
In Psalm 67, we hear an echo of the blessing found in Numbers 6. The psalm begins with a request for blessing. Specifically, it asks for the fertility of the land (verse 6). The expression ‘He causes his face to shine upon us’ means that prayers were offered to ask for God’s presence and that His eyes would rest lovingly on the believer. Verses 2-5 describe the reaction that this blessing might evoke in the countries surrounding Israel. The way in which God blessed Israel revealed who He is and what it meant to be blessed by Him. As a result, the inhabitants of the countries surrounding Israel could also discover who God is. There would be rejoicing in God’s deeds and the realisation that God always acts righteously and fairly. God’s blessing and everything that results from it is not intended to make His children proud and extravagant in their way of life. God’s blessing reveals who He is and what He gives. This is what we learn from Psalm 67. It is not the people who receive praise for what has been achieved. All glory goes to God because He provided all necessities through His blessing.
How does God’s blessing bring you joy? And how do you express that joy?