Psalm 67 (NRSV)
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Verse 1May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
Verse 2that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations.
Verse 3Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
Verse 4Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
Verse 5Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
Verse 6The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us.
Verse 7May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him.
Devotion
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands. ... If you're happy and you know it, then your life will surely show it... I remember singing this chorus as a child; it has more verses than I recall now. The psalmist could have written, "If you're bless-ed and you know it, sing God's praise." Praise rises out of an awareness of receiving the unexpected and unearned.
My dad lived as a farmer all his life. He worked hard yet realized that he had not created the sun nor the rain nor the soil nor the seed. He praised God when the earth yielded its increase. Dad had colon cancer so he spent his 50th birthday on October 5 in the hospital. Neighbors harvested the corn that fall. Dad praised God for God's saving health and caring friends. I'm eager for the day when all know they are blessed and sing God's praise!
Prayer
Generous God, you give us far more than we realize. Open our eyes and our hearts to see and receive your generous blessing, and move us to praise you with our lives as well as with our lips. Amen.