Finding Yourself in the Psalms

Psalm 67
A Psalm About God’s Missional Purpose

Psalm 67:1-2

The Psalmist records what Israel seldom remembered.

God’s purpose in blessing Israel was so that OTHER NATIONS would be drawn to Him.

Did God care ONLY for the Jewish people in the OT?

• Thousands of years of history prior to Abraham! (2,000 BC)

• Israel only a tiny population until the Exodus (1,400 BC)

• Israel a world entity for only 1,400 years of OT history

• Only during Solomon’s reign did Israel come CLOSE to fulfilling God’s purpose

To ABRAHAM

“All peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Gen 12:3)

“through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed” (Gen 22:18)

ISAIAH – concerning CHRIST

(Isaiah 42:6) “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles,"

(Isaiah 49:6) "he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”"

PAUL – Concerning his mission

(Acts 9:15) "But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel."

(Acts 13:47) "For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “‘I have made you a light for

the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”"

(Acts 26:23) "that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would

proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”"

PSALM 67 Proclaims this GLORIOUS PURPOSE. To glorify God among the people of the WORLD so that they may be DRAWN to HIM

• What is the purpose of the NT church?

• What is your purpose in life?

• How do you handle trials?

Illus – BLAIR, Laura-Jean, LYNN Thomas

PSALM 67:7

The desire for God’s blessing was that the PEOPLES of the EARTH would FEAR HIM!

To the CHURCH

(1 Peter 2:9-10) "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."