Tuesday prior to Proper 15

 

Psalm 67—All of the readings for this coming week express the fact that God’s salvation is for all people. The psalmist begins with the familiar Aaronic blessing. “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace" (Numbers 6:24–26) For thousands of years God’s people have received this blessing. It is the benediction spoken to the people of God at the conclusion of the Divine Service.  It is a blessing God speaks to you individually and personally.

This blessing originally applied to the children of Israel, but then extends it to all people;” that Your way may be known on earth, Your saving power among all nations.”

May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us,
that your way may be known upon earth,
your saving power among all nations.

 Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
 

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth.
 
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
 
The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, has blessed us.
May God continue to bless us;
let all the ends of the earth revere him.
 

When we pray with Psalm 67 that "God continue to bless us" or when we end the end of the worship service with the promise that "the Lord's face shine upon you," we do so for the sake of God's mission. In order that through God's people, all of the world might experience God's saving help.

Prayer for Psalm 67 – Father through your power the earth has brought forth its noblest fruit, the tree of the cross. Unite all people in its embrace, and feed them with its fruit, everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Collect for Psalm 67, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church, © 1995 American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY
The Trinity copyright © Ed Riojas, Higher Things