Gladness from knowing Him

We're still "camped" in Psalm 67, enjoying the songwriter's joyous praise and his instructions to us to share that praise - last time, we noted that we should "export" our gladness to others. 

This world is in such turmoil.

So many of the nations are warring and resentful; they are rebellious against God. 

Even our own countries, those of us who pause here, pay precious little attention to the God Who gives so many blessings, even while they use those blessings for their own purposes.

I guess we can't expect others (other people or nations) to be glad in God if they do not know Him.

Kinda being Captain Obvious there, aren't I? (Grin)

Here's what the psalmist says in verse two:

so that your ways may be known on earth,
    your salvation among all nations. (Psalm 67:2)

If people are worshiping gods of their own making, or of their own imagining, or if they are worshiping possessions, power, etc., then the One true God will not be praised.  In order to sing His praises, people must know Him as He is revealed in His Word. 

They must know His ways:  

And many peoples will come and say,
“Come, let’s go up to the mountain of the Lord,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
So that He may teach us about His ways,
And that we may walk in His paths.” (Isaiah 2:3a, NASB)

They must know His salvation:

Lead me in Your truth and teach me,

For You are the God of my salvation;

For You I wait all the day. (Psalm 25:5)

And many, many of the people of this world need to know Him!

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? (Romans 10:14-15a)

We need to pray for God to use us, and to use other believers: to raise up workers for the harvest. We need to pray for faithful people to contribute so that these workers can go and be supported financially and spiritually.

Another source of joy is that God will judge and guide the nations.

May the nations be glad and sing for joy;
For You will judge the peoples with fairness
And guide the nations on the earth. Selah  (Psalm 67:4, NASB)

God's judging the nations with fairness means that He will right every wrong. He will punish all those who have oppressed innocent people. He will punish those who have persecuted and even murdered the most vulnerable among us.

The promise that God will judge and guide is a source of comfort for those of us who know His salvation. The repeated assurances of God's Word tell us that the nations are NOT spinning out of control, but are under God's ultimate control. Proud, rebellious men and women may think that they are the rulers; the nations may think they are sovereign - but the Bible is clear that God alone is sovereign. We have the blessings of knowing Him, of knowing His ways and His salvation -- that is the gladness that we can share!