God vs. ‘Us vs. Them’

Saturday Psalm: 5.24.25

Photo by Diana Light via Pexels

The Saturday devotion focuses on a part of a psalm – a verse, a phrase, even a single word. We pray that it is a blessing to you.

Psalm 67
v3 Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!

With a graduation, consecration and wedding all on my calendar this May and June, I have come to appreciate a good invitation. This psalm qualifies.

The inclusivity is welcome. I have qualms about psalms inspiring an us-vs.-them mentality. Just looking for examples at recent subjects of these devotionals, we have David scorned by mankind and despised by the people in Psalm 22, and David talking of how the LORD prevented his foes from rejoicing over him in Psalm 30. Even part of his idyllic Psalm 23 happens “in the presence of my enemies.”

In that light, Psalm 67 is refreshing. It opens asking for God to be gracious to us, to bless us, to make his face to shine upon us. Read on, though, and “us” sounds like everyone.

The writer wants God’s way known among all nations. (v2) All peoples are to praise God. (v3, v5) The nations should be glad and sing. (v4) He is to be feared to the ends of the earth. (v7)

This psalm reads like it’s from someone who would have been thrilled to meet the Magi. Someone who would have patted Peter on the back for meeting with Cornelius and other Gentiles. Someone who upon hearing of Paul’s vision beckoning him to Macedonia would have helped him pack.

And as someone whose ancestors were not among the Lord’s original chosen people, I’m particularly glad about that. Without disciples in ages past eager to reach around the world with the Gospel, to reach me, I’d be in spiritual darkness.

And if you share that sentiment, let’s talk about us. It’s our turn to go and make disciples of all nations. It’s our turn to acknowledge that we’re often the answer to the questions of “who?” and “how?”

The Lord doesn’t look at his creation as us vs. them, he wants all to be saved. He has prepared the invitations, and has asked that they be delivered – from us to them.

Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.