RR Psalm 67:1,2 Part 1

Shalom,

Psalm 67:1 For the music director, with stringed instruments, a psalm, a song. 2 May God be gracious to us and bless us. May He cause His face to shine upon us—Selah

This Psalm is relatively short.  There are eight verses in the TLV (and most Jewish Bibles).  Because most Christian Bibles combine verses 1 and 2 into verse 1, there are only 7 verses in most Christian Bibles.  Three times in this short Psalm we find the identical Hebrew word, “Y’Var’che’nu,” meaning “may God bless us” (it’s connected to God’s name, “Eloheynu,” all three times.

This reminds us of the three parts of the Aaronic benediction at the end of Numbers 6.  Numbers 6:23 “Speak to Aaron and to his sons saying: Thus you are to bless Bnei-Yisrael, by saying to them: 24 ‘Adonai bless you and keep you! 25 Adonai make His face to shine on you and be gracious to you 26 Adonai turn His face toward you and grant you shalom!’ 27 In this way they are to place My Name over Bnei-Yisrael, and so I will bless them.”  And it is easy to see the similarities in our subject verses.  

God is so powerful (He did create the universe, which is so big that we can’t invent a telescope big enough to see the end of it.) that He doesn’t have to DO anything in order to bless us.  If He only looks upon us, we are blessed.  This same line appears twice in Psalm 80.  Psalm 80:4(3) O God, restore us, make Your face shine, and we will be saved.  (And again, 4 verses later.)

Moses’ face shone after being in the presence of God.  Exodus 34:29  Now it happened, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hand when he came down from the mountain, that Moses did not know that the skin of his face was radiant, because God had spoken with him. 30 When Aaron and all Bnei-Yisrael saw Moses, the skin of his face shone in rays, so they were afraid to come near him.

Yeshua’s face also shone after being in God’s presence.  Matthew 17:2 Now He was transfigured before them; His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.  Personally, I believe this is why Adam and Eve didn’t know they were naked before the fall.  Before they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they had a relationship with God.  Scripture implies that they walked with God in the Garden.  From being in His presence, they would naturally shine with His glory.

“Selah!”  Let’s pause to appreciate God’s blessings.  Take a moment to rest in His presence, and give Him a thank offering.  May our hearts be filled with gratitude toward God for His goodness toward us.  Psalm 100:4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise! Praise Him, bless His Name. 5 For Adonai is good. His lovingkindness endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.  Shalom shalom.

Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Wed    14-Oct-2026              3rd of Cheshvan, 5787
Ge 8:15-9:7         Jos 11              Ps 11               Mt 9                (1 Pet 5)