Let All the Nations Praise the Lord

“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us—so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. May the peoples praise you, God; may all the peoples praise you. May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples with equity and guide the nations of the earth. May the peoples praise you, God; may all the peoples praise you. The land yields its harvest; God, our God, blesses us. May God bless us still, so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.” (Ps 67:1-7)
 
Introduction
Today, through Psalm 67, I would like to share a message titled "Until All the Nations Behold the Lord."
 
Mission in the Old Testament
One of the common misunderstandings we have when talking about "mission" is that it is strictly a New Testament concept and that the idea of mission does not appear in the Old Testament.
When you think of mission, which scripture comes to mind first? Most Christians likely think of the Great Commission given by Jesus before His ascension—"Go and make disciples of all nations"—or the stories in the Book of Acts and the missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul.
Certainly, this is correct. Missions began in earnest with the birth of the Church, as the disciples started preaching the Gospel through the Word Jesus entrusted to them and the power of the Holy Spirit.
However, this does not mean that "mission" is absent from the Old Testament. God’s missionary purpose for all the nations appears repeatedly throughout the entire Bible, including both the Old and New Testaments.
The very purpose for which God called Abraham was missionary in nature. When God first called Abraham, He said to him:
“Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:1-3)
This passage is overflowing with missionary language. The background of this call is the depravity of the entire world. Though God created the world good and beautiful in His sight, it fell into corruption due to human rebellion and sin. Afterward, sin filled the world as humanity multiplied. Even after God judged the world once through the Flood, sin continued to spread to every corner of the earth.
People who had experienced God’s judgment by water began to build a tower with its top reaching to the heavens, seeking to make a name for themselves and to escape any future judgment from God. This is the story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11.
 
This is the context in which God called Abraham. When the whole world was corrupted by sin and all people rejected and opposed God, He did not choose to judge the world once more; instead, He established a plan to save them. And that grand plan began very small—by calling one old man in Mesopotamia.
When God called Abraham, He promised him three things: a land, a nation, and a blessing. These three promises clearly reveal the purpose of Abraham’s calling. It can be defined in one phrase: The Kingdom of God. Simply defined, the Kingdom of God is God’s reign. The Kingdom of God exists where His people submit to God’s sovereign rule and authority, and wherever they go.
These are the three elements of the Kingdom of God: Land, People, and most importantly, God’s Sovereignty and Rule. This also refers to the restoration of the relationship with God.
So, what did God expect by giving Abraham land, a nation, and the blessing of being restored in relationship with Him? It was for a righteous people to rise up—those who call upon God’s name and follow His will—to go out to the nations and proclaim His reign. It was to spread the Good News that God rules.
Through them, the nations would return to God, and His Kingdom would come upon the whole world. God chose and called Abraham from a sin-corrupted world and blessed him first, specifically so that all nations might receive the blessing, which is salvation.
God established the nation of Israel through Abraham’s descendants with that same purpose, making them His own people. After hearing their cries as they suffered as slaves in Egypt and delivering them, God said:
 “You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (Exodus 19:4-6)
In this text, we again see God’s missionary purpose for the nations. The reason God saved Israel and made them His possession was so they could fulfill the role of a "Kingdom of Priests" among the nations.
What is the role of a priest? Simply put, it is the role of a mediator. It is to connect God and humanity and to bring reconciliation. God wanted the entire nation of Israel to fulfill this role. He desired that through the nation of Israel, all nations would return to Him and enjoy the blessings He wished to bestow upon them.
To fulfill this task, the people of Israel had to be a "Holy Nation." Amidst a wicked world, they had to discern God’s good will through the Law He gave them and testify to God’s holiness and living presence through a set-apart life lived according to that will.
Tragically, however, this did not happen. The people of Israel took pride only in the fact that God had chosen them, but they lost sight of the crucial purpose and direction--why God had chosen them.
This is one of the main reasons many Christians believe missions did not exist in the Old Testament. But that is not the case. The reason mission did not happen in the Old Testament was not due to a lack of purpose or will on God's part, but because of the ignorance and failure of the nation He chose for that task.
However, even in their failure, God never for a moment stopped His plan to bring the blessing of salvation to all nations. And He continued to reveal that purpose through many Old Testament passages. Psalm 67, which we read today, is a core and representative text that always appears when discussing "Old Testament Missions."
 
Psalm 67: The Chiasm Structure
Before we dive into the text, let’s look at the unique literary structure of this Psalm. Psalm 67 is composed in a very sophisticated  literary structure called a "Chiasm." This is one of the key literary techniques frequently found in the Bible.
Writing styles vary by culture. Korea often uses an inductive style (conclusion at the end), providing detailed explanations first. This is reflected in speech too; Koreans tend to say the most important thing at the very end.
The West, such as the United States, often uses a deductive style, stating the main theme or conclusion first, followed by supporting evidence.
In a Chiasm structure, however, where is the most important content placed? Uniquely, the core message is inserted in the "middle," rather than the beginning or the end. Other detailed ideas related to this center point appear cross-wise around it.
The word Chiasm is derived from the twenty-second letter of the Greek alphabet: "Chi" (χ). As you can see, "Chi" is formed by two lines meeting in the middle, emphasizing the center point. Similarly, in a Chiasm, the "core idea" is located in the center, and the remaining ideas appear symmetrically.
 
A Chiasm usually looks like this: (A – B – C – B` - A`)
First, the content corresponding to A appears. Then, B, a different but related idea, follows. After that, the core content,  C, appears. Then B`, which is similar to B, returns, and finally, the poem concludes with A`, which is similar to the original A. Therefore, when this structure is found in the Bible, we can know that the author’s primary emphasis is in C.
Psalm 67 clearly exhibits this Chiasm structure. We can divide it as follows:

• A: Prayer for God’s blessing and grace (v. 1-2)
• B: All nations praise the Lord (v. 3)
• C: Core: God’s righteous rule and the joy of the world (v. 4)
• B': All nations praise the Lord (v. 5)
• A': God’s blessing and the fear of the Lord to the ends of the earth (v. 6-7)

First, verses 1 and 2 begin by seeking God’s blessing and grace. In verse 3, the plea “May the peoples praise you” appears. Then, verse 4 depicts God judging and ruling all nations, with the peoples of the earth singing for joy. Verse 5 repeats the scene of all nations praising the Lord. Finally, verses 6 and 7 conclude with God giving blessings and the ends of the earth returning to Him.
As you can see, Psalm 67 is perfectly written in a Chiasm structure. So, which part is the author emphasizing most? The answer is verse 4—the scene where God’s reign, His Kingdom, comes upon the whole world and all people respond with joy.
In this Psalm, we find God’s missionary desire and purpose to save all nations. That is what I want to share with you today. Let's go deeper according to this structure.
 
1. God’s Blessing: A(1-2), A`(6-7)
Let’s look at the ▶first section. Psalm 67 begins with a plea for God to give blessings and ends with the scene of God bestowing them. Let’s read verses 1-2:
 “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.” (Psalm 67:1-2)
Here, the Psalmist is quoting the "Priestly Blessing" or "Aaronic Blessing" from Numbers 6:▶ “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
This blessing was what God told Aaron’s descendants to say when blessing the Israelites. Though spoken by a priest, it carries special weight because its source is God Himself.
 
We find common elements in both texts: "Grace," "Blessing," and "Face." These words are not independent but are deeply interconnected concepts.
First, the Hebrew word for "blessing" is Barak. It basically means "to bestow power," and in the Bible, it can carry meanings of material success, prosperity, or long life. However, that is not the true meaning of biblical blessing. We find the true meaning in other Psalms:
 “I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.’” (Psalm 16:2)
 “Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord.” (Psalm 144:15)
 “But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge.” (Psalm 73:28)
The blessing God truly wants to give us is Himself. That blessing transcends temporary material wealth; it is the blessing of eternal life found within a relationship with Him.
So, if God dwells within you and you abide in Him—living under the joy and peace of His reign and calling Him 'Abba, Father' in His very presence—you are already a person who has received the greatest blessing in the world.
To give us this very blessing, God didn’t even spare His only Son but sent Him into this world as a sacrifice to atone for our sins. Through His blood, we are forgiven and declared righteous before God. Following Jesus, our eternal High Priest who went before us, we can now pass through the curtain into the Most Holy Place and enter God's presence.
That is the true blessing and grace God wants to give us. That blessing is facing God and living in the light He shines. The Hebrew word for "face" here is Panim. It goes beyond physical appearance to mean a person’s entire being. God’s face refers to His character, personality, existence, and total presence.
When God said in the First Commandment,  “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3), the Hebrew word translated as "me" is Panim. Literally, it means we should let nothing and no one come between God’s face and ours. This is the degree of intimacy God desires with us.
God wants His face to shine on us. He wants to give His entire being to us. And He did this through Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:6:  “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” (2 Cor 4:6)
In other words, the grace, blessing, and light of His face in Psalm 67:1-2 all mean one thing: Salvation—the restoration of the relationship with God. God wants to give this blessing of salvation to His people and desires that, through them, this blessing spreads to the nations.
 
2. All Nations Praise the Lord: B(3), B`(5)
Now let’s look at the▶ second part. In Psalm 67:3 and 5, the exact same sentence appears:
“May the peoples praise you, God; may all the peoples praise you.” (Psalm 67:3, 5)
Here, the author looks forward to the day when all nations praise the Lord. Crucially, this content is given as a result of verse 1—God being gracious, blessing His people, and shining His face upon them.
Here we find the purpose of the salvation God gives us. Many Christians think of salvation itself as the goal or the final stop. While we are indeed people running toward final salvation, we must also consider why God saved us first and what role He expects from us while we still live on this earth. We find this in the scene where God calls Abraham.
God blessed Abraham and said:  “I will... bless you... and you will be a blessing... and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:2-3).
The reason God blessed Abraham was not for him to enjoy that blessing alone. God blessed him so that he would "be a blessing" to the nations and that all people of the earth would "receive the blessing" through him and his descendants.
What we learn here is that the privilege of the "blessing"—becoming a citizen of God’s Kingdom through a restored relationship with Him through Jesus Christ—is given alongside responsibility and duty. This applies to every citizen of any nation.
I hold Korean citizenship. As a Korean citizen, I have privileges other foreigners do not have: protection from the government, the right to vote, and the right to enjoy healthcare and education systems. However, all these privileges come with "duties and responsibilities," such as the duty to pay taxes and the duty of national defense.
So, if I only wanted to enjoy the privileges of citizenship while neglecting my duties—if I refused to serve in the military or pay taxes—what would happen? I would not be recognized as a proper citizen and would likely end up in prison. All the privileges I enjoyed as a free citizen would be restricted.
The same applies to the Kingdom of God. Through the great love of God and the wonderful grace of Jesus Christ, we have received salvation and the blessing of being citizens of His Kingdom. By believing in Jesus, we have received the incredible privilege of being God’s adopted children and participating in eternal life.
However, this privilege comes with responsibility. What is our duty as those who have been blessed? It is to be a blessing. What is our duty as those who have been saved? It is to be a channel of salvation. As those who have received the light of Jesus Christ, been rescued from darkness, and now walk in the light, our responsibility is to shine that light into the world.
Therefore, every Christian must also be a witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As people who believe in Jesus, as those who have welcomed Him as Savior and Lord, and as citizens of His Kingdom, we must be faithful in shining His light to the nations, preaching the Gospel, and making disciples of all nations according to the Great Commission.
This is not an "optional" matter for Christians. If we truly confess Jesus as Lord, we must do as He tells us. When we are faithful in this, God’s grace, blessing, and salvation will flow through us to those around us who do not yet know Him—to this community, to this nation, and beyond to the nations.
This is what the Psalmist is confessing. He prays: "Lord, be gracious to us and bless us. Through us, let the blessing of Your wonderful salvation be known to all nations, and let all the nations praise You."
May this be the confession, prayer, and plea of our lips today. I bless you that your lives may truly become channels of that blessing and life, always walking with the Lord.
Psalm 67 concludes this way:
 “May God bless us still, so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.” (Psalm 67:7)
Here, we see God blessing us and the ends of the earth worshiping Him tied together as cause and effect. This implies the biblical truth that all who receive the blessing must now become a blessing to the nations.
This day will surely come. The day when all the ends of the earth fear God will surely be fulfilled, because God is the one who spoke it, promised it, and showed it in advance.
However, not everyone will enjoy the blessing of salvation on that day. Only those who, in true faith in Jesus Christ, live according to the purpose for which God saved them, will participate in the wedding feast of the Lamb on that final day of salvation.
 
3. God’s Kingdom Over the Whole World: C (verse 4)
Finally, let’s look at the core section of Psalm 67. As I mentioned, this Psalm is a Chiasm, and the most important part is verse 4 in the center. Let's read it together:
“May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples with equity and guide the nations of the earth. (Selah)” (Psalm 67:4)
This is the ultimate final image described in the Bible—the New Heaven and New Earth where the Kingdom of God is fully realized on this earth. When we receive the blessing of God’s salvation and live as channels of that blessing among the nations, submitting to God’s sovereignty, the Kingdom of God will be established and expanded wherever we go.
And that Kingdom will be fully realized on this earth on the day our Savior Jesus Christ returns. The Kingdom of God filled with nothing but joy and worship—where there is no sorrow, no tears, no pain, and no suffering—will surely come. On that day, God will restore all things broken by sin through His judgment and rule, and bring back "Shalom"—true peace—to this earth. And we will all behold God's face as it is in perfect joy and live forever worshiping Him.
This is the ultimate goal of our missions as citizens of God's Kingdom. Pastor John Piper left a very famous five-word sentence in the world of missiology:  “Missions Exists Because Worship Doesn’t.”
This sentence reminds us what the ultimate direction of our mission must be. Missions is not the end in itself; it contributes to a larger, more sublime purpose. The ultimate goal of missions is that God receives the glory He deserves—which is worship. Missions happens in places where God is not receiving the glory He rightfully deserves. But on the day when all nations worship the Lord, we will no longer speak of missions. There will only be the sound of praise to the Lord.
This is the primary purpose of our mission as those who have first received God's blessing and salvation. Missions is not a "program" of the church; it is the church's reason for existence and its very essence. We engage in missions not to promote the church or to get more people to come, but solely to worship God truly.
There are still many people in this world who do not know God—who do not know Him as Creator and Savior—and thus do not give Him the glory He is worthy to receive. They are the targets of our mission.
We must go out to the nations today so that they may be raised as worshipers of God, and so that the sound of praise to God may fill those lands where His name is not yet exalted. Until the knowledge of the glory of the Lord fills the earth as the waters cover the sea, we must not stop. We must be faithful to the mission God has given us, preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and living holily according to His Word. That is the blessed life we, who are saved by Jesus' grace, should live.
I pray that our lives and faith today may be realigned with this purpose of worshiping God and with His missionary call to the nations. May God’s will and Kingdom be established in our homes, workplaces, and everywhere we go—and among the nations—through our lives. May the day quickly come when all the ends of the earth fear and worship Him. So, until all nations behold the Lord, let us continue to march forward in praise.
Let us pray together.
 
[Prayer]
Heavenly Father, we thank You for letting us know Your plan, purpose, and will for us through Your Word today.
Lord, at this time, be gracious to us and fill us with every spiritual blessing of heaven. Shine the light of Your face upon us so that Your Word of truth and salvation may be known to all nations through us. Help us not to forget the mission You have given us until every nation worships You. May we go to the places where You are not worshiped and boldly preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, living for Your glory.
We believe the day will surely come when all the ends of the earth will fear the Lord. We believe the day will surely come when every nation, tribe, people, and language will worship You. We believe that on the day Jesus Christ returns, God’s rule and Kingdom will be fully realized on this earth.
Lord, at this time, we lift our hands high to You. Please use us. Open our spiritual eyes so that we may see that day and live with our hope set solely on it, living truly blessed lives.
We thank You for all these things and pray in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
 
[Reflection Questions]
1. The Psalmist prays for God to make His face shine on us (v. 1). When was a specific moment in your life recently when you truly felt God's presence and peace? Conversely, what is currently standing between your "face" and God's face, preventing you from fully enjoying His light?
 
 
2. A citizen of God's Kingdom has a duty to be a blessing. In your home, workplace, or school, what is one concrete duty you need to carry out this week to proclaim God’s reign?
 
3. According to the structure of Psalm 67, God’s blessing for us should lead to the nations' praise. Who is one lost soul in your circles that you want to specifically commit to praying for this week, asking that they might become worshipers of God?
 
4. "Missions exists because worship doesn't" Identify the place in your daily life that is most dry and devoid of praise to God. How can you use your life as worship to reveal God's glory in that specific place this week?