Psalm 67 - May God be gracious to us

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A psalm of David.
1) May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
2) that your way may be known upon earth,
your saving power among all nations.
3) Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
4) Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
5) Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
6) The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, has blessed us.
7) May God continue to bless us;
let all the ends of the earth revere him.
Psalm 67 (NRSV*)
14th Sunday of Pentecost, Year A
6th Sunday of Easter, Year C

There is delight in this compact psalm. Sometimes people speak of "simple faith." Maybe they are admiring, maybe a bit condescending. But would that we can arrive at such simplicity.

Most of the most devout people I know have a great cloud of complexity in the background, and have not had a straight path to the faith they now live. "Simple" faith is very often the visible peak of an iceberg-sized spiritual life, with much unseen and unknown by the casual observer.

I believe there is a lot that led this person and the community of faith to sing this hymn of praise. Yet here there is no dissonance, only prayer for blessings received and blessings to come.

I am tempted to speak of how the words resonate in my heart, the thankfulness for the goodness of earth, the praise of the goodness of God, the hope that all peoples will love this Lord.

But I will do better to end, and commend to you and to me, the simple words of the psalm.

May God be gracious to us and bless us, and make his face to shine upon us...

Credits:
Deborah Lee Soltesz, Summer Wildflowers east of the Peaks, 23 Aug 2017. Late summer blooms in the O'Leary Peak and Sunset Crater Volcano area of Coconino National Forest. Public domain, U.S. Forest Service Coconino National Forest.
* New Revised Standard Version Bible (NRSV), copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.