“May all the peoples praise You!”
By Philip Robinson
I invite you to imagine the temple as described in 1 Chronicles 23/25 with 4000 musicians playing harps, lyres, other stringed instruments, cymbals and timbrels. While the poetic beauty and musicality of the Psalms accounts for their popularity and appeal, surely it is their enduring relevance and relatedness for all people and generations that is most remarkable.
“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. ”
The Psalms would have been originally written in Hebrew, given that they came from the Jewish tradition and culture, but they were then spread in the Greek language - the predominant language of the gentiles and non-jewish people. Today the bible is written in over 700 languages and still various translation projects are ongoing. This means that the Psalms are accessible, understandable, speakable and singable by people in their own languages. We underplay the marvel and miracle of how God’s word and praise continue to spread and transform individuals and nations. This is even greater than the experience of the day of Pentecost, when people from all surrounding nations heard the great works of God being talked about in their own native tongue.
As we worship and pray, we make progress in the mission for God’s kingdom to come and for Jesus, the Lamb of God, to take his place. There will come a time when the great multitude that no one can count, from every nation, tribe, people and language will stand before the throne and before the Lamb worshipping in loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sites on the throne and to the Lamb (Revelation 7:9, 10).
Until then, the mission to make God’s salvation known among all nations continues. Today, there are people, peoples and nations walking in darkness & in need salvation. They need light. They need Jesus! He is the blessing and the light of God’s face shining on us. By keeping our gaze fixed on Him, we can reflect the shine of God’s face to the earth, so that everything we do points to Him. “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16).
Reflection:
What does an outsider hearing our worship hear? Does it make God known?