Article 2016-08 - God’s Heart for the Nations
Chapter 23: God’s Heart for the Nations
Introduction
King David was a man of great spiritual insight. He wrote about half of the Psalms in the Bible. In them we do not only encounter a huge arsenal of human emotions, but also much more vision for mission than one would expect. In this chapter I interrupt the flow of our story for the sake of letting the Psalms teach us about world missions. I do that by ‘mission-quotes’ from the Psalms only. Italics in these verses are mine, and meant to emphasize the theme. So, let’s not only do missions and teach it, but let’s sing it as well!
Scripture reference
All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations … future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn … (22:27,28,30,31)
The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it (24:1)
Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him (33:8)
I will perpetuate your memory through all generations; therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever (45:17)
Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. How awesome is the Lord Most High, the great King over all the earth! For God is the King of all the earth; … God reigns over the nations … for the kings of the earth belong to God … (47:1,2,7-9)
Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth (48:10a)
Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world, both low and high, rich and poor alike (49:1,2)
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples (57:5,9)
God has spoken … ‘Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet, Judah is my scepter, Moab is my washbasin, upon Edom I toss my sandal; over Philistia I shout in triumph’ (60:6-8; 108:8,9)
O God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas … those living far away fear your wonders (65:5,8)
Below is the most missionary Psalm. Four verses show nine references to the nations:
… that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth. May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you (67:2-5)
Envoys will come from Egypt; Cush will submit herself to God. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth (68:31,32)
He will rule from sea to sea … to the ends of the earth. The desert tribes will bow before him … the kings of Tarshis … will bring tribute to him; the kings of Sheba and Seba will present him gifts. All kings will bow down … all nations will serve him … All nations will be blessed through him … may the whole earth be filled with his glory (72:8-11,17,19)
… you display your power among the peoples (77:14)
Often a price in human lives has to be paid, to reach the nations for Christ. The next verse clearly demonstrates this:
Why should the nations say, ‘Where is their God?’ Before our eyes, make known among the nations that you avenge the outpoured blood of your servants (79:10)
Rise up, O God, judge the earth, for all the nations are your inheritance (82:8)
All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, O Lord; they will bring glory to your name (86:9)
Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth … Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples (96:1,3)
The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. For you, O Lord, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods (97:1,9)
The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations (98:2)
Great is the Lord in Zion; he is exalted over all the nations (99:2)
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth (100:1)
The nations will fear the name of the Lord, all the kings of the earth will revere your glory. So the name of the Lord will be declared in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem when the peoples and the kingdoms assemble to worship the Lord (102:15,21,22)
… make known among the nations what he has done (105:1)
… those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south (107:3)
I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples (108:3)
He has shown his people the power of his works, giving them the lands of other nations (111:6)
From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised. The Lord is exalted over all the nations (113:3,4)
Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples (117:1)
Then it was said among the nations, ‘the Lord has done great things for them’ (126:2)
May all the kings of the earth praise you, O Lord, when they hear the words of your mouth. May they sing of the ways of the Lord (138:4,5)
… so that all men may know of your mighty acts (145:12)
Praise the Lord from the earth … kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and rulers on earth (148:7,11)
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord (150:6)
Comment
Theme nine, about the nations, dominates the Psalms. Included are texts that speak e.g. about ‘all the earth’, ‘all generations’, etc. The verses about Gentile nations sometimes speak of their blessing, sometimes of their judgment. The ones about judgment have been omitted here; they can be found in other Psalm verses (mentioned in the Teacher’s Guide). God does not exclude one single people group. He wants representatives from them all in His Kingdom. It is our task to get them there!
