The Hidden Mysteries

Psalm 67:1-7

¹ May God be merciful and bless us.
    May his face smile with favor on us. Interlude

² May your ways be known throughout the earth,
    your saving power among people everywhere.
³ May the nations praise you, O God.
    Yes, may all the nations praise you.
⁴ Let the whole world sing for joy,
    because you govern the nations with justice
    and guide the people of the whole world. Interlude

⁵ May the nations praise you, O God.
    Yes, may all the nations praise you.
⁶ Then the earth will yield its harvests,
    and God, our God, will richly bless us.
⁷ Yes, God will bless us,
    and people all over the world will fear him.

Growing up Catholic, I heard a bunch of old men who could not sing to save their life, but every Sunday they would break out into song singing a prayer. It was the same prayer over and over again, and all the congregation would say it with the priest. I can still follow right along even to this day attending Catholic weddings or funerals, the same prayers.

While some of us would say that these prayers became mindless group words we had to say with no meaning, we may be missing the point. Isaiah 55:11 says, “So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the purpose for which I sent it.” Mindless chatter? I think not.

God’s word will always go out and succeed in the purpose for which God sends it, even if we don’t understand it or if it seems like chatter in our human minds. A chemist sees chemical equations and thinks differently than a student would looking at the same equations. Much like that, the Holy Spirit inside you understands the word of God even if you don’t. Matthew 13:11 says, “Jesus answered them, ‘To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.’” The key to opening up this mystery-filled, living word of God is Jesus in your heart. Psalm 67 sounds like one of those mindless chatters from a priest, but when you don’t know what to pray or say, pray the word. Read this Psalm and use it as a prayer to God today.

Prayer: Father, I pray that we would pray the word of God. I pray that we would meditate on it daily, reading it slowly and letting the Holy Spirit reveal its hidden mysteries. I pray the word of God would come alive through the Holy Spirit today, in Jesus’ name, amen.