ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 Tu’apulelulu ‘Okatopa 5, 2023

The Goyim

Ko e Koi’imi

PSALM 67:1-3

MAY GOD BE GRACIOUS TO US AND BLESS US AND MAKE HIS FACE TO SHINE UPON US, SELAH THAT YOUR WAY MAY BE KNOWN ON EARTH, YOUR SAVING POWER AMONG ALL NATIONS. LET THE PEOPLES PRAISE YOU, O GOD; LET ALL THE PEOPLES PRAISE YOU!

SAAME 67:1-3

1 KE ‘alo‘ofa mai ‘a e ‘Otua, ‘o fai homau tāpuekina; Pea fakaulo mai hono fofonga ‘i homau lotolotonga: (Sila) 2 Kae ‘ilo ho hala ‘e māmani, Mo ho‘o fakamo‘ui ‘i he lotolotonga ‘o e ngaahi kakai. 3 Ke fakamālō ‘a e kakai kiate koe, ‘Elohimi,

When the Lord gave the so-called Aaronic Benediction, he specified the audience: "Thus you shall bless the people of Israel" (Num. 6:23). Notice what happens, however, when the words of this blessing are echoed in Psalm 67. Not just Israel but "all nations," "the peoples," and "all the peoples" benefit and respond in praise. God's blessings, with centrifugal grace, ripple outward to the goyim ("nations"). Though there are exceptions, as a rule, goyim refers to non-Israelites, the Gentiles. In the Israelite mind, there were seventy nations of the world. This psalm confesses and celebrates that the Lord of Israel is the Lord of all seventy, God of "all the ends of the earth" (v. 7).

At Pentecost, "devout men from every nation under heaven" were there in Jerusalem (Acts 2:5). Not just Jews but goyim who were believers in the God of Israel. All received the same Spirit. All partook of his saving power. God was gracious to all of them,  blessed them, and made his face shine upon them. As he'd promised Abram long before, in his Seed "all the goyim of the earth" were blessed (Gen. 22:18).

"Praise the LORD, all nations! Extol him, all peoples!" (Ps. 117:1).