O God, let all the nations praise you!
December 16, 2022 - Friday, 3rd Week of Advent
Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 7-8
Harvest is a season of joy, a time to collect the fruits of the earth and work of our hands. Long ago, we planted seeds and now we can gather the fruits. But despite being able to explain it scientifically, the time between planting and harvesting is mysterious indeed. As Jesus put it in one of his parables about God’s kingdom. The one who scatters seed on the ground does not know how the seed sprouts and grows. “The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle because the harvest has come” (Mark 4:27-29).
Psalm 67 celebrates God’s blessing upon Israel in the form of an abundant harvest. In ancient Israel, the primary harvest season extended from April to November and according to Deuteronomy 8:8, it included wheat and barley, grapes and figs, pomegranates, olives and honey. The primary feast that celebrated God’s blessing in the form of a yearly abundant harvest was the feast of Tabernacles. “Celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress” (Deut 16:13).
The abundant harvest is an indication of God’s mercy and blessing upon Israel. In the land of Israel, human labour was not enough to assure a good harvest; a lot depended upon good weather and seasonal rains. But good weather and rain are the domain of the Lord who created heaven and earth. In the second account of creation recorded in the book of Genesis 2:4b-25, we read that although the earth and the heavens were already created there was no vegetation yet. Why? There were two reasons: “the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground” (Gen 2:5).
By celebrating the abundant harvest, Israel also proclaims God’s creative power to all nations. They should realise that what the Lord did for Israel, he can also do for them. Our God is not only the Lord of creation, but He is also the Lord of history. The psalmist proclaims that the Lord rules and guides the nations of the earth (Ps 67:5). The psalmist hopes that all the people will praise the Lord who alone can bring abundant life to all of us.
As Christians, we have experienced abundant blessings in Jesus Christ. We have been chosen by God, transformed by His grace, and given God’s Spirit to dwell in us. And like the psalmist, we hope that others can realise that God has also been good to them, even if they do not believe in Him. We proclaim to them that all the gifts they possess - from life to health and talents - come from our Lord, the source of all goodness (see Acts 14:17). In this way, we hope to draw them to God and see our Lord being “revealed to the ends of the earth” (Ps 67:8).