Psalm 4:6

“Many, LORD, are asking, ‘Who will bring us prosperity?’ Let the light of your face shine on us.”

Introduction

It’s the question on everyone’s lips—though they might not say it out loud.

“Who will bring us prosperity?”

“Who’s going to fix this mess?”

“Who will give us peace? Security? Stability?”

“Who will make sure we’re going to be okay?”

In times of crisis—economic downturns, wars, cultural upheaval—that question rises to the surface. It still does in every quiet moment of uncertainty. The human heart is always asking: Will I be provided for? Will I be okay?

Psalm 4 puts that question in front of us plainly:

“Many, LORD, are asking, ‘Who will bring us prosperity?’”

And don’t miss what David says next.

He doesn’t give an economic strategy. He doesn’t offer a quick fix. He says:

“Let the light of Your face shine on us.”

What does that mean?

It means: Provision doesn’t ultimately come from a place—it comes from a Person.

Security doesn’t ultimately come from our plans—it comes from the presence of God.

He Himself is our provision.

This is a psalm for hearts that are anxious, uncertain, weary. It’s a psalm for the evening hours, when fears creep in and questions feel louder than answers. And it invites us to shift our eyes—from scarcity to sufficiency, from lack to the light of God’s face.

1. The Fear of Not Having Enough

David is writing in a moment of tension. Enemies surround him. People are turning away from God. The future feels unstable. And what are people saying?

“Who will bring us prosperity?”

The word “prosperity” here doesn’t mean financial wealth. The word for “prosperity here is “good (valuable) n. — that which is pleasing or valuable or useful” It means goodness, peace, stability. People are longing for security, for peace, for that which is good, wondering where it’s going to come from.

That’s not just an ancient fear. It’s a modern one. Open your news feed. Look at the economy. Think about housing costs, job instability, illness, inflation. It’s normal to ask, How are we going to make it?

But here’s the danger: in our fear, we begin to scramble. We reach for comfort in whatever feels closest. We look to the markets, or our savings accounts, or our careers. Or, in quieter ways, we escape into entertainment, distraction, food, or control. And soon our hearts start drifting from faith to fear, from rest to restlessness.

That’s why David’s response is so surprising.

2. The Light of His Face

When David hears the crowd ask, “Who will bring us prosperity?”, he doesn’t answer with a human solution. He prays:

“Let the light of Your face shine on us.”

This is the language of the priestly blessing from Numbers 6:

“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you.”

In Scripture, the light of God’s face is shorthand for His presence, His favor, His care. It’s not about wealth—it’s about being seen and sustained by the God who never runs dry.

Think back to the Israelites in the wilderness. They didn’t have a retirement plan. They didn’t have a grocery store. What they had was manna—daily provision from heaven. Just enough for each day. And if they tried to store it up in fear, it rotted. Why? Because God was teaching them something: “I will provide for you. Not all at once, not in your control—but day by day, from My own hand.”

They didn’t just live off bread—they lived off presence. A cloud by day, a fire by night. The light of His face, guiding them through a barren land.

David remembers that. And so should we.

God is not anxious. He is not caught off guard.

He is the God who lacks nothing.

Colossians 1:17 says, “In Him all things hold together.”

Which means tonight—your life is not held together by your performance, your paycheck, or your plans.

It’s held together by Him.

3. Turning from Panic to Peace

David doesn’t stop at asking for God’s presence. He closes this psalm with one of the most peaceful verses in Scripture:

“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for You alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.” (Psalm 4:8)

That’s not denial—it’s trust. Trust that the God who shines His face upon us is not indifferent to our needs. He sees. He knows. He provides.

But here’s the key: David isn’t asking for more things. He’s asking for more of God.

Because the most important provision in life isn’t something we hold in our hands—it’s someone we trust with our hearts.

When the mind spirals into “What if?”

When the body tenses with stress…

When anxiety creeps in at night…

The invitation of Psalm 4 is to say:

“God, I see the lack. But I choose to lift my eyes. Shine the light of Your face on me. Be my portion. Be my peace.”

4. Jesus, the Face of God and the Bread from Heaven

So where do we see this most clearly? Where do we see the shining face of God—His provision, His presence, His peace?

In Jesus.

Hebrews 1 tells us that Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact imprint of His being.

In other words, the light of God’s face has a name—and it is Jesus Christ.

When the world was dark, He came as the Light.

When people were lost, He became the Way.

When sin and death threatened to devour us, He gave His body—like manna in the wilderness—to be our daily bread.

Jesus is not just a messenger of God’s provision—He is the provision.

He said, “I am the bread of life.”

He said, “Come to Me, all who are weary, and I will give you rest.”

At the cross, He bore the darkness of sin—so that we could live in the light of God’s face forever.

And that’s why, no matter how loud the question gets—“Who will bring us prosperity?”—the answer will always be: Jesus.

He is the One who brings us peace.

He is the One who holds us fast.

He is the One who never runs out, never turns away, never stops sustaining us with His love.

Conclusion

So when fear rises, and your heart starts asking, “What if I don’t have enough?”

Remember this:

You have a Shepherd who lacks nothing.

You have a Father who sees and provides.

You have a Friend who gave Himself for you.

So let this be your prayer tonight:

“Let the light of Your face shine on me.”

And then lie down, in peace.

Because He Himself is your provision.

Let’s pray

Lord God, You are the One who lacks nothing. And yet You pour Yourself out for us. You shine the light of Your face on Your people—not because we earn it, but because You are good. Help us tonight to rest in Your sufficiency. To remember that You are our Provider, our Peace, and our Portion. And most of all, thank You for Jesus—our daily bread, our true prosperity, our Savior and King. In His name we pray, Amen.