Oh God Shine Your Face on Us and Restore Us

Introduction

What does revival mean to you? For many of us, especially those from a pentecostal / Charismatic background, we think of special services where there is powerful preaching, singing, and calls to repent and believe the gospel. Permit me to posit another definition: Biblical revival is when there is a renewal of spiritual life and fervor for the Lord in the lives of believers. As the POSB describes it: “When a believer is genuinely revived, he or she will sincerely repent of sin, rededicate him- or herself to the Lord, strive for holiness, and walk more closely with Him than ever before.”[1] True revival begins with the people of God confessing sin, giving Yahweh His due heartfelt worship, joyfully keeping His commandments, and enjoying His blessings. This is what the psalmist desires in our psalm today.

Background

The psalmist is writing before the fall of the Northern tribe to Assyria 722 BC. It is a dire situation as Israel has already suffered invasions and difficulties. There is still hope if the people repent. They didn’t and suffer the consequences.

Exposition

Verses 1 - 3: The psalm writer begins referring to the God of Israel has its Shepherd. The LORD of hosts is the one who led Israel. He alone is above and greater than the mighty hosts of heaven, though the specific reference is to the ark of the covenant. Yahweh has cared for Israel from its beginning, meeting its needs and often providing undeserved blessings to these fiercely stubborn sheep. Yet Israel as a whole, and the northern kingdom in particular, has often refused to follow after her Shepherd. As we saw back in psalm 78, rebellion was characteristic of this people. Now they are in danger of destruction. The LORD of hosts has brought a mighty army against them and Israel’s destruction is near. They have no recourse save one, that the LORD would shine brightly on them and deliver them. He is calling for Yahweh to again make His name known on the earth. Only the power of God can defeat this enemy . The writer, fearful of what is coming, pleads for the God to look favorably on their circumstance and restore them, meaning that the people would return to serving the LORD. This would involve forgiveness of sins, covenant renewal, and restoring safety and prosperity. He is confident that if God acts, Israel will be saved.

Verses 4 - 7: As we saw in the background, this is not the same psalm writer of 73, 74, and 79. This situation is different but the understanding is the same. The judgment of God is being poured out against the northern tribes of Israel. They have suffered greatly, enduring many defeats and forced to weep at the loss of lives and land. They are a source of derision and humiliating laughter due to the wrath of God’s upon them. Only Yahweh can change this circumstance. He brought about and only He can bring it to an end. This is the psalmist prayer: ‘Please God of hosts, look pleasantly upon us and turn back our desperate state. Restore us to what you made us before. This is our only hope of salvation.’

Verses 8 - 13: The psalmist recounts the goodness of God toward His people and times past. Yahweh, in His mighty power, brought Israel out of Egypt. He preserved her in the wilderness and drove out the inhabitants of Canaan before His vine. He planted them there and prospered Israel throughout their inheritance. Now things are no longer as they had been. The LORD has removed His hedge of protection. The northern tribe suffers plunder, losing cities and people and have its treasures removed from her midst. Assyria can do as it wills and Israel is unable to push back.

Verses 14 - 19: The psalmist recognizes there is only one hope, the God of hosts who commands the armies of heaven must come to their aid. He beseeches the LORD to do so. From his standpoint Yahweh has allowed Israel’s enemies to prevail over His people and he now pleads for the LORD to consider their plight and rescue them. He grounds his plea not in who Israel is but what Yahweh has done. The northern tribes are still his people. He raised them up from bondage and placed them in this land. It was the LORD who strengthened Israel to prevail and prosper in the land. Yahweh did this for His glory and now that same people are cast down. The people fall under His rebuke. The psalmist pleads for the LORD to be with His servant, the one he strengthened for His name’s sake. The psalmist declares that if the LORD would do such as time, the people won’t rebel. If Yahweh again raises them up, they will praise His name. ‘Oh Yahweh of hosts, don’t leave us in our present state. Lift us up. Look favorably upon us and we will be saved.’

Bibliography

[1] Psalms II, (Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 2015), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "Psalm 80".