Sunday, July 9
Smile on us
Scripture: 1 Chronicles 20-21, Psalm 80, John 9
Psalm 80:2–3
2 …Come and deliver us!
3 O God, restore us!
Smile on us! Then we will be delivered!
Psalm 80:7
7 O God, invincible warrior, restore us!
Smile on us! Then we will be delivered!
Psalm 80:18–19
18 …Revive us and we will pray to you!
19 O Lord God, invincible warrior, restore us!
Smile on us! Then we will be delivered!
Observation
I love the psalms for the wide range of emotion they express. In this one, the psalmist laments Israel’s demise and broken condition, and asks God to intervene.
“Deliver (save) us. Restore us. Smile on us. Revive us.” He repeats this refrain three times.
The words “smile on us” are literally “make your face shine upon us,” a metaphor that probably refers to a smile, and hence to God’s favor and blessing. It reminds me of the priestly blessing in Numbers 6:24-26
24 “The Lord bless you and protect you;
25 The Lord make his face to shine upon you,
and be gracious to you;
26 The Lord lift up his countenance upon you
and give you peace.” ’
Application
We have all had seasons when we felt broken, defeated, undone. So we’re able to identify with the strong emotions expressed in this psalm. I’m currently praying this prayer over several situations in my life, asking God to show up and save, restore, revive and smile on us.
I’ll be praying Psalm 80 today!
Prayer: Lord, I love You. I’m so grateful that in seasons of brokenness I can come to You and cry out to You and You hear and understand. Save us, restore us, smile on us, revive us! I’m looking to You for help and deliverance.