“Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts, cause Thy face to shine, and we shall be saved.” Psalm 80:19
It was the Apostle Paul who wrote, concerning the resurrection: “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.” (1 Cor. 15:14) Why does he write this? There are many reasons, but one of the most important ones is that the whole of Christianity hangs by one thread, the resurrection. Why is this? It is because of the validity, and certainty, of God’s intervention in the manner and means of men, to save them from sin, Satan, and death. According to Scripture, there is but one way to God, and it is by Jesus Christ, His sacrifice, the shedding of His precious blood. If there is no dealing with sin, and no way to approach God, having peace with God by the blood, then every practice of Christianity, whether by prayer or devotion is vain, empty, and without value. The issue boils down to this, “Does God intervene in the affairs of men?” And if so, can and will He intervene to meet the person who comes to Him by the Lord Jesus Christ, to seek His mercy and grace? Scripture is filled with the testimony of those who have come to Him in faith, whether from a conviction of sin, or the sense of helplessness in the face of need. There is also the testimony throughout the ages that God DOES respond to the cry of the heart, if that call is addressed to the one, true, and living God. God told Jeremiah, “Call unto Me and I will answer thee.” Christ addressed the weary and downtrodden by saying, “Come unto Me, …and I will give you rest.” James writes, “Draw He nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.” The whole of Scripture from beginning to end is based upon the reality that God comes to man, even sinful man, to draw out his heart out unto Him, that in receiving the truth concerning Him, and appealing to His mercy according to that truth, that God will intervene in his life, or simply, that God will meet him.
In Psalm 80, the Psalmist writes primiarily concerning the intervention of God in the life of a nation, and in particular in the life of the individual. He begins his prayer and psalm with the truth of God that he knows. He addresses God as, the “Shepherd of Israel,” who “leadest Joseph like a flock.” This relationship of God with Israel and the application of that relationship in that He leads, is the basis for the petition and prayer to God. We do not know exactly the whole of the context in which the Psalmist is praying, and writing this Psalm. That which we do know is that the consciousness of need is so great that he will pray three times: “Turn us again, O God, and cause Thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.” (v.3,7,19) Why does he pray this specific, simple prayer? It is because the issue is God intervening, meeting the need of the heart in a sovereign, and certain way. It is an appeal for the intevention of God not only in the hearts of the people, but in the circumstances of life. For what is the psalmist trusting God?
The first thing is the appeal to God for His intervention to “turn the heart” towards Him. Essential to God working in the circumstances of life, and a deeper work in the life, is the cleansing of the heart, and the reorienting of the heart, brining it into conformity with the will of God. Secondly, there is the need to KNOW the favor of God, the blessed warmth of His countenance and favor, hence: “…cause Thy face to shine.” The result of redirecting the heart into the love of God, and submission to His will, is the favor that He will give and reward. The great, certain result of such prayer is: “…and we shall be saved.”
Dear Father, Intervene to cleanse and save. In Jesus’ name, Amen.