Is Psalm 80:19 - Restore us, O Lord God Almighty; make Your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.
Restore us, O Lord God Almighty...To restore something is to return it to its former condition. Israel prays that God Almighty will restore the nation and its land from the near total destruction of the land by the hands of their enemies.
Interestingly, this verb in the Hebrew language can also be translated "to restore to life." The consequences of sin is, as Paul writes to the Romans, "death." (Romans 6:23). When Jesus came to atone for our sins, His death and resurrection restores life to you and me.
Make Your face shine upon us... These words take us back to the Old Testament book of Numbers and the blessing that Moses gave to Aaron and, in turn, Aaron would give to the people of God.
We, too, cherish receiving the blessing and promise of God as it is usually spoken at the end of each service. Through faith in Christ's sacrificial death and resurrection and clothed with Jesus' righteousness, we are certain that God looks upon us with grace and loves us just as a father loves his child.
That we may be saved...Asaph and all of Israel are looking for a king who will come and save them from their oppression. The psalmist prays this petition three times, in part, because as he writes, there doesn't seem to be that leader in their midst and God's help is desperately needed.
God, in mercy, sent His Son to be our King (this is one part of Jesus' three-fold office of being our Prophet, Priest and King). Our King governs us, His church, in grace and will one day lead us into the kingdom of heaven.
Why not commit this verse to memory? Let it be a refrain you pray again and again, confident in God's promises of forgiveness, new life and salvation: Restore us, O Lord God Almighty; make Your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.
