Restore us, O God, and cause Your face to shine upon us, that we may be saved. Restore usThe Hebrew root for "restore" is "שׁוּב" (shuv), which means to return or turn back. This word is often used in the context of repentance and renewal. The plea for restoration is a call for God to bring His people back to a state of spiritual health and favor. Historically, this reflects Israel's cyclical pattern of falling away from God and seeking His mercy. Theologically, it underscores the need for divine intervention in the process of spiritual renewal, emphasizing that true restoration comes from God alone. O God
The term used here is "אֱלֹהִים" (Elohim), a plural form that denotes majesty and power. It is a common name for God in the Hebrew Bible, reflecting His sovereignty and authority over all creation. This invocation of God highlights the psalmist's recognition of God's supreme power and the belief that only He can bring about the desired restoration. It is a reminder of the covenant relationship between God and His people, where God is both the creator and sustainer. cause Your face to shine upon us
This phrase is deeply rooted in the Aaronic blessing found in Numbers 6:24-26, where the shining of God's face symbolizes His favor and presence. The Hebrew word for "shine" is "אוֹר" (or), meaning to give light or illuminate. In ancient Near Eastern culture, the shining of a king's face was a sign of approval and blessing. Spiritually, this request is for God's gracious presence to be manifest among His people, bringing guidance, protection, and peace. that we may be saved
The Hebrew word for "saved" is "יָשַׁע" (yasha), which means to deliver or give victory. Salvation in this context is not only about physical deliverance from enemies but also spiritual salvation and restoration to a right relationship with God. This reflects the broader biblical theme of salvation history, where God continually acts to save His people. The plea for salvation is both a cry for immediate help and a prophetic anticipation of the ultimate salvation through the Messiah. Persons / Places / Events 1. AsaphThe author of Psalm 80, Asaph was a prominent Levite musician appointed by King David to lead worship in the tabernacle. His psalms often reflect a deep yearning for God's intervention and restoration. 2. IsraelThe nation of Israel is the primary subject of this psalm, representing God's chosen people who are seeking restoration and salvation amidst their trials and tribulations. 3. God (Elohim)The psalmist addresses God as "Elohim," a name that emphasizes His power and might. The plea for restoration and salvation is directed towards Him, acknowledging His sovereignty. 4. Shepherd of IsraelEarlier in the psalm, God is referred to as the "Shepherd of Israel," highlighting His role as a guide and protector of His people. 5. Face of GodThe phrase "cause Your face to shine upon us" is a metaphor for God's favor and presence, drawing from the priestly blessing in Numbers 6:24-26. Teaching Points The Need for RestorationRecognize our need for God's restoration in our personal lives and communities. Just as Israel sought God's intervention, we too must seek His renewal in our spiritual walk. Seeking God's FavorUnderstand the importance of seeking God's face and favor. This involves a sincere pursuit of His presence through prayer, worship, and obedience. Salvation through Divine InterventionAcknowledge that true salvation and deliverance come from God alone. Our efforts are insufficient without His intervention and grace. Repentance and HumilityEmbrace a posture of repentance and humility, recognizing that turning back to God is essential for experiencing His restoration and blessing. The Role of Community in PrayerEngage in communal prayer and intercession, as the psalm reflects a collective cry for God's help. Encourage group prayer as a means of seeking God's face together. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the imagery of God as a shepherd in Psalm 80 enhance our understanding of His relationship with His people? 2. In what ways can we actively seek God's face in our daily lives, and what changes might we expect to see as a result? 3. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's restoration in your life. How did this experience shape your faith journey? 4. How can the themes of repentance and humility in Psalm 80:3 be applied to current challenges faced by the church today? 5. What role does community play in seeking God's restoration, and how can we foster a spirit of collective prayer and intercession in our faith communities? Connections to Other Scriptures Numbers 6:24-26The priestly blessing, which includes the phrase "The LORD make His face shine upon you," parallels the psalmist's plea for God's favor and presence. 2 Chronicles 7:14This verse speaks of God's promise to heal and restore His people if they humble themselves and seek His face, echoing the themes of repentance and divine restoration found in Psalm 80:3. John 10:11Jesus refers to Himself as the "Good Shepherd," connecting to the imagery of God as the Shepherd of Israel and emphasizing His role in guiding and saving His people. People Asaph, Benjamin, Joseph, Manasseh, PsalmistPlaces JerusalemTopics Cause, Face, O, Restore, Safe, Saved, Shine, Shining, TurnDictionary of Bible Themes Psalm 80:3 1255 face of God
4835 light, spiritual
8151 revival, corporate Psalm 80:1-19 8149 revival, nature of Library One Antidote for Many Ills
This morning's sermon, then will be especially addressed to my own church, on the absolute necessity of true religion in our midst, and of revival from all apathy and indifference. We may ask of God multitudes of other things, but amongst them all, let this be our chief prayer: "Lord, revive us; Lord, revive us!" We have uttered it in song; let me stir up your pure minds, by way of remembrance, to utter it in your secret prayers, and make it the daily aspiration of your souls. I feel, beloved, that …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 5: 1859Dishonest Tenants
'And He began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. 2. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. 3. And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. 4. And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture The Blessing of God.
NUMB. VI. 22-27. We have already seen the grace of GOD making provision that His people, who had lost the privilege of priestly service, might draw near to Him by Nazarite separation and consecration. And not as the offence was the free gift: those who had forfeited the privilege of priestly service were the males only, but women and even children might be Nazarites; whosoever desired was free to come, and thus draw near to GOD. We now come to the concluding verses of Numb. vi, and see in them one …
James Hudson Taylor—Separation and Service Period iii. The Critical Period: A. D. 140 to A. D. 200
The interval between the close of the post-apostolic age and the end of the second century, or from about 140 to 200, may be called the Critical Period of Ancient Christianity. In this period there grew up conceptions of Christianity which were felt by the Church, as a whole, to be fundamentally opposed to its essential spirit and to constitute a serious menace to the Christian faith as it had been commonly received. These conceptions, which grew up both alongside of, and within the Church, have …
Joseph Cullen Ayer Jr., Ph.D.—A Source Book for Ancient Church History The Wicked Husbandmen.
"Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: and when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto …
William Arnot—The Parables of Our Lord Discourse on the Good Shepherd.
(Jerusalem, December, a.d. 29.) ^D John X. 1-21. ^d 1 Verily, verily, I say to you [unto the parties whom he was addressing in the last section], He that entereth not by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. [In this section Jesus proceeds to contrast his own care for humanity with that manifested by the Pharisees, who had just cast out the beggar. Old Testament prophecies were full of declarations that false shepherds would arise to …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel Homiletical.
Twenty-four homilies on miscellaneous subjects, published under St. Basil's name, are generally accepted as genuine. They are conveniently classified as (i) Dogmatic and Exegetic, (ii) Moral, and (iii) Panegyric. To Class (i) will be referred III. In Illud, Attende tibi ipsi. VI. In Illud, Destruam horrea, etc. IX. In Illud, Quod Deus non est auctor malorum. XII. In principium Proverbiorum. XV. De Fide. XVI. In Illud, In principio erat Verbum. XXIV. Contra Sabellianos et Arium et Anomoeos. …
Basil—Basil: Letters and Select Works Rules to be Observed in Singing of Psalms.
1. Beware of singing divine psalms for an ordinary recreation, as do men of impure spirits, who sing holy psalms intermingled with profane ballads: They are God's word: take them not in thy mouth in vain. 2. Remember to sing David's psalms with David's spirit (Matt. xxii. 43.) 3. Practise St. Paul's rule--"I will sing with the spirit, but I will sing with the understanding also." (1 Cor. xiv. 15.) 4. As you sing uncover your heads (1 Cor. xi. 4), and behave yourselves in comely reverence as in the …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety The Shepherd of Our Souls.
"I am the good Shepherd: the good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep."--John x. 11. Our Lord here appropriates to Himself the title under which He had been foretold by the Prophets. "David My servant shall be king over them," says Almighty God by the mouth of Ezekiel: "and they all shall have one Shepherd." And in the book of Zechariah, "Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and against the man that is My fellow, saith the Lord of Hosts; smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered." …
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII Farewell Discourse to Disciples.
(Jerusalem. Evening Before the Crucifixion.) ^D John XIV.-XVI. ^d 1 Let not your heart be troubled: believe in God, believe also in me. [That one should betray him and one should deny him, that all should be offended, and that the Lord should depart, raised anxieties which Jesus here seeks to quiet. That they should go out as homeless wanderers without the presence of their Lord and be subjected to persecution, was also in their thoughts. But Jesus sustains their spirits by appealing to them to …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel The Barren Fig-Tree;
OR, THE DOOM AND DOWNFALL OF THE FRUITLESS PROFESSOR: SHOWING, THAT THE DAY OF GRACE MAY BE PAST WITH HIM LONG BEFORE HIS LIFE IS ENDED; THE SIGNS ALSO BY WHICH SUCH MISERABLE MORTALS MAY BE KNOWN. BY JOHN BUNYAN 'Who being dead, yet speaketh.'--Hebrews 11:4 London: Printed for J. Robinson, at the Golden Lion, in St. Paul's Churchyard, 1688. This Title has a broad Black Border. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. This solemn, searching, awful treatise, was published by Bunyan in 1682; but does not appear …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Psalm 80:3 NIVPsalm 80:3 NLTPsalm 80:3 ESVPsalm 80:3 NASBPsalm 80:3 KJV
Psalm 80:3 Commentaries
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