Let Your Face Shine Upon Us

Restore us, Lord God Almighty; 

make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.

Psalm 80:19 

There are times in our lives—and in the life of the Church—when we feel like the vine in Psalm 80: once thriving, now withered; once protected, now exposed. In those moments, the psalmist’s cry becomes our own: “Restore us, Lord God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.”

This refrain, repeated three times in the psalm (vv. 3, 7, 19), is more than poetic. It’s the desperate prayer of a people longing for revival. They remember what once was, and they plead for God’s presence to shine again.

Early this morning, while we were driving home and the sun was just beginning to rise, the words of this psalm came gently to mind. The darkness was giving way to light, and in that quiet moment, it felt like a whisper from heaven: “Make your face shine on us.” Just as the dawn breaks through the night, so God’s presence brings light to our darkness and healing to what feels broken.

God’s shining face means light in our darkness, hope in our despair, and strength for our weakness. It is the assurance that we are not forgotten, even when everything around us feels uncertain. His radiant presence revives what is withered and reminds us that His love still holds us—inviting us home.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, restore us. Let Your face shine upon us again. Just as the morning sun chases away the night, may Your presence break through our heaviness with light, peace, and hope. Revive Your Church. Awaken our hearts. Let the warmth of Your love shine in and through us today. Amen.