 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock. You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth. 2 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up your might and come to save us! 3 Restore us, O God;
let your face shine, that we may be saved! 4 O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people's prayers? 5 You have fed them with the bread of tears and given them tears to drink in full measure. 6 You make us an object of contention for our neighbors, and our enemies laugh among themselves. 7 Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved! 8 You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. 9 You cleared the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land. 10 The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches. 11 It sent out its branches to the sea and its shoots to the River. 12 Why then have you broken down its walls, so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit? 13 The boar from the forest ravages it, and all that move in the field feed on it. 14 Turn again, O God of hosts! Look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine, 15 the stock that your right hand planted, and for the son whom you made strong for yourself. 16 They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down; may they perish at the rebuke of your face! 17 But let your hand be on the man of your right hand, the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself! 18 Then we shall not turn back from you; give us life, and we will call upon your name! 19 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved! Meditation God gives language to direct our hearts to restoration. God leads us intimately as a shepherd as He rules infinitely over all creation (1). As a shepherd God intimately “restores our souls” (Psalm 23:3). As king of kings God restores our world. God alone rules intimately and infinitely. “Restore us!” is the cry of faith framing this Psalm (3, 7, 19), language for all of us who are weary from our sin, broken from the fallen world, frustrated with injustice, floundering in shame, and feeling lost. “Restore us!... Let your face shine that we may be saved” is the second part of the repeated phrase. The shining of God’s face is less about God’s blinding shekinah glory and more about the glow of kindness and friendship we receive through the blessing of God’s covenant faithfulness (Numbers 6:25). Restoration is centered on personal relationship with the Lord. “Give us life” is the climax of the cry for restoration, “that we may call on (God’s) name” (18). We are saved from sliding away from God and saved for new life created by the grace of God. Ephesians 2:1, 5 celebrates new life we have in Jesus Christ. Jesus is our good shepherd who restores our souls. Jesus is the King who rules infinitely over all things. Jesus is the glow of kindness and friendship of God, the blessing of covenant relationship. Will you cry out to Jesus? Give us life, Oh God! Restore us in Jesus name. Richly Dwelling -Where do you need to experience restoration personally, intimately? Where do you long to see restoration globally, infinitely? -God brings true restoration and salvation through Jesus Christ alone. Where have you been looking for restoration other than Jesus Christ? -How does new life in Christ propel you to cry out and call on the name of the Lord for restoration? Name specific areas for application. Key Verse …give us life, and we will call upon your name! 19 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved! Comments are closed.
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