Psalm 80 19

Psalm 80:19 kjv

Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

Psalm 80:19 nkjv

Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved!

Psalm 80:19 niv

Restore us, LORD God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.

Psalm 80:19 esv

Restore us, O LORD God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved!

Psalm 80:19 nlt

Turn us again to yourself, O LORD God of Heaven's Armies.
Make your face shine down upon us.
Only then will we be saved.

Psalm 80 verses

Psalm 80 19 Meaning

Psalm 80:19 is a fervent supplication from a community in distress, crying out to the sovereign and powerful God for complete restoration. It is a plea for God to turn His favor and presence toward them, making His face shine, as the ultimate and indispensable condition for their deliverance and salvation from their plight. This restoration encompasses both national revival and spiritual renewal, with God's active involvement as the sole means of achieving it.

Psalm 80 19 Context

Psalm 80 is a national lament, believed to be from the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh are specifically mentioned in verse 2), facing severe distress, possibly the devastating effects of the Assyrian invasions that led to their eventual exile. The psalm uses the powerful metaphor of Israel as God's vine, brought out of Egypt but now suffering and ravaged. The psalm's central plea is repeated as a liturgical refrain in verses 3, 7, and 19. Each repetition incrementally magnifies the divine title, moving from "O God" to "O God of hosts," and finally to "O LORD God of hosts," reflecting a escalating intensity and urgency in the people's cry for a more powerful divine intervention. The verse signifies the culmination of their earnest plea for deliverance and a return to divine favor after a period of perceived divine hiddenness or judgment.

Psalm 80 19 Word analysis

• Restore us:

  • Hebrew: Hashivenu (הֲשִׁיבֵנוּ), an imperative form of the verb shuv (שוב), meaning "to turn back," "to return," "to bring back," or "to restore."
  • Significance: This is more than just a physical restoration to their former land or prosperity. It carries a strong spiritual connotation, implying a turning back to God (repentance) and a turning of God back to them (reversal of fortune, renewed favor). It suggests that their current distress is due to God turning away from them or them turning away from God. The people are calling for a complete renewal of their covenant relationship.

• O LORD God of hosts;

  • Hebrew: YHWH Elohim Tzevaot (יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים צְבָאוֹת).
  • YHWH (LORD): The sacred, personal, covenant name of God, revealing His self-existence and His faithfulness to His promises. Invoking this name speaks of a personal and deep relationship.
  • Elohim (God): A general term for God, emphasizing His divine power and creative authority.
  • Tzevaot (of hosts/armies): Refers to the "armies" of heaven (angelic beings) and sometimes the "armies" of Israel or the heavenly bodies.
  • Significance: This composite divine title emphasizes God's supreme authority and power over all creation and all forces, both spiritual and material. It is a powerful invocation of God as the ultimate Commander, capable of overcoming any enemy or difficulty. The escalating use of this title through the psalm's refrains highlights the desperate need for an omnipotent intervention. It stands in contrast to any reliance on human armies or pagan deities for help.

• Let Your face shine,

  • Hebrew: Ya'er panekha (הָאֵר פָּנֶיךָ), an imperative, "cause your face to shine."
  • Significance: This is a powerful anthropomorphism, describing God's presence and favor. When God's face shines, it signifies His blessing, approval, favor, light, and manifest presence. It is the opposite of Him hiding His face, which denotes displeasure, judgment, or absence. This request is for God to reveal Himself mercifully and bless His people, providing clarity and warmth in their darkness. It echoes the Aaronic priestly blessing (Num 6:25).

• that we may be saved!

  • Hebrew: V'nivvashea (וְנִוָּשֵׁעָה), literally "and we shall be saved," a result clause.
  • Significance: "Saved" (from yasha) encompasses a broad spectrum of deliverance: salvation from enemies, from distress, from punishment, from sin, and restoration to health and prosperity. It is comprehensive deliverance and well-being. The verse clearly links this salvation directly and exclusively to God's act of restoring them and shining His face upon them; there is no other source of hope.

• "Restore us...Let Your face shine, that we may be saved!": This phrase links spiritual and national renewal to God's divine presence and active favor as the indispensable cause of their deliverance. It implies that true salvation is not merely the absence of trouble but the experience of God's manifest presence and blessing. This sequence underscores a theological truth: God's initiative, demonstrated by His shining face (presence and favor), is the prerequisite for His people's salvation.

• "O LORD God of hosts; Let Your face shine": This pairing powerfully combines the invocation of God's immense power (LORD God of hosts) with the plea for His personal, favorable presence (Let Your face shine). It demonstrates faith in God's ability to deliver, alongside an understanding that this deliverance stems from His merciful disposition towards His people, not just brute force.

Psalm 80 19 Bonus section

The escalating divine titles (from Elohim in v.3, to Elohim Tzevaot in v.7, and finally YHWH Elohim Tzevaot in v.19) are a deliberate literary device. This progression intensifies the people's plea, signifying their growing desperation and deepening understanding of who they are calling upon. They move from a general acknowledgment of God to a specific invocation of the covenant God who is sovereign over all armies, both heavenly and earthly, indicating that their situation requires nothing less than the fullest manifestation of His divine power. This structure could also reflect a liturgical pattern where the community's prayer becomes more profound and specific with each iteration, reaching its zenith in this final, desperate, yet hopeful, cry for comprehensive restoration and salvation.

Psalm 80 19 Commentary

Psalm 80:19 is the climatic and most urgent repetition of the psalm's central plea. It encapsulates the deep longing of a people facing desolation, whose ultimate hope lies solely in God. The cry to "Restore us" implies a prior state of brokenness or spiritual distance, seeking a return to the right relationship with their Divine Shepherd. The invocation of "O LORD God of hosts" serves to appeal to God in His most mighty and authoritative capacity, highlighting His omnipotence and control over all spiritual and earthly powers—a vital aspect when human efforts have clearly failed. The essence of the petition, "Let Your face shine," beautifully portrays a yearning for God's open, warm, and approving presence. This divine illumination is understood to dispel darkness, provide guidance, grant favor, and signify that God has turned His countenance graciously upon them once more. The desired outcome, "that we may be saved," is a comprehensive term for deliverance in every sense: from their enemies, their distress, their despair, and a full spiritual and physical renewal. This verse teaches us that genuine salvation, whether personal or corporate, originates from God's gracious initiative and is inextricably linked to His active, visible presence and favor in our lives, far surpassing any human effort or wisdom.