In Your Face

Psalm 13

Do you find there to be a kind of quiet distress when you have trouble picturing the face of someone from whom you are apart, or who has passed from this world for some time? There is something about being able to see a loved one’s face that is very reassuring. You may have the photograph(s) of (a) loved one(s) within sight from where you are right now.

In his state of feeling put-upon by a combination of inner tensions and external pressures (verse 2), the poet in Psalm 13 experiences the absence of the face of God (verse 1). So he asks the Lord to ‘look on’ him, and give light to his eyes (verse 3). In other words, he can’t see the Lord directly, but he prays for assurance that the Lord is looking on him. He evidently receives this assurance and concludes in praise.

The thought is reminiscent of the ‘Aaronic blessing’, which the Lord gave to Moses, to give to Aaron, with which to bless the people:

The LORD bless you
and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26

Prayer:
Lord, I cannot see your face. I don’t know if that even makes sense. But you see me and look upon me with your grace-eyes, and I may know that grace because of Jesus. Let it be enough for me that you see me, especially like that. In Jesus. Amen.