“Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved!” (v.19)

Psalm 80 is a heartfelt prayer for the revival of Israel and for the restoration of the psalmist’s own heart to the Lord. It is structured around a single refrain repeated three times (vv. 3, 7, 19): “Restore us… let your face shine, that we may be saved!” This refrain is the heartbeat of the psalm, capturing both lament and longing. Notice the growing intensity of the plea: O God (v.3) → O God of hosts (v.7) → O LORD God of hosts (v.19).

This progression reflects both growing desperation and deepening faith of the psalmist. He begins by calling on God in general, then acknowledges His sovereign power over all creation, and finally appeals to His covenantal faithfulness. Each escalation signals him moving from distress toward total dependence on God.

The psalm also moves thematically from identifying God as the one who leads His own sheep out of their distress (v.1-3), to one who has the ability to shame them before their enemies (v. 4-7) and then to the one who can ultimately restore them back to life (v. 14-19). Through this, we glimpse the reality of the situation of the people: They are spiritually dry, burdened by persistent trouble, and taunted by enemies. The refrain expresses their urgent, heartfelt need. The intensifying address mirrors their internal journey, moving from despair and helplessness to the recognition that only God can restore life, blessing, and salvation.

To “let your face shine” is a biblical way of asking for God’s presence, favor, and salvation. In the tabernacle, God’s glory filling the space symbolized His shining face among His people (Exod. 40:34–35). Israel’s victories were not by their own strength, but by “the light of [God’s] face, for you loved them” (Ps. 44:3). Whenever God’s face shone on them, they were saved, and their spirits were revived—alive with hope, courage, and the vitality that only His presence can give. But the opposite is also true. A hidden face signaled judgment, abandonment, and curse: “I will surely hide my face from them” (Deut. 31:17–18); “Do not hide your face from me” (Ps. 27:9); “Your iniquities have hidden his face from you” (Isa. 59:2). Psalm 80 lives in this tension—the psalmist feels abandoned yet cries desperately for God’s shining presence to return.

Here is the good news for us as the church: the shining face of God is fully revealed in Jesus Christ. “God… has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6). On the cross, Christ endured the horror of the hidden face of God so that we might live forever in His light. One day, we will see Him face to face (Rev. 22:4), and the longing of Psalm 80 will be completely satisfied.

Don’t you long for revival in TRBC? Imagine worship vibrant and overflowing with gratitude; hunger for God’s Word insatiable; fellowship marked by the deep, wide love of Christ. Picture conversations filled with honesty and grace, service that is selfless and generous, and hearts for the lost moving us into the very center of Pek Kio and Thomson. This is what it looks like when God’s face shines upon His people.

For this to happen, we must plead for God to turn each one of us—You and me—back to Himself in repentance, and to turn our circumstances around in deliverance. Instead of working on the problems of others and of the ministry, we must first acknowledge that we ourselves are the very ones that needs to turn back to the Lord. The repeated refrain of Psalm 80 captures this dual longing, showing that genuine revival flows from both restored relationship with God and renewed life and hope.

Let us therefore lift our voices with the psalmist and cry out together:

“Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved!” (v.19)

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we come before You acknowledging our need for Your presence and restoration. Turn our hearts back to You, Lord, and shine Your face upon us. Revive our spirits, renew our love for Your Word, deepen our fellowship, and empower us to serve and love our community selflessly. Let Your glory be seen in TRBC, and in each of our lives. Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; let Your face shine, that we may be saved. In Jesus’ name, Amen.