A Psalm of God's Blessing

1 May God be gracious to us and bless us

    and make His face to shine upon us, Selah

2 that Your way may be known on earth,

    Your saving power among all nations.

3 Let the peoples praise You, O God;

    let all the peoples praise You!

4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,

    for You judge the peoples with equity

    and guide the nations upon earth. Selah

5 Let the peoples praise You, O God;

    let all the peoples praise You!

The psalmist today asks God to “make His face shine on us.” This takes the hearer back to the story of the Israelite exodus and Numbers 6:25–27, where Aaron gives God’s blessing to Israel. The Lutheran Study Bible reflects on God’s face, which meant death to those who see it and death when God turned His face toward His enemies.

Now, we learn of God’s face in a “different light.” The Study Bible continues, “God’s face beams with gentle kindness so that His people are not harmed but blessed. Through the mercies and promises of the covenant, the people who were terrified by the Lord’s presence now begin to see Him for who He is.” (Notes on Numbers 6)

We pray: Gracious God, You give me refuge, strength and salvation. You have blessed me by making Your face shine on me through the reconciliation of the covenant love shone by Your Son. His face will be marred by blood, scourged by thorns, and paled by death, but He will rise again. Shine Your face on me as I go through Holy Week and open my heart to hear of the sacrificial gift of Your Son’s suffering, death and resurrection. Amen.