There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
Parallel translations
- WEB Many say, “Who will show us any good?” Yahweh, let the light of your face shine on us.
- BSB Many ask, “Who can show us the good?” Shine the light of Your face upon us, O LORD.
- NKJV There are many who say, “Who will show us any good?” Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.
- NASB ¶Many are saying, “Who will show us anything good?” Lift up the light of Your face upon us, Lord!
- NLT Many people say, “Who will show us better times?” Let your face smile on us, Lord.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Many ask where any good can be found; David prays for the light of God's face. God's favorable presence is the true and lasting good.
Overview
While the world searches restlessly for some good, David seeks the Lord's shining face, an echo of the Aaronic blessing (Numbers 6:25). God's countenance shining upon His people signifies His favor, blessing, and saving presence. That light has dawned fully in Christ, the radiance of God's glory and the answer to humanity's deepest longing for good.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Ps 80:19Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
- Num 6:26The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
- Ps 80:7Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
- Ps 119:135Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes.
- Ps 67:1God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah.
- Ps 89:15Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.
- Ps 44:3For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.
- Ps 49:16–20Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;
- Ps 21:6For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.
- Jas 5:1–5Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
- Eccl 2:3–26I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.
- Ps 39:6Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
- Luke 16:19There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
- Ps 80:1–3Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.
- Luke 12:19And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
- Ps 42:5Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
- Jas 4:13Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
- Isa 55:2Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 4:6 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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