There are many who say, “Who will show us any good?” Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.
Parallel translations
- WEB Many say, “Who will show us any good?” Yahweh, let the light of your face shine on us.
- KJV There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
- BSB Many ask, “Who can show us the good?” Shine the light of Your face upon us, O LORD.
- 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, Yahweh God of Armies. Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved.
- Num 6:26Yahweh lift up his face toward you, and give you peace.’
- Ps 80:7Turn us again, God of Armies. Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved.
- Ps 119:135Make your face shine on your servant. Teach me your statutes.
- Ps 67:1For the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. A Psalm. A song. May God be merciful to us, bless us, and cause his face to shine on us. Selah.
- Ps 89:15Blessed are the people who learn to acclaim you. They walk in the light of your presence, Yahweh.
- Ps 44:3For they didn’t get the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them; but your right hand, and your arm, and the light of your face, because you were favorable to them.
- Ps 49:16–20Don’t be afraid when a man is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;
- Ps 21:6For you make him most blessed forever. You make him glad with joy in your presence.
- Jas 5:1–5Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming on you.
- Eccl 2:3–26I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, until I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their lives.
- Ps 39:6“Surely every man walks like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain. He heaps up, and doesn’t know who shall gather.
- Luke 16:19“Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day.
- Ps 80:1–3For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” A Psalm by Asaph. Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock, you who sit above the cherubim, shine out.
- Luke 12:19I will tell my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.”’
- Ps 42:5Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him for the saving help of his presence.
- Jas 4:13Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow let’s go into this city, and spend a year there, trade, and make a profit.”
- Isa 55:2Why do you spend money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which doesn’t satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in richness.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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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