“Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed” (Psalm 34:5). Wouldn’t that be great, to have a smile and positive spirit whatever comes your way. Whatever the gossip going around, whatever the doctor says, whatever worries your children cause, however small the piggybank… “It is well, it is well with my soul.”
But where do you get that radiant face? Teaching Bible class yesterday on Psalm 34, I asked, “Who is ‘him’? Those who look to him…” Several people answered, “God.” I had expected that answer and determined to be a kindly contrarian. What does the word “God” mean? With all the images science is bringing us from deep space, “God” is more mysterious than ever. Our expanding knowledge doesn’t tell me anything about God except that He is powerful beyond imagination and perhaps capricious. Galaxies collide, stars explode, and God might let an asteroid hit Earth. That doesn’t make me radiant.
When David wrote the psalm, he had something specific in mind about “him.” In the preceding verse, David said, “I sought the Lord, and he answered me.” “Lord” in Hebrew is Yahweh, the name God revealed to Moses at the burning bush. Yahweh reveals a more specific way to think about the deity than the general “God.” Yahweh is God who comes to the rescue of his people, be that ancient Israel, David, or you and me. About us, remember we have received more revelation about God than Old Testament people had. The cosmic, mysterious God has centered our rescue in His Son. “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). So, “him” is Jesus, one of us, knows us every moment, good times and bad, and as He has triumphed, we will too. Radiance comes to your spirit when you keep focusing on the One who overcame trouble and death and is now at the right hand of God.
“I thank Thee, Jesus, Sun from heaven, / Whose radiance hath brought light to me…
“O keep me watchful, then, and humble; / Permit me nevermore to stray.
Uphold me when my feet would stumble, / And keep me on the narrow way.
Fill all my nature with Thy light, / O Radiance strong and bright.”
(Lutheran Service Book, 694:3, 4).