Nothing restores our souls like the smile of God upon us!
When you look up do you see God smiling warmly at you? Asaph does. And in Psalm 80 he prays for us that we too would look up into the heavens and appreciate the joyful sunshine of God’s smile over us.
It’s just a smile, but when it’s the smile of God it’s the most important thing in the world!
I found myself caught up in the poetry of Asaph’s prayer. Again and again and again I breathed in and out his abiding prayer: “Restore us, O God; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved…” (verses 3, 7, and 19).
The Trinity Smiles on You in Psalm 80
Three times he repeats this prayer, expanding the name of God and the smile of God each time: “O God… O God Almighty… O Lord God Almighty.” He seems to be inviting us into a greater and greater appreciation of and attunement with God’s eternal smile – like the sun moving out from behind a cloud!
And maybe in the divine inspiration of Scripture Asaph’s threefold restoration prayer is hinting at the Trinitarian smile of love that restores our souls. As I centered myself deeply in his Psalm I found that my soul was smiling back at the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. Joy! Joy!! Joy!!!
I invite you to pray my Psalm 80 prayer poem from your heart. Smile as you pray (really — try it!) and it will help you to appreciate God’s face shining upon you, beside you, and within you – then through you to others!
The Trinity Restores You
The Trinity restores you;
They make their face to shine all around you
So that you are saved.
The Father loves you;
He makes his face to shine down on you
So that you are saved.
The Son graces you;
He makes his face to shine right beside you
So that you are saved.
The Spirit lives in you;
He makes his face to shine inside you
So that you are saved.
The Trinity empowers you;
They make their face to shine through you
So that others are saved.
(Inspired by Psalm 80)
Having Trouble Seeing the Smile of God?
There are a variety of reasons why it may be hard for you to see God’s smile. Negative theology. Depression. Sin. You may need to talk to a counselor or soul friend about that.
Certainly, all of us need to keep re-directing our thoughts to look with our hearts into the face of God in the Lord Jesus Christ. In the Gospels you see that “Jesus Smiles at You!” (The artist’s picture of Jesus’ joyful face on this post will help you to visualize this!)
