"There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased." [Psa 4:6-7]
David speaks about himself in the Psalms, saying, “[The LORD] hast made [the king] most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.” [Psa 21:6] The LORD’s countenance is consistently something in scripture that brings joy. To be beneath the shining brilliance of God’s face is by description of The Word, unparallelled in its value. It is the greatest thing, the most blessed thing. Beyond joy, The Lord’s countenance is that which brings deliverance: “Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved;” [Psa 80:3] and it is that which brings peace: “The LORD lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” [Num 6:26]
To be in the presence of The LORD, as God’s countenance implies, is where fulness of joy and pleasure are found.
“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” [Psa 16:11]
To be in the presence of Jesus, to be in the presence of The Father, is to experience peace, joy, blessing, and victory. It is that which brings more gladness and joy than all physical blessings. As our Psalm for today says, “thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.” What is that physical blessing for which you seek? I would think there is hardly a man among us who does not have at least one open prayer with God, requesting some physical blessing. In our Psalm, “corn and…wine” function as a placeholder for physical blessings, and for even those tangible blessings which are necessities. Whether necessity or luxury, what is it, dear Christian, that you have prayed before your Lord for? There may be a thousand things at the ready upon our lips, and which we would desire The Lord to answer speedily. However, there is not one of them which could exceed the blessings contained in the LORD’s countenance. For beneath His favorable gaze, in His presence, is where fulness of joy and peace are found.
May we all come to this conclusion as the Psalmist has, for The LORD can fill our hearts with far more goodness and satisfaction than any tangible blessing. There may be wheat as it were, or wine, that you seek; but seek rather, dear reader, that blessing which comes from The LORD’s face and presence. “Seek The LORD and His strength, seek His face continually.” [Psa 105:4] For it is from The LORD’s presence that all good things come, and wherein we shall have a thousand more satisfactions than all the wheat and wine in the world may offer.
What glories and beauties and blessings must The Lord contain; what wonderful graces must His presence exude, that His very countenance would afford all men blessings and satisfactions that surpass all tangible things. It shows us that God’s presence, and that He Himself, is far more beneficial, valuable, and good than all other things. And that is so because He Himself is good. David wrote, exhibiting a desire birthed from this realization,
“One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.” [Psa 27:4]
The LORD is beautiful, and He is good; He is to be desired above all things, for He is greater than all things; and what He offers is better than all things. There is no blessing on this earth that can compare to the simplicity of being in The Lord’s presence and having Him shine His face upon us with favor. Therefore, let us seek the blessing which comes from Him; let us seek the gladness that The Lord offers, above all increase of physical goods and tangible blessings. Put down that heavy, lingering desire for whatever physical, tangible thing you have asked of The Lord, and instead, be content to pray for Him to shine His countenance down upon you. For as it is written, “LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.”
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