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Let us mark the two extremes of the psalm. It begins with "God be merciful unto us," and it ends with "Then shall the earth yield her increase." There is some mysterious but very real connection between the fertility of nature and the character of man. Nature is not to reach her consummation until man himself is at his best. "God be merciful unto us." That is where human possibility begins, in the mercy of God. But this word "mercy" has grown very thin by common usage, and in ordinary currency it has lost much of its essential worth. We too often interpret it from the standpoint of the magisterial bondage, and it becomes significant of the summary dismissal of an action, and the release of the prisoner. We shall never really understand the inner content of the Scriptural word until we get far away from the court of law. It is infinitely more than a cold acquittal. The innermost element of the word is suggestive of "stooping," the stronger bending toward the weak. "And bless us." And what shall we say of this great word? There is no commoner word to be found in the speech of prayer. Now, perhaps I can best suggest the inconceivable wealth of the word if I say that it includes all the many significances of the English words beginning with "bone." Let my hearers take these words, and apply every one of them to the ministry of the Almighty, and they will obtain a glimpse and a hint of the manifold meaning of the blessing of God. Take the word "benevolence," and the word "benediction," and the word "benefaction," and then let the single colours mingle, and the result will give us some faint conception of the benefits of the Lord. "Cause Thy face to shine upon us." It is a plea for the light of God's presence. It is a prayer that He would "countenance" our goings out and our comings in. It is "to walk all day beneath Thy smile." It is more than that. When the light of the Lord's countenance falls upon us we, too, become illumined. "They looked unto Him and were lightened." That is to say, they were lit up! Their faces caught the glory of the Lord, as I have seen a cottage window shining with the reflected radiance of the sun. These, then, are the three great preliminaries in the making of a noble life, which shall witness to the power of the King. We are to receive the mercy of God, and the blessing of God, and the shining presence of God. And what is the purpose of it all when these gifts have been received? "That Thy way may be known upon earth." That is the purpose of it. All these earlier phrases have described the making of the Lord's witness, and now we are told what is to be the ministry of the witness. We are lit up in order that we may reveal the Lord. We are to be illumined in order that men may see our God. "That Thy way may be known upon earth." We are to make known the Lord's beaten tracks, His manners, His modes of action, His course of life. Men are to see our beauty, and through it discern the Lord's habits. "And Thy saving health among all nations." Our healed life is to be the witness of the Great Physician's power of healing. If I may reverently say it, the radiance of our character is to advertise the glory of the Lord. What are the signs that the witness is effective, and that the saving health is become pervasive? "Let the people praise Thee, O God." That would be the first token of an effective ministry. Thy people will begin to praise. They will fall into the attitude of reverent worship. "Let the nations be glad." That is to be the next step in the noble sequence. The people are to be brightened, cheered up, made merry I They are to become optimistic in their hopes, and full of encouragement in their speech. "Then shall the earth yield her increase." I do not wonder at it. As I have already said, in the opening of this meditation, we shall have finer gardens when we are finer men. The field will put on richer garments when we are clothed in white robes.

(J. H. Jowett, M. A.)

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KJV: {To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm or Song.} God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah.

WEB: May God be merciful to us, bless us, and cause his face to shine on us. Selah.