Psalms 84:9
in Psalms 84Take notice of our shield, O God, and look with favor on the face of Your anointed.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Behold, O God our shield, And look upon the face of thine anointed.
KJV
Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed.
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This verse in Psalms 84
Commentary
9 notes on this verseOur protector, look, O God, and look upon the face of your Christ. See what he says, And look upon the face of your Christ. And a man prays, that the Father may look upon the face of the Son. But see what he says. Since the apostle said, "Do you seek proof of him who speaks in me, Christ?" and again the Savior himself said, "He who receives you receives me," therefore this is what he says: Look upon us: for in us you look upon your Son, who dwells in us.
This site's exposition
hear my prayer
on Psalms 84:8-9
The psalm turns from longing to a plain request, that God hear and give ear. Verse 9 sets the shield and the anointed in one line, and anointed is mashiach, a man set apart with oil for his office. The English word Messiah comes from it.
This site's exposition
the face of Your anointed
Readers differ on who the anointed is. Matthew Henry and Adam Clarke read it of the Messiah, though Clarke noted that others apply it to David, Zerubbabel or Israel. Charles Spurgeon held both, a prayer for David that reaches to the Son of David.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"Behold, O God our defender. And look on the face of Your Christ" [Psalm 84:9]. For when does God not look upon the face of His Christ? What is this, "Look on the face of Your Christ"? By the face we are known. What is it then, Look on the face of Your Christ? Cause Your Christ to become known to all. Look on the face of Your Christ: let Christ become known to all, that we may be able to go from strength to strength, that grace may abound, since sin has abounded.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
He has an eye to the Mediator; for of him I rather understand those words, Look upon the face of thy Messiah, thy anointed one, for of his anointing David spoke, Ps. xlv. In all our addresses to God we must desire that he would look upon the face of Christ, accept us for his sake, and be well-pleased with us in him.
Behold, O God our shield,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed. Here we have the nation's prayer for David; and the believer's prayer for the Son of David. Let but the Lord look upon our Lord Jesus, and we shall be shielded from all harm; let him behold the face of his Anointed, and we shall be able to behold his face with joy. We also are anointed by the Lord's grace, and our desire is that he will look upon us with an eye of love in Christ Jesus.
Behold, O God, our shield - We have no Protector but thee. Thou seest the deadly blows that are aimed at us; cover our souls; protect our lives! Look upon the face of thine anointed - Consider the supplications sent up by him whom thou hast appointed to be Mediator between thee and man - thy Christ. But some apply this to David, to Zerubbabel, to the people of Israel; and each has his reasons.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Behold, O God our shield - Our defense, as a shield is a defense in the day of battle. Compare Psa 5:12, note; Psa 18:2, note; Psa 33:20, note. It is an appeal to God as a protector. The psalmist was an exile - a wanderer - and he looked to God as his defense. And look upon the face of thine anointed - Look favorably upon; look with benignity and kindness. The word anointed here is the word “Messiah” - משׁיח mâshı̂yach (Greek, Χριστός Christos, “Christ”; see the notes at Mat 1:1). Compare the notes at Psa 2:2. It here refers, however, evidently to the author of the psalm; and the word used is evidence that the author was David, as the anointed of the Lord, or someone set apart to the kingly office. It is true that this word was applicable to other kings, and also to priests and prophets, but the circumstances in the case concur best on the supposition that David is referred to. The allusion here is not to Christ; and the language does not suggest or justify the use which is often made of it when prayer is offered, that “God would look upon us in the face of his anointed” - whatever may, or may not be, the propriety of that prayer on other, grounds.
The words behind it
6 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מָ֭גִנֵּנוּ | maginenu | shield our | H4043 → | 63 times |
| רְאֵ֣ה | reeh | look at | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| אֱלֹהִ֑ים | ʾelohim | O God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| וְ֝הַבֵּ֗ט | vehabet | and pay attention to | H5027 → | 69 times |
| פְּנֵ֣י | penei | [the] face of | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| מְשִׁיחֶֽךָ׃ | meshichekha | anointed your | H4899 → | 39 times |
מָ֭גִנֵּנוּshield our
maginenuH4043 →63 times
רְאֵ֣הlook at
reehH7200 →1300 times
אֱלֹהִ֑יםO God
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
וְ֝הַבֵּ֗טand pay attention to
vehabetH5027 →69 times
פְּנֵ֣י[the] face of
peneiH6440 →2123 times
מְשִׁיחֶֽךָ׃anointed your
meshichekhaH4899 →39 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 15:1After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”
it leads to
- Isaiah 41:10
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand…
- Psalms 119:114
You are my hiding place and my shield; I put my hope in Your word.
- Psalms 84:11
For the LORD God is a sun and a shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity.
- Hebrews 13:5–6
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”
- Genesis 26:24
and that night the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your…
- Isaiah 41:10
Through
Psalms 2:2The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the LORD and against His Anointed One:
it leads to
- Matthew 26:59
Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death.
- Revelation 17:12–14
The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive one hour of authority as kings, along with the beast.
- Matthew 26:59
Through
Psalms 98:1Sing to the LORD a new song, for He has done wonders; His right hand and holy arm have gained Him the victory.
it leads to
- Exodus 15:6
Your right hand, O LORD, is majestic in power; Your right hand, O LORD, has shattered the enemy.
- Exodus 15:6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Psalms
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 84; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 4; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; Jerome, Homily 16, on Psalm 83; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.