Psalm 4:6 NKJV
There are many who say,
“Who will show us any good?”
Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.
Chasing Good vs. Knowing God
MY NOTES
David looks around and hears a familiar cry—one that still echoes through our world today:
“Who will show us any good?”
It’s the voice of people who are tired, cynical, disappointed, and spiritually empty. It’s the voice of those who chase happiness but never find it.
It’s the voice of people who want visible good—money, comfort, success, ease—yet never consider the deeper good that only God can give.
In Psalm 4:6, David contrasts the frantic, hollow chase of the world with the deep, unshakable security of a believer. He puts the world’s ultimate question side-by-side with the believer’s ultimate answer.
“There are many who say, ‘Who will show us any good?’ Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.” Psalm 4:6 (NKJV)
Notice how modern that sounds, but notice the word choice too. The world doesn’t usually look for the chief good; it just wants any good. People ask for an outward good, a quick fix, a partial comfort. They want a better paycheck, a nicer distraction, a better meal, a more comfortable lifestyle. Now, none of those things are inherently evil, but they are incredibly small. Matthew Henry beautifully points out the tragedy here: what are all these temporary things worth if you don’t have a good God and a good heart?
This is the unceasing cry of a world chasing horizontal satisfaction. It’s the question of the cynic and the worldling alike. Charles Spurgeon noted that worldlings have “gaping mouths turned in every direction, their empty hearts ready to drink in any fine delusion.”
Pay attention to what they are asking for. They say, “Who will show us any good?” They aren’t looking for the highest good; they just want any temporary fix to numb the emptiness. They want good food, a good drink, a good bank account, or a good distraction. They want to see prosperity right now rather than trust God through the dark. But external, partial goods never satisfy an eternal soul. When those fleeting things inevitably fail, people spiral into cynicism, assuming no real good exists anywhere on earth.
But David says there is a completely different way to live. He doesn’t look down at the muddy pools of circumstantial happiness. He looks straight up and counters the crowd with a powerful, beautiful prayer:
“Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.”
David’s answer to the world’s frantic searching is a simple, beautiful prayer. The phrase “the light of Your countenance” is an ancient Hebrew way of describing God’s intimate favor, friendship, and smile. When someone is angry or distant, their face is clouded and dark. But when they love you and are pleased with you, their face lights up.
David is actually pulling this language straight from the famous Aaronic blessing in Numbers 6, where the high priest would pray for God’s face to shine upon the people.
Also, notice a beautiful little detail in David’s prayer. Even though he’s the one writing the psalm in a time of personal distress, he doesn’t just say, “Lift up the light of Your face upon me.” He says, “upon us.” He’s praying for the people around him. He knows that God’s favor isn’t a limited resource. There is more than enough of God’s love to go around, and your joy won’t decrease just because your neighbor gets a share of it.
The next time you feel that restless craving for “any good,” let it be a trigger to stop looking down or looking around. Look up instead. Remind your soul that the only thing that can truly fill an infinite void is the unclouded smile of your Creator. Today, instead of asking what the world can do to make you happy, ask the Lord to let you rest under the warmth of His gaze.
Prayer
Abba, it is so easy to fall into the trap of looking around at the world and asking, “Who will show me any good?” Forgive me for the times I have tried to satisfy my eternal soul with temporary things—with comfort, distraction, or approval. I am tired of drinking from muddy pools. Today, I turn my face upward to You. Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon me and my loved ones. Let me feel the warmth of Your favor and the security of Your friendship. Your smile is more than enough to satisfy my heart. Quiet my anxious thoughts and help me rest securely, knowing that my greatest good is found in You alone. I ask for this Father in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Cross References (NKJV)
Numbers 6:24–26: “The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.”
Psalm 80:3: “Restore us, O God; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved!”
Luke 12:15: “And He said to them, ‘Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.’”
Key Takeaways
- The World’s Endless Hunger: Chasing “any good” (material comfort, worldly success) leaves the heart permanently empty and ultimately cynical.
- The Ultimate Satisfaction: True joy and peace do not come from our circumstances changing, but from knowing we live under the smile and favor of God.
- A Prayer of Contentment: The presence of God is not just a supplementary blessing; for the believer, it is our primary wealth, ease, and destination.
Things to Think About:
- The Modern Cry: In what specific areas of your life lately have you caught yourself asking, “Who will show me any good?” (Ex., scrolling endlessly online, overworking for security, or demanding that a relationship satisfy you)?
- The Cloud vs. The Light: Do you currently view God’s face as “clouded with anger” toward you, or “shining with kindness and grace”? What keeps you from believing He wants to lift His countenance upon you?
- Praying for “Us”: Think of someone around you who is currently exhausted by chasing the world’s version of happiness. How can you intentionally pray for the light of God’s face to be lifted up on them this week?
Proverb for Today
Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:3-6 NKJV
Daily Scripture
No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. John 6:44-45 NKJV
Closing
“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26 NKJV
Grace be with you. Amen.
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Summary of Commentaries:
These commentaries contrast the world’s restless hunt for temporary comfort with the believer’s deep peace. While the crowd frantically chases visible, earthly gains—what Matthew Henry calls “any good”—the true believer seeks the ultimate good. Drawing from the Aaronic blessing in Numbers 6, David prays for the “light of God’s countenance.” This divine favor and friendship offer complete satisfaction, proving that God’s smile brings fullness even in our leanest moments.
Commentaries:
Charles Spurgeon
We have now entered upon the third division of the Psalm, in which the faith of the afflicted one finds utterance in sweet expressions of contentment and peace.
There were many, even among David’s own followers, who wanted to see rather than to believe. Alas! This is the tendency of us all! Even the regenerate sometimes groan after the sense and sight of prosperity, and are sad when darkness covers all good from view. As for worldlings, this is their unceasing cry. “Who will shew us any good?” Never satisfied, their gaping mouths are turned in every direction, their empty hearts are ready to drink in any fine delusion which impostors may invent; and when these fail, they soon yield to despair, and declare that there is no good thing in either heaven or earth. The true believer is a man of a very different mould. His face is not downward like the beasts’, but upward like the angels’. He drinks not from the muddy pools of Mammon, but from the fountain of life above. The light of God’s countenance is enough for him. This is his riches, his honor, his health, his ambition, his ease. Give him this, and he will ask no more. This is joy unspeakable and full of glory. Oh, for more of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, that our fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ may be constant and abiding!
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Enduring Word
LORD, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us: Despite what the cynics said or thought, David trusted that the LORD would show him good.
David seemed to claim it upon the Aaronic promise of blessing in Numbers 6:24-26:
The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
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Albert Barnes
There be many that say – Some have supposed, as DeWette and others, that the allusion of the psalmist here is to his own followers, and that the reference is to their anxious fears in their misfortunes, as if they were poor and forsaken, and knew not from where the supply of their wants would come. The more probable interpretation, however, is that the allusion is to the general anxiety of mankind, as contrasted with the feelings and desires of the psalmist himself in reference to the manner in which the desire was to be gratified. That is, the general inquiry among mankind is, who will show us good? Or, where shall we obtain that which seems to us to be good, or which will promote our happiness?
Who will show us any good? – The word “any” here is improperly supplied by the translators. The question is more emphatic as it is in the original – “Who will show us good?” That is, where shall happiness be found? In what does it consist? How is it to be obtained? What will contribute to it? This is the “general” question asked by mankind. The “answer” to this question, of course, would be very various, and the psalmist evidently intends to place the answer which “he” would give in strong contrast with that which would be given by the mass of men. Some would place it in wealth; some in honor; some in palaces and pleasure grounds; some in gross sensual pleasure; some in literature; and some in refined social enjoyments. In contrast with all such views of the sources of true happiness, the psalmist says that he regards it as consisting in the favor and friendship of God. To him, that was enough; and in this respect, his views stood in strong contrast with those of the world around him. The “connection” here seems to be this – the psalmist saw those persons who were arrayed against him intent on their own selfish aims, prosecuting their purposes, regardless of the honor of God and the rights of other men; and he is led to make the reflection that this is the “general” character of mankind. They are seeking for happiness; they are actively employed in prosecuting their own selfish ends and purposes. They live simply to know how they shall be “happy,” and they prosecute any scheme which would seem to promise happiness, regardless of the rights of others and the claims of religion.
Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us – That is, in contrast with the feelings and plans of others. In the pursuit of what “they” regarded as good, they were engaged in purposes of gain, of pleasure, or of ambition; he, on the contrary, asked only the favor of God – the light of the divine countenance. The phrase “to lift up the light of the countenance” on one is of frequent occurrence in the Scriptures and is expressive of favor and friendship. When we are angry or displeased, the face seems covered with a dark cloud; when pleased, it brightens up and expresses benignity. There is undoubtedly an allusion in this expression to the sun as it rises free from clouds and tempests, seeming to smile upon the world. The language here was not improbably derived from the benediction which the high priest was commanded to pronounce when he blessed the people of Israel Numbers 6:24-26, “The Lord bless thee, and keep thee; the Lord make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” It may be added here that what the psalmist regarded as the “supreme good” – the favor and friendship of God – is expressive of true piety in all ages and at all times. While the world is busy in seeking happiness in other things – in wealth, pleasure, gaiety, ambition, sensual delights – the child of God feels that true happiness is to be found only in religion, and in the service and friendship of the Creator; and, after all the anxious inquiries which men make, and the various experiments tried in succeeding ages, to find the source of true happiness, all who ever find it will be led to seek it where the psalmist said his happiness was found – in the light of the countenance of God.
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John Gill
[There be] many that say, who will show us [any] good?…. These may be thought to be the men of the world; carnal, worldly-minded men, seeking after temporal good, and taking up their rest and contentment in it; to whom the psalmist opposes his wish and request, in the following words. Or these are the words of the men that were along with David, wishing themselves at home and in their families, enjoying the good things of life they before had; or rather these are the words of the same many, the enemies of David, spoken of in Psalm 3:1; who were wishing, as Kimchi observes, that Absalom’s rebellion might prosper; that David might die and his son reign in his stead, so the evil they wished to him was good to them: or they may be the words of the same men, expressing the desperate condition that David and his friends were in, which the psalmist represents in this manner, “who will show us any good?” none, say they, will show them any good, neither God nor man; there is no help for him in God; he and his friends must unavoidably perish: and this produces the following petition,
Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us; meaning his gracious presence, the manifestations of himself, the discoveries of his love, communion with him, the comforts of his Spirit, and the joys of his salvation; suggesting that in the enjoyment of these things lay their good and happiness, and their safety also; his face and favor, love and grace, being as a shield to encompass them, and as a banner over them, Psalm 5:12; and so Jarchi observes, that the word here used signifies to lift up for a banner; so, me respect seems to be had to the form of the priests blessing, Numbers 6:24; and the words are opposed to the good desired by carnal men, and express the true happiness of the saints, Psalm 89:15; this is a blessing wished for not only by David, but by his antitype the Messiah, Matthew 27:46; and by all believers.
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Matthew Henry
They enquire, in general, “Who will make us happy?” but do not apply themselves to God, who alone can; and so they expose themselves to be ill-advised, and show they would rather be beholden to any than to God, for they would willingly live without him.
They enquire for good that may be seen, seeming good, sensible good; and they show no concern for the good things that are out of sight and are the objects of faith only. The source of idolatry was a desire of gods that they might see; therefore, they worshipped the sun; but, as we must be taught to worship an unseen God, so to seek an unseen good, 2 Co. 4:18. We look with an eye of faith further than we can see with an eye of sense.
They enquire for any good, not for the chief good; all they want is outward good, present good, partial good, good meat, good drink, a good trade, and a good estate; and what are all these worth without a good God and a good heart? Any good will serve the turn of most men, but a gracious soul will not be put off so. This way, this wish, of carnal worldlings is their folly, yet many there be that join in it; and their doom will be accordingly. “Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, the penny thou didst agree for.”
This is what they most earnestly desire and seek after; this is the breathing of their souls, “Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Most are for other things, but we are for this.” Good people, as they are distinguished by their practices, so they are by their prayers, not the length and language of them, but the faith and fervency of them; those whom God has set apart have a prayer by themselves, which, though others may speak the words of it, they only offer up in sincerity; and this is a prayer which they all say Amen to; “Lord, let us have thy favour, and let us know that we have it, and we desire no more; that is enough to make us happy. Lord, be at peace with us, accept of us, manifest thyself to us, let us be satisfied of thy loving-kindness and we will be satisfied with it.” Observe, Though David speaks of himself only in the 7th and 8th verses, he speaks, in this prayer, for others also,-“upon us,” as Christ taught us to pray, “Our Father.” All the saints come to the throne of grace on the same errand, and in this they are one; they all desire God’s favor as their chief good. We should beg it for others as well as for ourselves, for in God’s favour there is enough for us all, and we shall have, nevertheless, for others sharing in what we have.
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Miscellaneous Comments
Where Christ reveals himself, there is satisfaction in the slenderest portion, and without Christ, there is emptiness in the greatest fullness.
—Alexander Grosse, on enjoying Christ, 1632.
“Lift thou up,” etc. This was the blessing of the high priest and is the heritage of all the saints. It includes reconciliation, assurance, communion, benediction, in a word, the fulness of God. Oh, to be filled therewith!
—C. H. S.
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