Psalm 11:7 - Seeing God

In both the East and the West, there are proverbs that emphasize the importance of seeing or visual evidence. People say, "Seeing is believing." "A picture is worth a thousand words." "A hundreds words are not the same as one view." (백문이 불여 일견이라).

Throughout the ages, people have wanted to see God and sought to see God. Moses asked the Lord to show him His glory (Exodus 33:18-20). Philip also asked Jesus to show him the Father, to which Jesus replied, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father" (John 14:8-9).

To see God is possible and we are told to seek to see his face. Here in Psalm 11:7, it says that upright men will see the Lord's face. Likewise, Jesus said in his Beatitudes that the pure in heart will see God (Matthew 5:8). One step further, we are told to "look to the Lord and his strength and seek his face always" (Psalm 105:4; I Chronicles 16:11).

What does it mean to see the Lord's face?

First, seeing the Lord's face will not happen as long as we harbor our sins and iniquities. Our sins hide his face from us (Isaiah 59:2) and he hides his face from us because of our sins (Isaiah 64:7). Our sins make us turn away from God and, even if we did seek him (which we would not), God hides his face from us because of our sins. We must completely repent of our sins, before we see the Lord. Indeed the pure in heart will see God (Matthew 5:8).

Second, seeing the Lord's face is seeing him face to face as friends. There are a few in the Bible who are described to have seen the Lord or the Lord's angel. Each time, the description of the encounter is that the person saw the Lord face to face. Jacob saw God face to face at Peniel, where he struggled with the angel of the Lord before his meeting with his brother Esau (Genesis 32:30). The Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to a friend (Exodus 33:11)! The manner of speech was clear and not in riddles and Moses saw the form of God (Numbers 12:8). Later on, Gideon saw the angel of the Lord face to face (Judges 6:22). Seeing the Lord's face is to see him face to face, in close proximity, as when two friends are talking. Seeing the Lord's face is not seeing him from a distance, awe-struck and in fear, as when one would see someone in authority (Genesis 43:3,5; Exodus 10:28; II Samuel 14:28). Seeing the Lord face to face means that I am looking up to him and at the same time He is looking down on me and shining his face, his grace, his blessings upon me (Numbers 6:25,26; Psalm 80:7; Psalm 119:135). Seeing the Lord face to face is to have a mutually intimate relationship with him.

Third, seeing the Lord face to face is to really get to know him. Now, we see and know him through a mirror. The word of God has been compared to a mirror (James 1:23). Though the word of God is sufficient for his grace and salvation, yet we know only in part. When we meet God face to face, then we will know him fully, as we are known fully (I Corinthians 13:12).

Lord, I pour out all my iniquities and lay down all my burden at your feet. Cleanse your servant with the Lamb's blood and forget all my shortcomings. I seek to see you face to face. Let my sight be fixed on you and let me look to you in all matters of my life. Let your face shine on me, teach me your decrees, and restore me. Let me really get to know you each day. I pray in the precious name of Jesus Christ. Amen.