Psalm 34: They Looked to Him
Psalm 34:5 - If you believe, then you can reflect the radiance of the Lord.
“They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces will never be ashamed.”
Psalms 34:5 NASB1995
David shifts from the first person to the third person, noting that others with him were having the same experiences. They were looking to God and their faces were radiant. This reminds me of the story of the first martyr, Stephen, who had a radiant face like an angel, looking towards heaven while he was stoned to death. Gotquestions.org describes several Biblical examples of this radiance:
Having an angel-like countenance was an expression frequently found in Judaism. It was used to illustrate a brightened, enlightened, spell-binding, or awe-inspiring appearance. After Moses spent time with the Lord in Exodus 34:29–35, his face shone with such a radiant glow that the people were afraid to come near him. Whenever he returned to the people from being in God’s presence, Moses covered his face with a veil.
The angel of the Lord that appeared to Samson’s mother had such an imposing presence about him that she later told her husband, “His appearance was like the appearance of the angel of God, very awesome” (Judges 13:6, ESV).
According to Ecclesiastes 8:1, “Wisdom lights up a person’s face” (NLT). Describing the transfiguration of Jesus, Luke writes, “And as he [Jesus] was praying, the appearance of his face was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white” (Luke 9:29, NLT).
When Stephen stood before his accusers, glowing with the face of an angel, he was radiating God’s wisdom and heaven’s glory. Without speaking a word, Stephen’s countenance gave witness that he was the Lord’s faithful servant. Indeed, those Sanhedrin members ought to have remembered Moses’ shining face. It was as if God was saying, “This man is no blasphemer! He is like Moses, My loyal servant!” The implication of Stephen’s having the face of an angel is that he, like Moses and Jesus, was a witness to and a reflection of the glory of God’s presence.
Wisdom lights up a person’s face - that is truly wonderful! I had a discussion recently with a friend of ours who goes to our church and also participates in a brain-body exercise class that we all enjoy (we do the class three times a week). She is a strong believer and joy radiates in her face almost all the time. She said that she can sense other believers who are filled with the Holy Spirit just by looking at them (I’m not quite that discerning yet, but I have noticed that true joy creates a reflection of that joy in a person’s countenance). People are naturally attracted to her light.
Here’s what Charles Spurgeon says in his exposition, as cited in Precept Austin
Ver. 5. They looked unto him, and were lightened. The psalmist avows that his case was not at all peculiar, it was matched in the lives of all the faithful; they too, each one of them on looking to their Lord were brightened up, their faces began to shine, their spirits were uplifted. What a means of blessing one look at the Lord may be! There is life, light, liberty, love, everything in fact, in a look at the crucified One. Never did a sore heart look in vain to the good Physician; never a dying soul turned its darkening eye to the brazen serpent to find its virtue gone. And their faces were not ashamed. Their faces were covered with joy but not with blushes. He who trusts in God has no need to be ashamed of his confidence, time and eternity will both justify his reliance.
When we gaze at the Crucified One, we see the life, light, liberty and love that He brings to us. The deeper you go into your faith, the harder it is to keep a frowning, grumpy disposition that is also reflected in your face. We are radiant because we are not ashamed of our faith and He is reflected in our faces. Gotquestions.org answers the question about not being ashamed of the Gospel:
To live unashamed of the gospel means we proclaim it, but it also means we apply it to our lives and show we believe it. Paul’s life choices supported his message. He did not preach one thing and live another. We are “ashamed of the gospel” when we allow sin in our lives to go unchecked (Matthew 3:8). When we indulge in worldliness and carnal desires or blatantly disobey scriptural standards, we indicate that we lack confidence in our own message (1 Corinthians 3:3; 1 Peter 2:11). When we “walk in the counsel of the ungodly, stand in the path of sinners, and sit in the seat of scoffers” (Psalm 1:1), we are being ashamed of the gospel. We are not allowing its truth to penetrate our lives so that others see its changing power. To live unashamed of the gospel means that we, like Paul, allow it to dominate our lives to the extent that everyone within our sphere of influence can see that we have “been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).
This goes full circle - to not be ashamed of the gospel is to allow it to dominate our lives so that everyone can see that we have “been with Jesus”: We are radiant!
Enduring Word also has good commentary on this verse:
They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed: In moving from “I” to “They,” David indicates that this experience was not his alone. Many others have known and will know what it is to set the focus of their loving trust upon God and receive His help.
They looked to Him: “The more we can think upon our Lord, and the less upon ourselves, the better. Looking to him, as he is seated upon the right hand of the throne of God, will keep our heads, and especially our hearts, steady when going through the deep waters of affliction.” (Smith, cited in Spurgeon)
And were radiant: The idea is that they draw radiance from God’s own glory. Later, the Apostle Paul would explain much the same thought: But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:18). This radiance is evidence that one has truly looked to Him.
“Radiant is a word found again in Isaiah 60:5, where it describes a mother’s face lighting up at the sight of her children, long given up for lost.” (Derek Kidner)
And their faces were not ashamed: David also knew that God would never forsake the one who trusts in Him. God would give him confidence in the moment and vindication in time.
My next devotional examines Psalm 34:6 - This poor man cried.
Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord - Thank you for your light, life, liberty and love. May I never be ashamed of the Gospel! Amen.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org.
Gotquestions.org was accessed on 08/22/2025 to answer the questions, What does it mean that Stephen had the face of an angel? And- What does it mean to not be afraid of the Gospel?
Precept Austin was accessed on 08/22/205 to review commentary for Psalm 34:5.
Enduring Word commentary by David Guzik is used with written permission. Minor formatting changes have been made to improve readability.