“As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness. When I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.”
– Psalm 17:15
Psalm 17:15 is a great last verse to a chapter that is filled with struggle in the Psalmist who is David here. He’s struggling because he’s being opposed on different sides. It looks like people around him are succeeding in their ungodliness, that their sin and wickedness looks like it’s causing things to go well for them, and it’s not going well for him.
So, he looks up, and he says, at the very end of this chapter, as for me, so yeah, they seem to have all these blessings and this or that but as for me, what my anticipation, my hope, my joy is, is that one day, I will behold God’s face in righteousness. That one day, I’m going to wake up and be satisfied with His likeness. In other words, David is taking an eternal view here, and he’s realizing the pleasures of this world, the fads of this world are fading. They may be good for a time, but what is ultimately good for all time is seeing the face of God, beholding God’s face and righteousness.
This is Revelation 22:4, where all of history is headed. For those who have trusted in Jesus, when I awake, I should be satisfied with your likeness. That’s it. That’s the goal of all creation. For every one of us in Christ, we want to be fully made in Christ, fully transformed into the image of Christ. Free from sin in a resurrected body.
This Verse Reminds Us That God Doesn’t Fade
This is what David is focused on, that day when he will behold God’s face in righteousness, and when he will be with God. When he’ll be satisfied with His likeness. So, let me encourage you today. When you look around the world, you look around, even in the circumstances right around you, and you think all these people have this or that going for them that seems so good in this world.
Just don’t forget, and keep this perspective in our own lives, the pleasures of this world are fading. The fads of this world are fading. The possessions of this world are definitely fading. The pursuits of this world will not ultimately fulfill. Say, what ultimately fulfills, one day we’re going to behold the face of God. All those who have trusted in Christ, one day, are going to wake up and be satisfied. Then they will be fully made in the likeness of Jesus.
Keep your eyes fixed on that day, live for that day. Let that day drive your decisions on this day. Let that day give you hope and anticipation and joy even amidst dark days. Don’t look around at circumstance in this world and think, oh, if I could just fix that, then I would be happy. No, your happiness is found in some things, someone much greater than that. It’s found in seeing the face of God, and being satisfied in the likeness of Christ. So live for that day.
Psalm 17:15 Asks God To Help Us Live Our Best Lives
God we do, we look forward to the day when we will see your face And we will be fully conformed into the image of Jesus. Oh God please, hasten the coming of that day. Hasten the coming of the day when we will behold your face and righteousness, when we will be satisfied with your likeness. We pray that until that day comes, you would give us a right and proper perspective on today.
Lord help us to live today for what’s going to matter in eternity. God help us to not be deceived by the pleasures and pursuits and possessions and fads of this world. Help us to see them for what they are and to live for what matters most. God, help us to live for what’s going to matter 10 billion years from now. Help us to live for that today. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
