Psalm 17:15a "The Face"

"As for me I shall behold Your face in righteousness."

This verse seems reminiscent of Moses' request if he could see Gods face. The response: Moses you know that no man can see my face and live. Moses lacked one thing-righteousness. Moses had a glimpse of Gods glory (His back-parts) and his face lit up like a light-bulb. Just as one cannot stare too long at the sun for fear of going blind so too no person can look at the white burning star of holy hot light without incineration. The vital component of righteousness must be there in the person if he is ever to see the face of God. Man just doesn't have the tools, the equipment, to harness this pure light. Just as a plant must have chlorophyll to absorb the properties of sunlight so man likewise must have the properties of righteousness to absorb Gods shining. So we must die. Scripture says we must put off the corruptible and put on the incorruptible, we must shed our mortality so that we may be clothed in immortality. We must put on a new garment to view God. We must have new eyes so that they don't melt like wax in their sockets (Raiders of the lost ark had it right). No righteousness-no face. To miss out on the greatest spectacle the world has ever seen is to miss the face of Christ. He spoke in a future tense "I shall." This is a bold pronouncement because of his bold position. God will remove the veil of this fallen world and behind it all will be the face of Christ. The psalmist knows that he will be arrayed in righteous raiment, clad in holy attire. The atmosphere will be righteousness and like the verse says he will be 'in' righteousness. Just as a new born moves from one environment into the next so too will we be transported and submersed in righteousness, only to behold the face of majesty. The great and glorious continual show of all eternity. We will be beautifully and eternally devastated by wonder and awe.