Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

PSALMS 27:9KJV
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Psalms 27:9 (KJV)

What does Psalms 27:9 mean?

Psalms 27:9 is a plea for God to remain present and help the speaker. The speaker appeals to God’s help in the past while facing the fear of being turned away in anger.

After asking in verse 8 to see God’s face, the speaker asks God not to hide it. The image of a hidden face pictures being shut out from someone’s attention. The speaker also calls himself God’s servant, placing the request in the language of someone dependent on a master.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 27:9

  • “face” — פָּנִים (panim): The word means “face” and can also suggest presence. Asking God not to hide his face expresses the speaker’s desire for access to God, not merely a wish to see a face.
  • “put … away” — נָטָה (natah): The word can carry the sense of turning or thrusting aside. Here the phrase pictures a master turning a servant away in anger.
  • “salvation” — יֵשַׁע (yeshaʿ): The word means rescue or deliverance. Calling God “the God of my salvation” identifies God as the one the speaker looks to for rescue.

Why Psalms 27:9 matters

  • Past help is part of the speaker’s appeal. “Thou hast been my help” gives a reason for asking God to continue helping rather than leave.
  • The plea belongs to a passage shaped by danger from other people. In verse 12, the speaker asks not to be handed over to enemies, including false witnesses.
  • The request is personal rather than distant. The repeated “me” and “my” show that the speaker is asking about his own place before God.

Where else these words appear

“help” Hebrew H5833 · used in 25 verses

  • Judges 5:23 Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.
  • Psalms 40:17 But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.
  • Psalms 108:12 Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.

“salvation” Hebrew H3468 · used in 35 verses

  • 2 Samuel 22:3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.
  • Psalms 20:6 Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.
  • Psalms 85:7 Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.

“leave” Hebrew H5203 · used in 39 verses

  • Genesis 31:28 And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.
  • 1 Samuel 30:16 And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.
  • Isaiah 21:15 For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.

“Hide” Hebrew H5641 · used in 80 verses

  • Genesis 4:14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.
  • Psalms 10:11 He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.
  • Proverbs 28:28 When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase.