Psalms 34:5: “They looked unto him, and were radiant and their faces were not ashamed.”

“They looked upon him and were radiant.” Now what the duce does that mean?   Every translation I read uses the word radiant, a few say lightened and one says happy that is strictly a paraphrase for happiness is only implied in the Hebrew word. There are a couple translations that say enlightened.  These words have a difference in nuances to many of us. To be radiant is not necessarily being enlightened nor happy. This is just a translator’s opinion which I personally do not share.

The word for radiant in Hebrew is nahar which means to shine be radiant to burn or to sparkle. This is a literal light not a metaphor, although there are no rules that say it cannot be metaphoric.  Nahar comes from a Semitic root which has the idea of flowing or a running stream.  Hence there is motion to this light.  When Moses stepped off the mountain his face was radiant but that word is qaran which is to send out rays.  His face was sending out rays of light. This was a physically discernable light. Nahar is more of a light that is not sending out rays but it is moving nonetheless.  Hence the idea of a spinning halo comes to mind.

When we say radiant we think of someone who is just happy and smiling it is as if they are glowing. They are not literally glowing or giving off some light.  I mean you can hold a light meter up to that person and nothing will register. We just say they are radiant or lighted metaphorically. But to me to call this a metaphor is just a way to not take this literally as such a thing would be too mystical for many Christians. But what is wrong with a little mysticism.  We have no problem praying to God but if God should speak to us well that is just mystical, yet the Bible does say that God does speak to us.

The Jewish Targum says that they looked up to God in prayer and their faces were enlightened.  That is a literal light. What the Targum is saying is that by looking up to the Lord his light is reflected off of them. In other words they really do give off a glow, a light because it is the light of God.  It still cannot be measured by a light meter but if you look at them through spiritual eyes, you will see a literal light around them.

Medieval artist often depicted saintly individuals with a halo or nimbus, aureole or glory.  This is a ring of light that surrounds the person. They are often depicted as golden, yellow, white or even red when flames are depicted.   Sumerian literature often speaks of a melam which is a loan word from the Akkadian melammu which is a brilliant visible light exuded by gods, heroes and sometimes kings.  Halos are picture among religious figures throughout the world religions including Buddhist, Hinduism and Islam.

The god Ra is often picture with a red solar disc right above his head, Vishnu the Hindu’s god has his whole body surrounded by a halo.  Chola Nataraja is surrounded with a halo of flames.  Roman art shows Apollo with a radiant halo with rays suggesting movement of this light. Persian kings were said to give off a hvarena or a divine luster. The Greek Orthodox depict Jesus in their Icons with a halo with a cross within to suggest the trinity with the Greek letters omicron, omega and upsilon forming the word ho-on or the existing one.

Within Christianity the early church fathers regarded God as the source of light. The halo was viewed as the uncreated light.  Within Eastern orthodoxy there is the belief of uncreated light.  The burning bush before Moses is an example.  This light represents the very essence of God as opposed to the created light which we get from the sun.

My point in all this is that I do not believe this radiant or nahar is a metaphor but a real light or radiance that is reflected off of those who look up to God. It is the uncreated light the very essence of God. This is a light that cannot be measured by a light meter. It is a light that can only be seen in the spirit.  Thus, I postulate (a postulation is only an assumption without proof) that Psalms 34:5 is speaking of a literal light that flows or reflects off of those who look up to God.  The Targum teaches that if you are looking down you will not have this light for you are not looking at God.  You need to be looking up at God to reflect this light. Have you ever looked out among people praising God or up at the platform at the speaker and seen a light around them.  Some have, I believe I have  seen such lights on occasions.  It is something you can only see in the Spirit.

Sounds crazy, no?  Maybe I am just seeing an illusion from the lights in the room or maybe my contacts needs to be cleaned. But you know I never see that light on some speaker, worship leader or someone worshipping who are so full of themselves that they are not really looking at God. I only see it in those that I sense are really worshipping God, letting go of themselves and really looking up to God.  That word look in this verse is nabat which is not just looking but contemplating, scrutinizing and analyzing what you are looking at.  It is a concentrated stare where all you thoughts and intellect are focused on what you are observing.  If I sense someone nabat(ing) up to God that is usually when I see that light around them. Then, of course, maybe I just need to clean my contacts.

C.S. Lewis said that a proud man cannot know God for a proud man is always looking down on others and how can he see what is above if he is always looking down.   How can I see the reflection of God on someone who is so full of themselves thinking they are so holy and proud of it that they are just looking down on the rest of us for if they are looking down they cannot reflect from their faces that which is above.