NEW LIVING TRANSLATION (NLT)
6 Many people say, "Who will show us better times?" Let the smile of your face shine on us, Lord.
7 You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and wine.
JEWISH PUBLICATION SOCIETY (JPS)
7 Many say, O for good days! Bestow Your favor on us, O LORD.
8 You put joy into my heart when their grain and wine show increase.
the smile of your face/Your favor - is the same language that is used in the Aaronic blessing.
THE FACE OF G-D*
I want us to look at the face of G-d, which is used in many passages throughout the Bible. We need to consider the way one uses his face from the context of ancient history, considering what does it do?
The Hebrew word for face is panim, which not only means face, but is also used in the Bible for presence.
One of the most repeated Scriptures about the face of G-d is from the Aaronic Benediction (Num. 6:24-26). The phrase, the L-rd make His face to shine upon you, is an interesting Hebraic concept. It means to turn towards you. Ones face identifies who a person is. Our face reveals our emotions, our moods, our dispositions and a reflection of what is going on inside of us. The word for shine has to do with luminescence, as when light glows from within. In the Bible, light is the essence of G-ds presence.
In scripture, lifting up ones face indicates that one has nothing to hide and there is no shame or guile in him. On the other hand, the Bible also talks about hiding ones face, which means to turn away from someone, either in shame (on the part of the sinner) or in disgust (on the part of G-d who cannot be in the presence of sin).
To raise your face is to look up. G-d often says to us, Look up. Dont look down. Look Me square in the face. G-d did not want us to make any mistake about His intentions and wanted us to look right into His heart, so decided to show us His face. He was not going to hide His face - His innermost being and thoughts - from us.
Another phrase in the Aaronic Benediction is the L-rd lift up His face (countenance) upon you. The L-rd lifting up His face or countenance on us is the image of Him lifting up His face or His presence upon us, and in this case, to give us His peace - His shalom. Typically in Hebrew, to indicate a greater portion of something, a word is often doubled for emphasis. To reuse the imagery of G-ds face is to really make a emphatic point that His presence is with us - literally in our face. In biblical idiom, to seek the face is to desire an audience. Like Moses and Jacob, we can be in His presence and have a deep level of intimacy and fellowship He desires to have with us and we should desire to have with Him. G-d created man for fellowship and He desires intimacy with His creation. He desires us to seek His face and be in His presence.
Consider how G-d honors us with His love and His presence. Yet, how often do we dishonor Him by the way we lead our lives, or simply ignore Him with our indifference towards Him?
Discipleship is a process. To gain it, we need to forsake the mediocrity of the world and seek holiness so that we can be in the glorious presence (face) of the L-rd. Remember Mary and Martha? Just being busy for G-d is not the same as being in His presence. Being busy for G-d is important, but it is not intimacy, which can only happen when we sit at His feet in His presence.
*this came from a teaching article from Bridges For Peace
You will fill me with joy in your presence (face)! Psalm 16:11