For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty and lift up your face to God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse promises delight in God and a lifted face because of restored relationship, not just earthly blessings. It’s about finding true joy in God's presence, seeing Him not as a judge but as your source of strength and favor, which naturally leads to a confident approach in prayer.
For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty and lift up your face to God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Eliphaz is urging Job to repent and reconcile with God, suggesting that if Job does so, his suffering will end and God will bless him abundantly. This promise of delight in God and a clear conscience, able to face Him without shame, is presented as the outcome of embracing Eliphaz's counsel and returning to a right relationship with the Almighty.
Are you looking for true joy? This verse suggests it's not found in possessions, but in the Giver of all good things.
Finding Delight in God, Not Just Blessings
This verse speaks about a profound shift: moving from a place of fear or distress to one of pure delight in God. It's about finding joy not just in what God gives, but in God Himself. When our focus is on material wealth or external comforts, our delight is easily shaken. But when our affections are truly set on God, He becomes our greatest treasure, our 'gold and silver.' This delight isn't superficial; it's a deep contentment found in His very being and His promises.
Ever felt shame or fear when approaching God? This passage offers a vision of restored confidence and boldness.
The Freedom to Approach God
"Lift up your face to God" isn't just about prayer; it's a powerful image of restored confidence and unashamed boldness. When we're burdened by guilt or fear, our natural posture is to hide, to shrink away. But this promise speaks of a time when we can stand tall, looking directly at God. This freedom comes from knowing our sins are forgiven and that we are accepted through faith. It’s the confidence of a child approaching a loving Father, knowing we are welcomed not because we are perfect, but because we are His.
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Understand the original words
Shadday · Hebrew Noun
Refers to God as the One who possesses all power, sovereign authority, and sufficiency. It emphasizes His ability to sustain, judge, and act independently of any outside force.
This verse echoes the idea of finding delight in God as the ultimate source of fulfillment, suggesting that true joy comes from centering our desires on Him.
Psalm 63:3David expresses a similar longing, stating that God's steadfast love is better than life, highlighting the profound pleasure and satisfaction found in communion with the Almighty.
1 John 3:2This New Testament passage speaks to the future hope believers have of being fully like Christ and seeing Him as He is, which will lead to a perfect and unhindered delight in God.
Job 11:15This verse from an earlier part of Job directly parallels the language used here, showing that a clear conscience and restored relationship with God enable one to approach Him with confidence and without shame.
gillJob 22:26: "For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God."
For then shall thou have thy delight in the Almighty,.... In the perfections of his nature, in the works of his hands, in his word and worship, in communion with him, and in the relation he stands in to his people as their covenant God and Father; this would be the case when Job should be more and better acquainted with God, and with the law or doctrine his month, and the words of his lips, a…
clarkeJob 22:26: "For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God."
For then shalt thou have thy delight - Thou shalt know, from thy temporal prosperity, that God favors thee; and for his bounty thou shalt be grateful. How different is this doctrine from that of St. Paul and St. John! "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus." "Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Fathe…
The verse promises delight in God and a lifted face because of restored relationship, not just earthly blessings. It’s about finding true joy in God's presence, seeing Him not as a judge but as your source of strength and favor, which naturally leads to a confident approach in prayer.
Eliphaz is urging Job to repent and reconcile with God, suggesting that if Job does so, his suffering will end and God will bless him abundantly. This promise of delight in God and a clear conscience, able to face Him without shame, is presented as the outcome of embracing Eliphaz's counsel and returning to a right relationship with the Almighty.
Eliphaz is urging Job to repent and reconcile with God, suggesting that if Job does so, his suffering will end and God will bless him abundantly. This promise of delight in God and a clear conscience, able to face Him without shame, is presented as the outcome of embracing Eliphaz's counsel and returning to a right relationship with the Almighty.
"For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty and lift up your face to God." — The verse promises delight in God and a lifted face because of restored relationship, not just earthly blessings. It’s about finding true joy in God's presence, seeing Him not as a judge but as you…
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Last reviewed October 2026