6263. 'I did not think to see your face' means that he had not entertained any hope of an inflowing of his love. This is clear from the meaning of 'face' as the interiors, dealt with in 358, 2434, 3527, 3573, 4066, 4796, 4798, 5695, thus the affections since they shine primarily from the face, 4796, 5102 - 'God's face' therefore is Divine love and accordingly mercy, 5585; and from the meaning of 'I did not think' as not entertaining any hope. As regards an inflowing of love, this is meant by 'seeing the face', as is also evident from what is stated in the narrative immediately before and after.

4796. When angels manifest themselves visually, all their interior affections are seen clearly in their faces and shine out of them, so that the face is the external form and a representative image of those affections. To have any other face than that expressing their affections is not allowed in heaven. Those who deceitfully wear any other face are expelled from that community. From this it is evident that the face corresponds to everything in general present interiorly - both to a person's affections and to his thoughts, that is, to the affections in his will and to the thoughts in his understanding. This also explains why in the Word 'face', whether a singular or a plural noun, means affections; and when it is said that the Lord lifts up His face on someone, the meaning is that out of Divine Affection belonging to His Love He has compassion on him.