The Little Man In His Eye

Psalm 17: 1 – 15

The little man in His eye

1 Hear a just cause, O LORD, attend to my cry; Give ear to my prayer which is not from deceitful lips. 2 Let my vindication come from Your presence; Let Your eyes look on the things that are upright. 3 You have tested my heart; You have visited me in the night; You have tried me and have found nothing; I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. 4 Concerning the works of men, by the word of Your lips, I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer. 5 Uphold my steps in Your paths, that my footsteps may not slip. 6 I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God; Incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech. 7 Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand, O You who save those who trust in You from those who rise up against them. 8 Keep me as the apple of Your eye; Hide me under the shadow of Your wings, 9 From the wicked who oppress me, from my deadly enemies who surround me. 10 They have closed up their fat hearts; With their mouths they speak proudly. 11 They have now surrounded us in our steps; They have set their eyes, crouching down to the earth, 12 As a lion is eager to tear his prey, and like a young lion lurking in secret places. 13 Arise, O LORD, confront him, cast him down; Deliver my life from the wicked with Your sword, 14 With Your hand from men, O LORD, from men of the world who have their portion in this life, and whose belly You fill with Your hidden treasure. They are satisfied with children and leave the rest of their possession for their babes. 15 As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.

Our English phrase the apple of your eye is a helpful translation of the Hebrew, which is the little man of the eye. When you look into someone’s eye, you can see yourself reflected in the pupil of their eyeball as a little person. Also, your eye is the most vulnerable part of your body. You protect it by blinking or turning your face turning away from a ball or a blow. When we think about this term we should think of presence and protection.

In today’s scripture we come across some of the most beautiful words ever recorded. David says in Psalm 17 that he is the apple of God’s eye.

What does this mean? It means that God will keep an eye on him and protect him. Why? Because David is precious to him.

How can David claim to be the apple of God’s eye? And, what about us? How can we be the apple of God’s eye?

It’s because we are united to the true apple of God’s eye. At the baptism of Jesus, the voice of God the Father says, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). Jesus Is the very apple of God’s eye.

However, there’s a twist. Instead of protecting him at all costs like we always do with our eyes, instead of flinching away, deflecting the coming suffering, it pleased him to crush his own son for us.

Like David before him, Jesus pleaded with God in as he beheld the cup appointed for him. He knew the terror and horror of that cup of divine wrath. But he received no answer. Jesus pleaded his case before the Father like David does in Psalm 17, but it wasn’t “deliver me from my enemies because of your faithful covenant-keeping love, but deliver me over to my enemies and fulfill your covenant-keeping love.” The Son’s pleading to his Father was to, “fulfill your promise made before the foundation of the world that I would keep the law and satisfy the just requirements for their sin, usher in the New Creation, redeem them from bondage to sin death and Satan and wrap them into my family.”

Because of the true Son of David, we become the apple of God’s eye. We are children of God adopted and cherished in Jesus Christ. He has his eye on you. He protects you. What great news! It humbles and strengthens us.

When our Holy Father God Yahweh looks into your eyes He sees His Beloved Son Jesus and all His Righteousness. Thank you, Lord.

1 Hear a just cause, O LORD, attend to my cry; Give ear to my prayer which is not from deceitful lips. 2 Let my vindication come from Your presence; Let Your eyes look on the things that are upright.