Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,
The prayer asks God to guard the one who trusts in Him as something precious and to shelter that person under His protection, with the vulnerable kept safe under the shadow of His wings. It displays His marvelous lovingkindness in keeping and protecting His people, belonging with praise for His great goodness, mercies, saving love and carrying care toward Israel and with the truth that wisdom is the fear of the Lord and understanding is to depart from evil. It is a prayer to pray in faith when opposed in God's work, committing one's case to the Lord by asking Him to hear, to judge in truth and righteousness, and to show lovingkindness, trusting that He cares and by His power and right hand delivers those who put their trust in Him from those who rise up against them.
To ask for this close keeping and sheltering is to seek strength from above through humble prayer, asking God to hold up one's steps and feet in His paths so they do not slip. It is the voice Christ longs to hear from Israel and from all He would gather under His mediatorial wings, the voice of the poor, defenseless and dependent coming to Him for safety, with assurance that all who come and trust Him will be accepted and protected. To be kept as the apple of the eye and hidden under the shadow of His wings means to be covered, warmed and defended as chicks under a hen's outspread wings, where safety is found by heeding His warning call and fleeing to Him and where He forgets self to defend His helpless flock with His own life while He has life. It is a prayer for close protective care as one goes back to work among those helped in darkness, trusting that the Lord goes with him as strength and staff and is very merciful to the afflicted who erred through blindness and false reports and will bring them out right.
Christ's servants are as dear to Him as the apple of the eye, and His deep, unchanging love continually assures them of faithfulness to support the weak, confirm the wavering, comfort the feeble-minded, and bind up the bruises of the soul with tender divine affection and enduring friendship. In trial, in want, in perplexity and distress they are not alone, for at every step He bids them follow Him and promises never to leave nor forsake them, a blessed assurance of His keeping and hiding care given only on condition of obedience and faithfulness to Him. The apple of the eye as something needing careful protection applies to children, teaching parents to guard their principles and habits vigilantly, including by preventing harmful associations that could lead them into evil. Its image also shows how tenderly God's law is to be regarded, with love and exact, careful refusal to meddle with it, so that keeping His commandments and loving His law mark those whom God recognizes as His people.
The prayer asks God to guard the one who trusts in Him as something precious and to shelter that person under His protection, with the vulnerable kept safe under the shadow of His wings. It displays His marvelous lovingkindness in keeping and protecting His people, belonging with praise for His great goodness, mercies, saving love and carrying care toward Israel and with the truth that wisdom is the fear of the Lord and understanding is to depart from evil. It is a prayer to pray in faith when opposed in God's work, committing one's case to the Lord by asking Him to hear, to judge in truth and righteousness, and to show lovingkindness, trusting that He cares and by His power and right hand delivers those who put their trust in Him from those who rise up against them.
To ask for this close keeping and sheltering is to seek strength from above through humble prayer, asking God to hold up one's steps and feet in His paths so they do not slip. It is the voice Christ longs to hear from Israel and from all He would gather under His mediatorial wings, the voice of the poor, defenseless and dependent coming to Him for safety, with assurance that all who come and trust Him will be accepted and protected. To be kept as the apple of the eye and hidden under the shadow of His wings means to be covered, warmed and defended as chicks under a hen's outspread wings, where safety is found by heeding His warning call and fleeing to Him and where He forgets self to defend His helpless flock with His own life while He has life. It is a prayer for close protective care as one goes back to work among those helped in darkness, trusting that the Lord goes with him as strength and staff and is very merciful to the afflicted who erred through blindness and false reports and will bring them out right.
Christ's servants are as dear to Him as the apple of the eye, and His deep, unchanging love continually assures them of faithfulness to support the weak, confirm the wavering, comfort the feeble-minded, and bind up the bruises of the soul with tender divine affection and enduring friendship. In trial, in want, in perplexity and distress they are not alone, for at every step He bids them follow Him and promises never to leave nor forsake them, a blessed assurance of His keeping and hiding care given only on condition of obedience and faithfulness to Him. The apple of the eye as something needing careful protection applies to children, teaching parents to guard their principles and habits vigilantly, including by preventing harmful associations that could lead them into evil. Its image also shows how tenderly God's law is to be regarded, with love and exact, careful refusal to meddle with it, so that keeping His commandments and loving His law mark those whom God recognizes as His people.