Behold, the eye of the LORDis upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;
The eye of the Lord resting on those who fear Him and hope in His mercy means His watchful, individual care rests on those who reverence Him, obey Him, and trust in His compassion and loving-kindness. That care is active and protective to deliver from death and keep alive in famine and danger, as shown when Enoch was taken to heaven and Noah was saved from the flood. In its setting this watchfulness belongs with waiting for the Lord as help and shield, rejoicing in His holy name, and asking for His mercy according to hope in Him. It is instruction by which He refines and purifies heart, mind, and life to express the divine image, calling those who hope in Him to make Him their surety, work with Him, walk humbly, and guard against selfishness blinding their judgment. This assurance gives the sick reason to trust Him and be cheerful rather than yield to anxiety and gloom, lifts the mind toward what is noble and eternal, and keeps His people from being overwhelmed by increasing illness, labor, and anxiety.
God's Watchful Care
The eye of the Lord is His watchful care resting upon those who fear and reverence Him. It rests upon those who hope in and trust His mercy, compassion, loving-kindness, including those who obey Him for that reason. That care is active and protective, directed toward sustaining those who so reverence and trust Him. As the following verse explains, He delivers their soul from death and keeps them alive in famine and in danger.
This deliverance was shown when Enoch was translated to heaven and when Noah was saved from the flood that deluged the earth. He knows and cares for each person individually. He regards devoted workers not for what they are in themselves, but as clothed with His righteousness and made holy by His Spirit. His watchful care and love were shown in giving His Son to redeem humanity from perishing.
In its context the verse connects with waiting on the Lord as help and shield. It belongs to those who rejoice in His holy name and ask for His mercy according to their hope in Him.
Trust and Right Response
The verse stands as part of the instruction by which the Lord impresses the heart, refines and purifies mind and life, and fits men and women to express the divine image in thought and deed. It shows his watch over those who reverence him and place hope in his mercy, protecting and sustaining them through deliverance from death and preservation in famine. That same care calls for reliance on him instead of self-exaltation. Those who hope in him are to make him their surety and to work together with him, walking humbly with Christ, and he tenderly loves such workers, giving them success and causing them to reflect his character. They are also to guard themselves and to watch heart and purpose closely, lest selfishness blind the judgment.
For the sick the verse is a direct assurance that God knows and cares for each individual, and therefore a reason to trust him and remain cheerful rather than sink into anxiety, depression and gloom. Rising above such discouragement itself improves the prospect of recovery. Dwelling on the thought of his watchful care and love lifts the mind toward what is noble and eternal. That love was supremely shown in giving his Son to redeem humanity from perishing. The same watchful care keeps his people from being overwhelmed when illness, labor and anxiety increase, as seen in the preserving of an entire household under such pressures.
The eye of the Lord resting on those who fear Him and hope in His mercy means His watchful, individual care rests on those who reverence Him, obey Him, and trust in His compassion and loving-kindness. That care is active and protective to deliver from death and keep alive in famine and danger, as shown when Enoch was taken to heaven and Noah was saved from the flood. In its setting this watchfulness belongs with waiting for the Lord as help and shield, rejoicing in His holy name, and asking for His mercy according to hope in Him. It is instruction by which He refines and purifies heart, mind, and life to express the divine image, calling those who hope in Him to make Him their surety, work with Him, walk humbly, and guard against selfishness blinding their judgment. This assurance gives the sick reason to trust Him and be cheerful rather than yield to anxiety and gloom, lifts the mind toward what is noble and eternal, and keeps His people from being overwhelmed by increasing illness, labor, and anxiety.
God's Watchful Care
The eye of the Lord is His watchful care resting upon those who fear and reverence Him. It rests upon those who hope in and trust His mercy, compassion, loving-kindness, including those who obey Him for that reason. That care is active and protective, directed toward sustaining those who so reverence and trust Him. As the following verse explains, He delivers their soul from death and keeps them alive in famine and in danger.
This deliverance was shown when Enoch was translated to heaven and when Noah was saved from the flood that deluged the earth. He knows and cares for each person individually. He regards devoted workers not for what they are in themselves, but as clothed with His righteousness and made holy by His Spirit. His watchful care and love were shown in giving His Son to redeem humanity from perishing.
In its context the verse connects with waiting on the Lord as help and shield. It belongs to those who rejoice in His holy name and ask for His mercy according to their hope in Him.
Trust and Right Response
The verse stands as part of the instruction by which the Lord impresses the heart, refines and purifies mind and life, and fits men and women to express the divine image in thought and deed. It shows his watch over those who reverence him and place hope in his mercy, protecting and sustaining them through deliverance from death and preservation in famine. That same care calls for reliance on him instead of self-exaltation. Those who hope in him are to make him their surety and to work together with him, walking humbly with Christ, and he tenderly loves such workers, giving them success and causing them to reflect his character. They are also to guard themselves and to watch heart and purpose closely, lest selfishness blind the judgment.
For the sick the verse is a direct assurance that God knows and cares for each individual, and therefore a reason to trust him and remain cheerful rather than sink into anxiety, depression and gloom. Rising above such discouragement itself improves the prospect of recovery. Dwelling on the thought of his watchful care and love lifts the mind toward what is noble and eternal. That love was supremely shown in giving his Son to redeem humanity from perishing. The same watchful care keeps his people from being overwhelmed when illness, labor and anxiety increase, as seen in the preserving of an entire household under such pressures.