I have personally found the book of Psalms to be very motivational. No matter what you are feeling or going through on any given day, there is a Psalm that is appropriate for you. One that struck me this week as I was considering the question from Job “what is man that you are mindful of him” is Psalm 17:8. I found this to be a very thought-provoking Psalm. "Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings". In modern English, the phrase "apple of my eye" indicates something or someone that one values above all others. In the Hebrew, it had a deeper, richer meaning. Vine's has this to say: "The 'apple' is the most precious and most securely guarded part of the eye. It feels most intensely the least injury; the loss of it is irreparable." This ancient metaphor is a reference to the “pupil” of the eye, which is exactly how some Bible translations render it. King David’s prayer found here in Psalm 17:8 is for God to keep guard over him as He would the pupil of His own eye.
Being confident that he was the apple of God’s eye, David was asking God to continue to regard him as one would a cherished child, the object of great affection. And David also asked for God’s protection: “hide me in the shadow of your wings,” just as a mother bird protects her young by covering them with her wings. David knew, even as he was making these heartfelt requests, that God would answer his prayer (v. 6). He was confident that God would show him the “wonders of your great love” and that he would be vindicated before his enemies (v.15). What an amazing thing to consider. Can we have the same confidence that David had? That we are ourselves the “apple of His eye”?
Let’s consider this concept as we are indeed the “apple of God’s eye”. This is not the only place this phrase is used. In addition to here in Psalms 17:8 "apple of my eye" can be found in various books of the King James Bible translation from 1611, and some later translations:
The description of God’s care for His people in Deuteronomy 32:10 emphasizes Israel’s vulnerability and God’s tender, loving affection. Even though Scripture indicates they were a rebellious and stiff-necked people. Being the apple of His eye, they were still most cherished. God provided complete protection; His people were a priority. In the “howling wilderness,” God provided manna for them to eat, water from a rock, and safety from their enemies. His care was as automatic as if He were guarding the center of His eye from harm. That is what David knew. He knew he was serving a loving God. What about you? How important are you to the great God who made the universe?
According to the apostle Peter we (all of us individually) were chosen according to the foreknowledge of God, “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:2). This means that God has personally called you. It is both sobering and also motivating to realize that we have been called according to the foreknowledge of God. Our calling is a holy and sacred calling, and we must never take it for granted or take our eyes off the goal of becoming a glorious, radiant spirit being in the family of God. Note the words of James: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of His own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures” (James 1:17-18).
As we approach Passover let us bring to remembrance, it is because of God’s love and grace that he has called us. Because He loves us, He has called us into the work of God and the body of Christ. God’s great care and concern for us and all of His creation is beyond our comprehension. His thoughts are ever toward us (Psalms 139:17-18). The hairs on our head are numbered. Not even a sparrow falls to the ground without His knowledge. He calls the stars by name. God is acutely and keenly aware of every facet of His creation (Matthew 10:29-30). God’s care for His people has not diminished with time. He holds His children close, and He can protect us as easily as our eyelids protect our pupils. He does this because He loves us in Christ. We are indeed involved in the hope of the ages. You are the apple of God’s eye (Zechariah 2:8-12). We can have that same confidence that David had. We, too, can be assured that God hears our prayers. We can know that He will answer them.
Remember in reference to the “apple”, Vine's said "the loss of it is irreparable." Literally beyond repair. If we lose our physical eyesight, we are blind. Are we as concerned with losing our spiritual eyesight? We should be, for to lose God's law from our hearts is much more permanent than this physical body. The wise father says to his son, “Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye” (Proverbs 7:2). Are we so careful with our beliefs? Do we allow any idle wind of doctrine that comes along to injure the beliefs we hold dear? We must treat God's law as the "most precious and most securely guarded part" of our lives! God has called you personally—given you the pearl of great price and placed His great truth in sacred trust in your heart and mind. You are the “apple of His eye” and His word must be the “apple of our eye”.