Prelude and Chorale - Psalm 17:4

As with yesterday's upload, a meditation by Rev. Peter Holtvluwer on Psalm 17 was included in material for a day of prayer in the middle of the COVID-19 crisis. In particular, verse 8 was considered: "Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings".

The expression 'apple of your eye' literally means “little man of his eye,” and can refer to the pupil. But there’s more to it: when you stand very close to someone and look intently into his pupils, you can see a tiny
reflection of yourself. You see a “little person” in the eyes of the other. So if someone is the “little person” of your eyes, that someone is very close and very dear, for you only let people you love get that close. And if they mean that much to you, you will do everything to protect them.

David reasoned: as one member of God’s loved congregation, I personally must also be the “apple” of his eye! And so he prays, “Keep me as the apple of your eye.” You can pray this way too for like David you are loved as one of God’s treasured people. In fact, God’s love has only become stronger because of the supreme price he paid to redeem us. In Egypt, a lamb was
sacrificed to keep the people safe from the angel of death. At Golgotha, the Lamb of God was sacrificed to spare them from eternal death.

Because of Christ, you mean everything to your heavenly Father. And he will surely hide you in the shadow of his wings!

This verse is found in stanza 4 of the rhymed version in Book of Praise, Anglo-Genevan Psalter:

LORD, as the apple of your eye
protect me, with your care provide me.
Beneath your wings, O Saviour, hide me:
my deadly foes in ambush lie.
They close their hearts to all compassion
and utter boastful vanity.
They track me down, surrounding me
to make me yield to their oppression.

© 1980/2007, William Helder