Warts and All

“Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of Thy wings.”  Psalm 17:8

Psalm 17 is one that King David wrote to ask God to judge him according to the motives of his heart.  He also asked for God to watch over him and protect him from his enemies.  In researching the meaning of the phrase “apple of the eye”, I found several ideas.  In this verse, the word “apple” is either translated from the Hebrew “iyshown” which means the pupil of the eye.  Another translation for “apple” is the Hebrew term “bath” which means daughter.

The first translation indicates a care and protection that one would have for his own eyes, and this is the type of protection from God for which David asks.  The second translation could indicate the care that one would have for his own child.  From “ivshown” we also get the definition “the little man of the eye”, which refers to the reflection that one sees of oneself in the pupil of another’s eye.  I suppose that seeing one’s reflection in God’s eye would bring a certain comfort that God has His eye on those who trust in Him.  The modern meaning applies to one who is cherished above others, one who is precious.  God does cherish His children, and they are very precious to Him, even more so that our children are to us.

And then lastly, one fellow wrote that “the apple of my eye just means that you are the one who pops out, and you are the best looking and stuff; apples look very lush and beautiful; that’s why.”  I like his definition.  I like the fact that even with my wrinkles and gray hair, God considers me beautiful.  The world judges by the outward appearance.  Folks spend a fortune attempting to look better, smell better, and thus attract the attention of those around them.  God looks at the heart.  There is where He sees beauty in an individual who loves Him and strives to live by the standards that He has set forth for His children.  Remember that old saying about beauty being skin deep, but ugly going all the way to the bone?  Well, in God’s economy, the reverse is also true.  We may not have much going for us in the looks department, as the world judges beauty, but the inner beauty of the committed believer goes all the way to the heart.  God loves us, “warts and all”.