This eye of the Lord, as it denotes favour, is peculiar to the righteous. We have that expressly, (Psal. 32.8.) I will instruct thee, and teach thee, (how?) I will guide thee with mine eye. We put in the Margin, I will counsel thee, that is, thee a Godly man, a David, spoken of (v. 6, 7.) mine eye shall give thee counsel. Men can give direction by the eye, and they that are acquainted with them, understand what they mean when they look this way or that way, thus or so. Solomon saith, A naughty person winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers, (Pro. 6.12, 13.) that is, all the postures and gestures of his body, show what he is, stark naught, and silently teach others to be naught. The holy God also teacheth by his feet and fingers, his goings and doings, his works and ways teach us the work which we should do, and the way wherein we should go; he hath a providential ⟨p. 204⟩eye; the looks of providence give counsel to those who know how to look upon them, and interpret them. The Lord hath a providential eye upon the righteous, not only to foresee their dangers, but to direct their course; he showeth them their way, and their work by this eye; he tells them what pleaseth him, and what displeaseth him, by this eye; this eye the Lord doth not withdraw from the righteous; He will guide the feet of his Saints, (1 Sam. 2.9.) 'Tis possible for a righteous man sometime to be without counsel, he may neither know what counsel to give himself, nor what to take from others; as Jehoshaphat said in his strait (2 Chron. 20.12.) He knoweth not what to do; yet (as Jehoshaphat said then) his eyes are towards the Lord, and the Lords eyes are towards him. When he is thus counselless, there is a counselling, a directing eye of God upon him; though he at that present know not his way, yea, be out of his way, yet he is not out of Gods eye, and that will in due time show him his way, or bring him into his way again: though God suffer him to go out of the way, yet the eye of God is upon him, even when he is out of his way, and that eye will reduce and bring him back to his right way. There is a directing, a counselling eye of God.
This eye of the Lord, as it denotes favour, is peculiar to the righteous. We have that expresly, (Psal. 32.8.) I will instruct thee, and teach thee, (how?) I will guide thee with mine eye. We put in the Margen, I will counsel thee, that is, thee a Godly man, a David, spoken of (v. 6, 7.) mine eye shall give thee counsel. Men can give direction by the eye, and they that are acquainted with them, understand what they mean when they look this way or that way, thus or so. Solomon saith, A naughty person winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers, (Pro. 6.12, 13.) that is, all the postures and gestures of his body, shew what he is, stark naught, and silently teach others to be naught. The holy God also teacheth by his feet and fingers, his goings and doings, his workes and wayes teach us the work which we should do, and the way wherein we should go; he hath a providential ⟨p. 204⟩eye; the looks of providence give counsel to those who know how to look upon them, and interpret them. The Lord hath a providential eye upon the righteous, not only to foresee their dangers, but to direct their course; he sheweth them their way, and their work by this eye; he tells them what pleaseth him, and what displeaseth him, by this eye; this eye the Lord doth not withdraw from the righteous; He will guide the feet of his Saints, (1 Sam. 2.9.) 'Tis possible for a righteous man sometime to be without counsel, he may neither know what counsel to give himself, nor what to take from others; as Jehoshaphat said in his streight (2 Chron. 20.12.) He knoweth not what to do; yet (as Jehoshaphat said then) his eyes are towards the Lord, and the Lords eyes are towards him. When he is thus counselless, there is a counselling, a directing eye of God upon him; though he at that present know not his way, yea, be out of his way, yet he is not out of Gods eye, and that will in due time shew him his way, or bring him into his way again: though God suffer him to go out of the way, yet the eye of God is upon him, even when he is out of his way, and that eye will reduce and bring him back to his right way. There is a directing, a counselling eye of God.
