What does it mean that the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him (Psalm 33:18)?

Though no deliverance is found in verses16 and 17, how blessed is the change in these following verses. Why? Because "the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him" (v. 18). This is the type of fear that drives them into His presence, and His eye of perfect discernment both inspires and approves them. For their hope is not in His justice, but in His mercy. It was this that Jacob depended on when he prayed, "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant" (Gen. 32:10). Can God possibly ignore such a prayer? No: He delights in the confessed weakness and failure of a believing heart and His mercy is fully extended to them.

It is He alone who delivers their soul from death and keeps them alive when they have no apparent means of sustenance (v. 19). Thus, He is both our Savior and our Preserver. Therefore, when one realizes his own abject weakness and depends rather on the strength of God, he may rightly use the language of the apostle Paul, "when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Cor. 12:10).

(vv. 18-19) In the meantime the eyes of the Lord are upon those that fear Him, and that hope in His mercy. He will deliver such from death, and preserve them through times of need.

From this safe harbor the world of living men is now reviewed. Jehovah Himself regards them: He not only beholds, He scrutinizes narrowly; and He is the One who fashioned them, who has perfect knowledge of all they do. But the result is only that man's nothingness is once snore realized. Not the host that encircles a king can save him, nor the strength of a hero. Nor, even to escape, can the strength of a horse suffice to deliver him. But this is only the necessary prelude to another witness to God Himself.

"Lo, Jehovah's eye is toward them that fear Him, — toward those that hope in His mercy, to rescue their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine." And they who speak have realized this: "our soul hath looked for Jehovah: our help and shield is He." The experience is briefly but sufficiently told, that has established the truth of this: "for our heart is glad in Him; because we have trusted in His holy Name." The faithfulness of the divine government is finally invoked: "Let thy mercy, Jehovah, be upon us, according as we hope in Thee."

"The eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy; to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine" (Ps. 33:18-19). God by His providential care shields off dangers from His people, and sets a lifeguard of angels about them (Ps. 34:7). God's providence keeps the very bones of the saints (Ps. 34:20). It bottles their tears (Ps. 56:8). It strengthens the saints in their weakness (Heb. 11:34). It supplies all their wants out of its alms-basket (Ps. 23:5). "Verily thou shalt be fed" (Ps. 37:3). If God will give His people a kingdom when they die, He will not deny them daily bread while they live.

Whenever God publicly chastises His people, even those that are apart from the sins that have occasioned the discipline share its governmental consequences. Elijah is thus subject to the deprivations which followed upon the drought as well as Ahab. There is however an immense difference. God was against Ahab, and He therefore would cause the king to feel the unmitigated effects of the judicial rod; on the other hand God was for Elijah, and He would consequently sustain His servant, and meet his needs by the ministrations of His favour outside of His own governmental order. This principle is stated in one of the Psalms, "Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy; to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine." (Psalm 33:18-19.) And this principle is notably exemplified in the case of Elijah - as seen in the following incidents in our chapter.

Ps. 33 celebrates the righteousness of God expressed in all His acts — "The Word of the Lord is right; and all His works are done in truth. He loves righteousness and judgment." The Psalmist then proceeds to speak of how right and firm are all His works in creation: while on the other hand the counsel of the heathen and the devices of the people are all brought to nothing. But if from the place of His habitation on high He looks down on the sons of men and chastens them thus, it is also true that "the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, … to deliver." His holy government acts in. both directions, not only against the ungodly but also for His people.

This boundless range of a vision, so penetrative and clear-sighted that no object can possibly be hidden from it, had been pointedly referred to by earlier inspired writers, and ascribed to Him "that sitteth in the heavens." To give an instance we quote from Psalm 33 (R.V.): "The LORD looketh from heaven; He beholdeth all the sons of men; From the place of His habitation He looketh forth Upon all the inhabitants of the earth; He that fashioneth the hearts of them all; That considereth all their works Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear Him, Upon them that hope in His mercy; To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine."

“They are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.” This is true still. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the earth not solely, however, in the observance of all things, which must be constantly true of Omniscience. Scripture teaches more than this. The Eyes not merely scrutinize in general, but take particular concern of what happens, not only to those who are His, but to men throughout the whole earth.

The statement is definite and without qualification, "I will instruct thee and teach thee … I will counsel thee, mine eye shall be upon thee" (margin). In the next psalm also we read of the eye of the Lord being upon those that fear Him, but that is for their deliverance. Here it is for their guidance. So as far as God's care and kindly action are concerned, we may take His guidance for granted. We may safely count upon it.

The heart being thus assured that the counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the Spirit of God passes on in verse 12 to the happiness of those whose God is this Jehovah - of being the people whom He has chosen. He had purposes about them. They were to be His inheritance for the earth (even as the Church learns what is the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints who are associated with Him who is in the heavens, and in whom everything is to be headed up both in heaven and on earth). He took notice of all that was going on among men as He looked down from heaven; He saw the place of their confidence; but His eye was resting upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy. Not only do they know Him, but He knows them. (Comp. John 10:14; Gal. 4:9.) They are the objects of His care, and learn, while He allows men for a time to use His creation according to their own counsels, to wait for the Lord as well as to trust in Him - their help and shield. Thus while the heart rejoices in Him, trusting in His holy name, the patience of hope is produced in the soul. The "times" are running on, and they form the epoch between the declaration of the counsels of the Lord and their fulfilment, during which the counsels of men are sought to be established. These the Lord will eventually frustrate and bring to nought, so that the thoughts of His heart may stand to all generations. During these times faith is tried, a trial much more precious than of gold that perisheth, and the soul is exercised and chastened, and taught to wait for the Lord. How blessed to know there is One who passed through them perfectly, who could say, as come to do the will of God, "In waiting I waited for the Lord!" (Ps. 40:1.) In perfect patience He waited until from the depth of sorrows He was heard, and brought up out of them with a new song in His mouth, even praise unto our God.