Psalm 17:8-15
Guard me as the apple of the eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings, from the wicked who despoil me, my deadly enemies who surround me. They close their hearts to pity; with their mouths they speak arrogantly. They track me down; now they surround me; … Rise up, O Lord, confront them, overthrow them! By your sword deliver my life from the wicked, from mortals … whose portion in life is in this world. … [15] As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness.

"Apple of the eye" is an old English idiom referring to the pupil of the eye. Did you ever wonder how our word for a student child (pupil) and the black opening in our eyeball (pupil) ended up being the same? Here's a clue: the Latin word pupilla means little doll.

Here is another clue. The idiom appears four other times in the Bible, twice as a translation of a Hebrew word which is pronounced ee-shone meaning little man or reflection of the eye and twice as the one pronounced bawth meaning daughter (Solomon's mother's name Bathsheba means the daughter of Sheba).

Sometime, walk up to someone and look them straight in the eye. Look right at their pupils. Keep getting closer and closer … and closer until you can see your own reflection in their eyes. I'll warn you ahead of time, you need to almost touch noses before that happens. It is when you are THAT close, that you become the apple, the pupil, the little doll of their eyes.

So when I pray this Psalm; when I ask Jesus to guard someone, to protect someone I care about from evil, or protect me from temptation, I want Him to come so close that I can see a tiny image of myself, like a little doll or marionette, in His eye. When I picture myself as the "apple" of Jesus' eye I am overwhelmed by the image. It is hard to imagine Him holding me that close. It is difficult to accept Him holding me that dearly and loving me that much. What a comfort to feel Him that close when I am in need of protection. What a comfort to know that He will hold you that close when we pray for your protection at work.

As for me, Lord, I will be satisfied in wakening each day beholding Your likeness. As I slide out of my slumber each morning, I will hold You close, carry You with me through my morning routine, and will fill my heart with prayer. Praying in the shower, praying through breakfast, praying in the car on the way to work, holding You so close and so dearly that I can see the ee-shone in the pupils of Your eyes. Knowing that you are holding me so close that I am the apple—the little doll—of your eye. What a way to start the day!!

…Just one of the pupils of Jesus.