Lighten my Eyes

“Lighten my eyes.” “The prayer from Psalm 13 rests upon the profound conviction that Jehovah is the fountain of life, and that only by His continual pouring of fresh vitality into a man can any eyes be kept from death.” comment from “Expositors Dictionary”.

Fresh vitality? From the fountain of life? Meaning?

I’m a realist and fresh vitality means stimulating, invigorating, exciting, gushing, energizing stuff; my best picture stands me under a waterfall of delicious and fresh spring for drinking and bathing, playing and splashing. Does the psalmist have this in mind? Yes, but:

The eyes create the problem, they need brightened. They might die.

Matthew 6:22 tells us, “The light of the body is the eye, if that eye be single, thy whole body is full of light!

Okay? What’s single eye? liberal, generous, and bountiful, simple, clear, not looking two ways. Contrasts the evil eye or “Bad” eye.

John Piper adds in reference to a “Bad” eye: he uses Matthew 20:15?

1. It refers to an eye that cannot see the beauty of grace.
2. It cannot see the brightness of generosity.
3. It cannot see unexpected blessing to others as a precious treasure.
4. It is an eye that is blind to what is truly beautiful and bright and precious and God-like.
5. It is a worldly eye.
6. It sees money and material reward as more to be desired than a beautiful display of free, gracious, God-like “””generosity.

From psychologytoday.com we read;

“As I’m sure you’ve heard, the eyes are said to be “the windows to the soul.”

“So, it is not surprising that the eyes can play a major role in other’s judgement of our attractiveness.”

“Men and women with large eyes are perceived as most attractive …. This is because as we age our eyes get smaller.”

“Since we desire healthy partners, individuals with whiter sclera (whites of the eyes), are rated as more appealing.””because as we age our sclera darken.”

“Because the limbal ring (ring around the iris), fades as we age, men and women with a dark and distinct limbal ring are rated as more attractive.”

“we unconsciously notice others’ enlarged pupils.” “The emotion center of our brain registers this such that we rate men and women with larger pupils as more attractive.”

Eyes judge, attractive or non-attractive? They have built in evaluators.

Let’s pause:

Jesus told a parable of Workers in the vineyard: Some who worked longer than others appear first:

“But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the good man of the house.”  Finally the good man comes back: “Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?

Is thine eye evil, because I am good?” Matt 20: 10-15

These had a “Bad” eye. and so these:

O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth,

before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

Friends, Jesus Christ and him crucified single-eyed Paul to the Corinthians. He determined to know nothing but.

A simple glance at the Christ opens our consciousness to:

1. Love unpretended
2. Love sacrificing for me and others
3. Something offered to me for no cost.
4. Something freely given, though undeserved.
5. My sins blotted out like a thick cloud
6. Something awesomely thrilling- a joining to Him forever
7. an intimate love
8. life without end

Let’s get under that waterfall; wash, dance, laugh and splash to our hearts content. This world passes away, but His Word shall never pass away. love ya