Gaze

Today we begin worship with:

Psalm 11:4, Habakkuk 2:20

The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD’S throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man. 

The LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.

Back in the day, we as kids would challenge each other who could hold their breath the longest and who would keep their eyes open the longest.  The first one to breathe or blink would lose.

These verses describe God as ever with His eyes open.  Job's complaint included:

Job 7:17-19

What is man, that you make so much of him,

    and that you set your heart on him,

visit him every morning

    and test him every moment?

How long will you not look away from me,

    nor leave me alone till I swallow my spit?

Job felt examined so closely that he did not have a moment outside His gaze.

But this Psalm is not a complaint.  

At camp, we know the day at the beach is ending when the lifeguard announces with their bullhorn that they are going off-duty and that if you swim, you swim at your own risk.  

God does not go off-duty, and in this Psalm David was enjoying his protective gaze.

Psalm 11:1,7
In the Lord I take refuge;
how can you say to my soul,
    “Flee like a bird to your mountain,
For the Lord is righteous;
he loves righteous deeds;
    the upright shall behold his face.