It was after David had sinned so grievously against the Lord that he wrote this psalm. It records how David had tried to cover up his sin, but then confessed it to the Lord and was forgiven. God then gave this serious message that He would instruct and teach David in the way he should go. David had been depending on his own intellect and his own desires, and everything he had depended on had failed him. Now he was to depend on the Lord, who would counsel him with His eye upon him.

The eye is indeed amazing! It reminds us of the Holy Spirit of God, who discerns fully every need that we have and is able to guide us in the ways of the Lord. One who has served his master for a long time has learned how to observe the look in his master’s eye, and, by observing, he understands his master’s desire. Just so, we who know the Lord Jesus as our Savior should become accustomed to looking into the eyes of our Master to recognize what is His will in any given circumstance. This will involve our acquaintance with the Word of God, along with a heartfelt desire to do His will: “With my whole heart I have sought You; oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!” (Ps. 119:10).

Our verse today ends with some lessons from the horse and the mule. The horse is a strong, virile animal, always straining to go forward; the mule is noted for its stubbornness, always holding back. Rushing ahead of the Lord’s leading or lagging behind His leading are both wrong for a believer. He is to be calmly and simply subject to his Lord: “Behold the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy … Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield” (Ps. 33:18, 20).