Apple of your eye

My daily reading yesterday included the following verse from the Psalms. 

Keep me as the apple of your eye, 

    hide me under the shadow of your wings.

Psalm 17:8 (NIVUK)

I've blogged before about the imagery of the apple, as this has come up in my readings over the years. The words leapt off the page at me - it still means something.

The reference to the apple of the eye refers to the pupil at its centre. The Hebrew phrase i'son bat ā'yin literally means "the blackness of the eye." This is the most closely protected part of the body. I've always linked this with a target motif, as if I'm associating it with the legend of William Tell in my mind. 

The following phrase has David using the imagery of God's care to a mother bird protecting her young. Chicks find shelter and safety under their mother's wings from sun, rain, or the eyes of predators. 

Plenty to unpack here over the next few days.