He guides me with His eye

Recently I pondered as I listened to the words of the song, "Consider the Lilies," particularly the chorus of the song:

"He clothes the lilies of the field.
He feeds the birds in the sky.
And he will feed those who trust him,
And guide them with His eye."

I thought to myself. How powerful an image that is. What does it mean to be guided by the eye of the Lord?

Have you looked someone in the eye and watched as they turned their gaze away to something else? It is pretty evident to you where they now look, or where their eyes lead you. Often you are naturally drawn to look towards the same location to see what is so important.

First we must look into His eyes - be acquainted with Him and look "with an eye single to the glory of God" (e.g. D&C 4:5). Also the term "see eye to eye" brings up an important image as well.

I then wondered, where else do we find this phrase, that "He guides us with his eye ?"

I found two other places, besides the words of "Lilies of the Field." The first is in the second verse of our hymn, "I Know that My Redeemer Lives:" "He lives to guide me with His eye."

Then I found it in the scriptures, only one place (King James Version):

Psalms 32:8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

The Psalms are so comforting. This expression is so endearing and brings us into an intimate acquaintance with our Lord. It just leaves me wondering. How can I best follow the eye of the Lord. It is something I will ponder for a long time.

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A curious point I also discovered. The German scriptures and hymn book do not render the phrase  in such a wonderful way. In the hymn, "Ich weiß, daß mein Erlöer lebt," (#85), the phrase is completely missing. In the "unity translation" bible, the scripture says (literally): "over thee watches my eye." Martin Luther, however gave a good rendition of it: "I will lead thee with my eye." We use the Einheitsübersetzung version of the Bible in our meetings here, published by the Catholics and Lutherans together. As a missionary 42 years ago, we used the Martin Luther bible. I have my old one with me still.

Here are some additional scriptures (English) I found that seem to be related:

D&C 4:5 And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work.

Luke 11:34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.

Isaiah 52:8 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion.

3_Nephi 20:32 Then shall their watchmen lift up their voice, and with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye.

D&C 84:98 Until all shall know me, who remain, even from the least unto the greatest, and shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, and shall see eye to eye, and shall lift up their voice, and with the voice together sing this new song, saying:

Helaman 13:29 O ye wicked and ye perverse generation; ye hardened and ye stiffnecked people, how long will ye suppose that the Lord will suffer you?  Yea, how long will ye suffer yourselves to be led by foolish and blind guides?  Yea, how long will ye choose darkness rather than light?

Matthew 23:16 Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!