Does God See Everything? (Proverbs 15)

A Few Thoughts to Consider

Does it comfort you to realize God sees everything?

For those in right relationship with God, this is a comfort. For those who are not, it is a terror. In Proverbs 15:3, Solomon writes, “The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, observing the wicked and the good.” As Bruce Waltke notes, “The unseen but not unseeing God probes and penetrates insightfully into every situation and distinguishes between good and evil people to regulate history by rewarding the former and punishing the latter, thus guaranteeing the moral order.”^[1]

As Kenneth Aitken writes, “No small act of goodness is too trivial, no peccadillo too commonplace, to catch his eye and earn his blessing or his condemnation.[2] 2 Chronicles 16:9 says, “For the eyes of the Lord roam throughout the earth to show himself strong for those who are wholeheartedly devoted to him.” Again, this can be comforting or distressing.

As Adam Clarke says,

He not only sees all things, by his omnipresence, but his providence is everywhere. And if the consideration that his eye is in every place, have a tendency to appal those whose hearts are not right before him, and who seek for privacy, that they may commit iniquity; yet the other consideration, that his providence is everywhere, has a great tendency to encourage the upright, and all who may be in perilous or distressing circumstances.^[3]

Thankfully, when we are eager to follow God, the reality that he sees all is one of the foundational pillars of peace we can cling to in times of great injustice. Because God sees, we do not need to be seen by others and can stop striving to get others to notice our accomplishments. Trust in God’s divine omnipresence compels us to be good stewards of this world when no one else can see, and it provides peace that God knows the true intentions of our hearts.

A Meditation to PRAY

Praise | Lord, I stand in awe of your presence everywhere. I praise you for your omniscience, for nothing escapes your notice, and you are intimately aware of all that happens in this world, both the hidden and the visible.

Release | I release my desire to hide from you, acknowledging that there are no secrets I can keep, nor should I wish to. Help me live openly and honestly before you, embracing the comfort and accountability your constant presence provides. Forgive me for the times I forget that you are always with me, guiding and watching over me.