Watchfulness, divine

The Lord's alertness to the needs of his people, his constant care for them and his awareness of the power and evil intent of their enemies.

The Lord's watchfulness over his people in danger or trouble

Psalm 121:1–8 See also Exodus 3:16; Deuteronomy 32:9–10; Ezra 5:5; Psalm 1:6, Psalm 11:4–5, Psalm 17:8, Psalm 32:6, Psalm 33:16–18, Psalm 34:7, Psalm 127:1, Psalm 145:20; Zechariah 9:8, Zechariah 12:4; Matthew 10:29–31; John 10:1–9; 2 Timothy 1:12

A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber. Behold, the Protector of Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is the shade on your right hand. The sun will not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will guard you from all evil; He will preserve your soul. The LORD will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore.

The Lord's watchfulness means that his people's needs are met

Psalm 146:9 See also Genesis 28:15, Genesis 48:15; Deuteronomy 2:7, Deuteronomy 11:12; 2 Chronicles 16:9; Job 10:12, Job 29:2; Jeremiah 24:6, Jeremiah 31:28; Daniel 9:18

The LORD protects foreigners; He sustains the fatherless and the widow, but the ways of the wicked He frustrates.

The watchfulness of a shepherd

Psalm 23:1, Psalm 28:9; Isaiah 40:11; Matthew 2:6; John 10:1–9

The Lord's watchfulness means that he hears his people's prayers

Psalm 34:15 See also 1 Kings 8:28–30 parallel 2 Chronicles 6:20; 1 Kings 9:3 parallel 2 Chronicles 7:16; Nehemiah 1:6; 1 Peter 3:12

The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their cry.

The Lord's watchfulness with a view to correction

Jeremiah 7:25–26 See also Jeremiah 7:13, Jeremiah 11:7, Jeremiah 25:4, Jeremiah 32:33; 2 Samuel 22:28; Job 33:11; Jeremiah 16:16–17

From the day your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have sent you all My servants the prophets again and again. Yet they would not listen to Me or incline their ear, but they stiffened their necks and did more evil than their fathers.

The Lord's watchfulness in seeking out those who have gone astray

Ezekiel 34:16 See also Matthew 18:12 parallel Luke 15:4; 1 Peter 2:25

I will seek the lost, bring back the strays, bind up the broken, and strengthen the weak; but the sleek and strong I will destroy. I will shepherd them with justice.’

People are vulnerable without the Lord's watchfulness

Matthew 9:36 See also 1 Kings 22:17 parallel 2 Chronicles 18:16; Isaiah 13:14; Ezekiel 34:11–12

When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.