John Gill Commentary Psalms 17:8

"Keep me as the apple of the eye; Hide me under the shadow of thy wings," — Psalms 17:8 (ASV)

Keep me as the apple of the eye
Which is weak and tender, and is hurt and put to pain, and made uneasy by every little thing that annoys it, and than which nothing is more dear to a man, or he is more careful of preserving from being hurt; and fitly represents the weak estate and condition of God's people, his affection for them, and tender care of them; who as he has provided tunics for the eye, and guarded it with eyebrows, so he has taken care for the safety of his dear children, (Deuteronomy 32:10) (Zechariah 2:8) ;

hide me under the shadow of your wings ;
alluding either to the wings of the cherubim over the mercy seat, where God granted his presence; so the Targum paraphrases it, "under the shadow of your Shechinah hide me;" or to birds, who cover their young ones with their wings to save them from birds of prey; see (Psalms 91:1Psalms 91:4) (Isaiah 30:5) (Matthew 23:37) . From such passages perhaps the Heathens had their notion of presenting their gods with wings ^F6 .

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FOOTNOTES:

• F6: Vid. Cuperi Apotheos. Homer. p. 169