Proverbs 22:12

The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.
– Proverbs 22:12

The phrase, eyes of the Lord, is used in Proverbs to refer to God’s sovereign and complete knowledge of the doings of man (Proverbs 5:21; 15:3). God’s omniscient observation is inescapable. The word for preserve means guard, or watch. The word for knowledge means perception, or understanding. The contrast with the second phrase gives us the sense of truth for knowledge. The open, searching eyes of Yahweh sees the doings of man and preserves the truth, or right record, of events. The first phrase hints to Yahweh as judge and the second phrase makes that clear. The word for transgressor means treacherous, or deceitful. Such falsehood will be overthrown, or destroyed, by the truth. The eyes of Yahweh not only see a man’s actions, but his thoughts and intentions in them as well (Proverbs 15:11; 16:2; 17:3; 21:2).

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