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  1 PETER 3:12
  by John Gill
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Summary: The sermon emphasizes God's watchful eye and loving care for
the righteous, and His anger and justice against the wicked.

Topics: "Righteousness", "God's Justice"
Scripture References: Psalm 34:15, Psalm 145:18, Proverbs 15:29, Isaiah 59:1-2, Matthew 5:45, Romans 3:22, 2 Thessalonians 1:6, Hebrews 4:13, 1 Peter 3:12, 1 John 5:14

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DESCRIPTION
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John Gill expounds on 1 Peter 3:12, emphasizing that the Lord's eyes are
always upon the righteous, not just in the sight of men but through the
righteousness of Christ. He reassures believers that God delights in
them and is attentive to their prayers, promising justice and
protection. Conversely, God's face is against those who do evil,
signifying His anger and the dire consequences for the wicked. This
understanding encourages the righteous to trust in God's timing for
justice rather than seeking vengeance themselves.

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CONTENT
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Ver. 12. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous,.... Who are so
not merely in the sight of men, but of God; nor in their own account,
and by their own works, but in the esteem of God, through the imputation
of the righteousness of his Son unto them: and because he loves this
righteousness, and is well pleased with it, seeing by it his law is
magnified and made honourable, therefore his countenance beholds with
pleasure and delight those righteous ones who are clothed with it; his
eyes of omniscience, love, care, and protection, are always upon them,
watching over them, delighting in them, running to and fro in the earth
on behalf of them; he sees every injury done them, and in his own time
and way will do them justice; which is a reason why they should not take
vengeance themselves, but leave it with him, whose it is:

and his ears are open to their prayers; or "prayer"; in the Hebrew text,
"to their cry"; he is a God hearing prayer, and his righteous ones have
his ear; he hears them while they are speaking, and will sooner or later
answer, and avenge his elect, who cry unto him day and night; for as he
has an ear to hear their cries, which is not heavy, he has an arm to
save them, which is not shortened; and this is another reason why they
should behave as before directed, and which is still strengthened by
what follows;

but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil; it is added in
the psalm, "to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth": by "the
face of the Lord" is meant, as the Jewish writers {y} interpret it, the
anger of the Lord; it intends, not his kind, pleasant, and loving
countenance, but his angry one with the former he beholds the upright,
and with it he looks upon his righteous ones; but the latter is upon and
against the wicked, and is dreadful and intolerable, and the consequence
of it is everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from
the glory of his power.

{y} Jarchi & Menachem apud ib. & Aben Ezra in loc.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/john-gill/1-peter-312/
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