According to the Psalmists, the Supreme Being observes his creation from the supernal throne in the celestial Temple, gazing with approval on those who are aware of His presence and who follow the moral law. Here, the divine gaze is celebrated as profoundly concerned with justice. The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, His eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.īehold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’s throne is in heaven: The symbol recurs numerous times in these beautiful ancient hymns: The majority of the songs in this book were written between 800 and 600 BC, and were used in the ceremonies held at the Temple of Solomon. There, we find several references to the all-seeing eye of the Supreme Being, especially in the books classified as “wisdom literature.” Some of the earliest are from the Book of Psalms. One of the most extensive sources of our symbolism is the Great Light in Masonry. Learning more about those roots can help us to better comprehend what our ancient brethren understood when they contemplated this beautiful emblem. But its history as a symbol reveals ancient roots that antedate its inclusion in our Craft by millennia. It is a symbol recognized by Freemasons everywhere as a beautiful representation of the watchful care of the Supreme Architect. This year, our holiday ornament is The Eye of Providence (see page 16 for more information). The Eye of Providence: A Journey into Masonic SymbolismĮach year, the Memorial Association creates a commemorative holiday ornament featuring a theme from Freemasonry, George Washington, or the Memorial building itself.
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