50 Bible Verses about Guarding Your Eyes and Ears

In a world inundated with endless streams of information and imagery, the act of guarding our eyes and ears becomes a crucial discipline for maintaining spiritual health and integrity. The Bible speaks with striking relevance on this topic, offering timeless wisdom for navigating our sensory experiences.

“I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes,” declares the Psalmist in Psalm 101:3, embodying a commitment to protect oneself from harmful influences. This conscious choice to filter what we see and hear is not just about avoidance; it’s about cultivating a life that honors God and nurtures our soul.

The Scriptures emphasize the profound impact that our visual and auditory consumption has on our heart and mind. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns, “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light,” (Matthew 6:22). This metaphor underscores the idea that what we expose ourselves to can illuminate or darken our inner being. It invites us to be selective and intentional about our focus, seeking that which edifies and uplifts.

Similarly, the Bible cautions us about the power of words and sounds, encouraging us to guard our ears from harmful or deceitful messages.

“My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart,” advises Proverbs 4:20-21. This guidance is about more than just avoiding negative input; it’s about actively seeking and retaining truth and wisdom.

Guarding our eyes and ears, according to biblical teachings, is not merely a defensive posture against the world; it is a proactive step towards spiritual growth and discernment. It involves a deliberate choice to focus on things that are pure, lovely, and praiseworthy, as Paul suggests in Philippians 4:8. This discipline helps us develop a deeper sensitivity to God’s voice and guidance, enabling us to better discern His will in our lives.

In this collection of 50 Bible verses about guarding your eyes and ears, we explore the scriptural foundations for this critical aspect of Christian living. May these verses serve as a guide and a reminder of the importance of being vigilant about what we allow into our hearts and minds, shaping our thoughts, attitudes, and actions in alignment with God’s desires for us.

Guarding the Eyes

Psalm 101:3

“I will not look with approval on anything that is vile. I hate what faithless people do; I will have no part in it.

Matthew 6:22-23

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”

Proverbs 4:25

“Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.”

Job 31:1

“I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman.

1 John 2:16

“For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.

Proverbs 17:24

“A discerning person keeps wisdom in view, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.

2 Peter 2:14

“With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood!”

Psalm 119:37

“Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.”

Guarding the Ears

James 1:19

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.

Proverbs 4:20-22

“My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.”

Isaiah 33:15

Those who walk righteously and speak what is right, who reject gain from extortion and keep their hands from accepting bribes, who stop their ears against plots of murder and shut their eyes against contemplating evil— they are the ones who will dwell on the heights.

Romans 10:17

“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”

Proverbs 19:27

“Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.”

Proverbs 13:3

“Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.”

1 Timothy 4:7

“Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.”

Ephesians 4:29

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

Discipline in Sight and Sound

Psalm 119:101

“I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word.

Proverbs 15:31

“Whoever heeds life-giving correction will be at home among the wise.

1 Corinthians 6:12

“‘I have the right to do anything,’ you say—but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’—but I will not be mastered by anything.”

Philippians 4:8

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Colossians 3:2

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

Titus 2:12

“It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.”

1 Corinthians 10:13

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

Galatians 5:16

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

Psalm 26:4-5

“I do not sit with the deceitful, nor do I associate with hypocrites. I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked.”

Proverbs 21:2

“A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart.”

Luke 11:34-36

“Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”

2 Timothy 2:22

Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Psalm 34:13

“Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies.

Proverbs 20:12

“Ears that hear and eyes that see— the Lord has made them both.”

Psalm 123:1-2

“I lift up my eyes to you, to you who sit enthroned in heaven. As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he shows us his mercy.”

Proverbs 15:14

“The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.”

Mark 4:24

“Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more.”

Psalm 19:14

“May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

Romans 12:2

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Ephesians 5:15-16

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”

Matthew 5:8

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”

Psalm 37:30-31

“The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just. The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip.”