In this paper we analyze a preconditioning technique for the solution of Chebyshev spectral collocation equations with Dirichlet boundary conditions. We obtain bounds on the eigenvalues for the Helmholtz equation. These eigenvalue bounds are obtained as a consequence of estimates on the field of values ${{(\tilde A_{N^2 } U,U)_{I_2 } } / {(\tilde Q_{N^2 } U,U)_{I_2 } }}$, where $\tilde A_{N^2 } $ is the weighted collocation matrix and $\tilde A_{N^2 } $ is the preconditioner. The preconditioner $\tilde Q_{N^2 } $ is robust in the sense that it provides bounds on the $H_{0,w}^1 $ condition number of $\tilde Q_{N^2 }^{ - 1} \tilde L_{N^2 } $ when $\tilde L_{N^2 } $ is the weighted collocation matrix associated with the general elliptic operator $Lu: = - \Delta u + a_1 u_x + a_2 u_y + a_0 u$.