# 362 A journey through the Psalms. Psalm 128.   Fear. Is it OK?

Our Psalm for today begins with some familiar and yet sometimes misunderstood words:

                                                    Blessed are all who fear the Lord… (Psalm 128:1)

 According to a Northwestern Medicine website in an article entitled “5 things you never knew about fear”, it says, “Fear is a natural and biological condition that we all experience… It’s important that we experience fear because it keeps us safe… Fear is our survival response… Fear is a complex human emotion that can be positive and healthy, but it can also have negative consequences [speaking of when fear develops into a phobia].”  

https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/emotional-health/5-things-you-never-knew-about-fear

The word ‘fear” is used around 330 times in the Bible and about 300 of those are in reference to God. The most well-known verses are found in wisdom literature, such as:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. (Proverbs 1:7)

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise. (Psalm 111:10)

Despite the use of the word “fear” so many times in the Bible, 21^st Century Christianity rarely uses the word when it comes to referring to a person having a right and healthy relationship with God. The word is often replaced with “stand in awe” or “respect” or “reverence,” which I guess are not wrong, but maybe we could be guilty of downplaying the meaning with these substitutes.

Consider what the psalmist says concerning this in Psalm 34:

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
    and he delivers them.

⁸ Taste and see that the Lord is good;
    blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
⁹ Fear the Lord, you his holy people,
    for those who fear him lack nothing.
¹⁰ The lions may grow weak and hungry,
    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
¹¹ Come, my children, listen to me;
    I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
¹² Whoever of you loves life
    and desires to see many good days,
¹³ keep your tongue from evil
    and your lips from telling lies.
¹⁴ Turn from evil and do good;
    seek peace and pursue it.   (Psalm 34:7-14)

 The NIV Study Bible comments on these verses:

“Because the Lord is good (v. 8), those who trust in Him will lack nothing good (v. 10); but in order to experience good days (v. 12), they must shun evil and do good (V. 14). To trust and obey – that is ‘the fear of the Lord’”.

So, it seems that to “fear the Lord” is healthy and right with some great benefits as well.

 Speaking about why we need to “fear the Lord,” William D. Eisenhower puts it this way in his article ‘Fearing God” in Christianity Today:

“As I walk with the Lord, I discover that God poses an ominous threat to my ego, but not to me. He rescues me from my delusions, so he may reveal the truth that sets me free. He casts me down, only to lift me up again. He sits in judgment of my sin, but forgives me nevertheless. Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but love from the Lord is its completion.”                                                              https://www.christianitytoday.com/biblestudies/bible-answers/spirituallife/what-does-it-mean-to-fear-god.html

When he was sending out his disciples to proclaim the Kingdom of God, Jesus said to them:

“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28 NLT)

And Paul, after quoting some OT promises, says:

Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God. (2 Corinthians 7:1 NLT)

I realize that at times in life I will either do something positive or on the other hand try and avoid something negative, but more often than not, it is because of a “fear” of man (i.e., wanting to please them or not wanting to hurt or offend them). It is on those occasions that I realize a more appropriate and healthier reason is to do it or avoid it due to my “fear” of God (i.e., wanting to please Him or not wanting to grieve Him).

Father, I read recently of Cornelius, who was referred to as “a God-fearing man” (Acts 10:22). Continue to work in my life that I too may truly be like Cornelius. Amen.

Next time, we will consider the positive benefits mentioned by the psalmist in Psalm 128 for those who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him. (v. 1)