The Blessings of Fearing The Lord
Psalm 103 has been my favorite Psalm for several years. I’ve read it many times, but recently I discovered something that I hadn’t paid as much attention to before. “For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him...As a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him...But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him.” (Psalm 103:11, 13, 17) There is great mercy given to those who fear the Lord. That sent me on a search for more blessings associated with those who fear Him.
The Bible’s definition of “fear” means “to revere, to respect highly, to be in awe of.” That kind of fear was what Isaiah possessed when he saw his vision of the Lord. “In the year of King Uzziah's death, I (Isaiah) saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said, ‘Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of His glory.’ And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of Him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. Then I said, ‘Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.’ Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. He touched my mouth with it and said, ‘Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.’” (Isaiah 6:1-7, New American Standard Bible) Like Isaiah, we need to have a greater realization of Who God is and how mighty He is!
It takes faith to fear the Lord, because “without faith, it is impossible to please God; for the person who comes to God must believe that He is...” (Hebrews 11:6). “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and understanding.” (See Proverbs 1:7, 9:10.) “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no god.’” (Psalm 14:1) We may have never uttered that statement, but sometimes our wicked actions and words, our hidden sins, can make us look as foolish as the one living with no regard for God. You see, the fear of the Lord also has to do with obedience to Him...obedience inspired by love for Him. “What doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul; to keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which is commanded thee this day for thy good?” (Deuteronomy 10:12-13) Jesus said in John 14:5, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
All of us could confess our sins as Isaiah did before the Lord. When we are sincerely sorry for what we have done wrong, and truly long to do what is right, God takes away our iniquities and purges us of our sins, just as He did for Isaiah (see Isaiah 6:5-7).
Our God is Sovereign. He is all-mighty and all-powerful. He is the Lord of all lords, and the King of all kings. He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. He has authority over everything. He always has been, and He always will be. He is unlimited. He is too great for us to comprehend. Isn’t it remarkable how He loves us so? Let us love Him in return, and show it by obedience and reverence for Him. May we be counted as those who fear the Lord.
I leave you today with a list of promises and blessings that are given to those who fear the Lord...
“In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and his children will have refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may avoid the snares of death.” (Proverbs 14:26-27, NASB)
“The fear of the Lord leads to life, so that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.” (Proverbs 19:23, NASB)
“Who is the person who fears the Lord? God will instruct that person in the way they should choose. That soul will abide in prosperity, and the descendants will inherit the land. The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He will make them know His covenant.” (Psalm 25:12-14)
“How great is God’s goodness which He has stored up for those who fear Him!” (Psalm 31:19)
“The eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him.” (Psalm 33:18)
“Fear the Lord, you his godly people; for those who fear Him will have all they need.” (Psalm 34:9, New Living Translation)
“God’s salvation is near to those who fear Him.” (Psalm 85:9)
“The Lord has given food to those who fear Him; He will remember His covenant forever.” (Psalm 111:5)
“God will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them.” (Psalm 145:19)
“The Lord favors those who fear Him.” (Psalm 147:11)
-Eryn Eubanks (December 2008)