The Fear of the Lord is the reverent awe, loving submission, and obedient regard that God’s people are called to have toward Him.
It is the beginning of wisdom, the fountain of life, and the key to knowing God as He truly is.
This fear is not a cringing terror that drives a person away from God, but a holy reverence that draws the heart near in worship, obedience, and trust.
Scripture presents the fear of the Lord as both the foundation of true knowledge and the pathway of blessing for those who walk in it.
From Genesis to Revelation the fear of the Lord stands as a central mark of the people of God. It is the proper response of the creature to the Creator, of the redeemed to the Redeemer. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and of wisdom; fools despise it. It is clean, enduring forever. It turns a person away from evil, prolongs life, and is the fountain of life that turns one aside from the snares of death. Jesus Himself delighted in the fear of the Lord. The early church walked in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. This fear includes the awareness of God’s holiness, power, and justice, yet it is never separated from the knowledge of His mercy and steadfast love. Those who fear the Lord are not driven from Him by dread; they are drawn to Him in reverence, trust, and glad obedience. The fear of the Lord is the atmosphere in which true wisdom, true worship, and true life flourish.
- The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge; without it, understanding is impossible.
- It is a reverent awe that combines humility, love, and obedience rather than slavish terror.
- Scripture links the fear of the Lord with turning from evil, walking in uprightness, and receiving life.
- Jesus Himself is the perfect model of one who delighted in the fear of the Lord.
- The fear of the Lord is compatible with joy, confidence, and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
- It is both a gift that God works in the heart and a duty that God’s people are commanded to pursue.
- The fear of the Lord remains the permanent posture of the redeemed, even in the age to come.
- Beginning of Wisdom – The foundational posture from which all true knowledge and understanding flow.
- Reverent Awe – A profound sense of God’s holiness, majesty, and authority that produces humility.
- Turning from Evil – The fear of the Lord leads a person to hate and forsake sin.
- Fountain of Life – It is the source of true life and the path that turns one from the snares of death.
- Obedient Submission – Those who fear the Lord listen to His Word and walk in His ways.
- Confidence and Security – The fear of the Lord is the believer’s confidence and a stronghold for the children of those who fear Him.
- Enduring Forever – The fear of the Lord is clean and remains forever; it is not a temporary emotion.
- Proverbs 1:7 – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
- Proverbs 9:10 – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”
- Proverbs 8:13 – “The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.”
- Proverbs 14:26-27 – “In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.”
- Proverbs 16:6 – “By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.”
- Proverbs 19:23 – “The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.”
- Psalm 19:9 – “The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.”
- Psalm 25:12-14 – “Who is the man who fears the Lord? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose… The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.”
- Psalm 33:8, 18 – “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!… Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love.”
- Psalm 34:7, 9, 11 – “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them… Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!… Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.”
- Psalm 111:10 – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!”
- Isaiah 11:2-3 – “And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him… and his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear.”
- Isaiah 33:6 – “And he will be the stability of your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is Zion’s treasure.”
- Ecclesiastes 12:13 – “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”
- Job 28:28 – “And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
- Acts 9:31 – “So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.”
- 2 Corinthians 7:1 – “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.”
- Philippians 2:12 – “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
- Hebrews 12:28-29 – “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.”
- Revelation 14:6-7 – “Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim… And he said with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth…’”
- Deuteronomy 10:12 – “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul…”
- Luke 12:4-5 – “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!”
- Beginning of Wisdom
- Knowledge of the Holy One
- Reverence and Awe
- Hatred of Evil
- Fountain of Life
- Holiness
- Obedience
- Worship
- Wisdom Literature
- Delight in the Fear of the Lord
- Confidence in God
- Walking with God
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the fountain of life. It is not a spirit of slavery that leads back into terror, but the reverent awe of those who know the Holy One and gladly submit to Him. Those who fear the Lord hate evil, turn from sin, walk in His ways, and find strong confidence under His care. Jesus Himself delighted in the fear of the Lord. The early church walked in it and multiplied. This fear is clean and endures forever. Therefore learn the fear of the Lord. Teach it to your children. Let it shape your worship, your choices, and your walk. In the fear of the Lord there is safety, wisdom, life, and the friendship of God Himself. Fear God, and keep His commandments — this is the whole duty of man.
Entry compiled for the JESUSaves.com Bible Glossary. Optimized for wiki.js Visual Editor.