O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. [10] The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.

Psalm 34:9-10

What does the phrase “fear the Lord” mean? Are we expected to cower with fright in God’s presence or live in continual terror and dread?

Fear in this sense is the appropriate response of rebellious unbelievers who flaunt God’s decrees. Having rejected Almighty God as a merciful Savior, they now face the grim prospect of meeting him only in his role as the holy Judge of the universe. One the other hand, for the beloved children of God—those whose sins have been forgiven by Christ—”fear the Lord” has a different connotation. The idea for believers is that of awe or stunned admiration in the presence of a great and good Creator. The implication is submissive reverence before a loving Lord, to worship God above all other things. It involves, in the words of the passage, the commitment to “seek” him.

Notice that the promise to those who fear the Lord is that all their needs will be met. Or, as God puts it in another place, “Those who honor me I will honor” (1 Samuel 2:30).

GOD’S PROMISE TO ME:

• I meet the needs of those who honor me.

• I make sure my followers have good things.

MY PRAYER TO GOD:

You meet the needs of those who treat you with reverence, Lord. Forgive me for the times I fail to honor you. You are the majestic king of the universe—high and lifted up. As I trust in you, you fill my life with good things. Amen.