The Fear Of The Lord In The Book Of Proverbs

The phrase “the fear of the Lord” is used throughout the Book of Proverbs, and is often linked to certain attributes like possessing God’s wisdom. The meaning of this phrase could be inferred through the text, but it cannot be defined accurately according to Peterson (Nation, 2010, p. 400). Nation also mentioned that one is unable to fully grasp the meaning of the term “the fear of the Lord” (2010, p. 400). The meaning of “the fear of the Lord” must not be overlooked. He believed that the fear of the Lord is “plain without reductive, clear without being over-simplified, and accurate without dissolving the mystery inherent . . . with God and His world” (Nation, 2010, p. 400). This statement suggests that the term “the fear of the Lord” has a …show more content…
“Fear of the Lord is not studying about God, but living in reverence” (Nation, 2010, p. 400). According to Snyder, the fear of the Lord requires a genuine humility, and it is the beginning of salvation (Nation, 2010, p. 401). Having this fear of the Lord glorifies God and His creation, and is the “beginning” of “wisdom”. Through this meaning, it could be understood that the fear of the Lord is an inward relationship with Yahweh that will exhibit an outward conduct of life. By fearing God, one will be able to understand how to approach things in life. This fear of the Lord is similar to the fear of the Lord in Deuteronomy. God had given the Israelites the commandments 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, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 10:12-13). Deuteronomy summarized what “fear of the Lord” in Proverbs meant. If Proverb’s fear of the Lord is similar to the definition in Deuteronomy, the commandments given by God are to be obeyed. This means that God will bless those who walk in His …show more content…
It is also having the confidence in the Lord and trusting that He will guide one’s path. A person who fears the Lord will want to be able to discern whether good and evil, but he will want to learn from God himself, and not from others (Barth, 1960, p. 436). This confidence in the Lord will be a living witness to others around. When one fears God, he or she entrusts his or her life fully to God and is not affected by the circumstances and situations one is placed in. Instead of focusing on one’s issues or worry about what others view oneself, a God-fearing person focuses on God and trusts that He will provide. This is how one lives out a wise