“Let all the earth fear The Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him” (Psalm 33:8).
Psalm 33
“T he flock in the care of The Good Shepherd has nothing to fear but the fear of The Shepherd himself. The perspective of some wonderful sources on “The Fear of God” are insightful. Even Wikipedia provides worthy insight! (Imagine that!)
Wikipedia: “There are two kinds of fear: lower fear is the fear of punishment, higher fear is divine awe and glory.”
John Piper: “The fear of God is when He is in your mind and heart so powerful, so awesome, so holy, that you would not dare to run away from Him but only run to Him.”
Luke 1:50 “His mercy is from age to age to those who fear Him.”
Psalm 111:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”
Proverbs 23:17 “Do not let your heart envy sinners, but live in the fear of the Lord always.”
Pope Francis: “The fear of God is a joyful awareness of God’s grandeur.”
Psalm 56:11 “In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.”
Augustine: “The fear of the Lord is the crown of wisdom.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “This is the first commandment, the entire gospel: Fear God, instead of the many things you fear.”
Billy Graham: “To fear God is to have a deep reverence for Him and to stand in awe of His holiness and majesty and power and love.”
Oswald Chambers: “When you fear God, you fear nothing else. When you do not fear God, you fear everything else.”
Charles Spurgeon: “He who fears God has nothing else to fear.” Benjamin Franklin: “Fear God so your enemies will fear you.”
1. Psalm 128:1-4 – “How blessed is everyone who fears The Lord, who walks in His ways. When you shall eat of the fruit of your hands, you will be happy and it will be well with you. Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine, within your house, your children like olive plants around your table. Behold, for thus shall the man be blessed who fears The Lord.”
This amazing passage promises four of the most fulfilling things a man can ever hope for if he spends his life in “The Fear of The Lord.” Describe each one and what it means:
- You shall eat the fruit of your hands.
- You’ll be happy, and it will go well with you.
- Your wife will be a fruitful vineyard. (Godly children/the fruit of The Spirit)
- Your children like olive plants (oil of gladness)
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2. Psalm 33:1-3 – “Sing for jy in the Lord, O you righteous ones; praise is becoming to the upright. Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings. Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a shout of joy.”
Why does “The Fear of The Lord” produce a life of promise and thanksgiving?
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3. Psalm 37:4a, 6, 9 – “Delight yourself in The Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday. For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for The Lord, they will inherit the land.”
How and why does The Word of The Lord fill you with “The Fear of The Lord?”
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4. Psalm 33:10-11 –“The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of The Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation.”
What is God saying to you in this passage?
How does this truth shape the way you approach your goals, dreams, and daily activities?
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5. Psalm 33:16-17, 20-21 – “The king is not saved by a mighty army; a warrior is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a false hope for victory; nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength… Our soul waits for The Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart rejoices in Him, because we trust in His holy name.”
From where do your victories come?
Who is your strength?
Who fights your battles?
What does this say to your personal pride?
Who gets the credit for what you accomplish?
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6. John 10:12-14 – “He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. I am The Good Shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me.”
How does “The fear of The Lord” eradicate the fear of the things of the world, the flesh and the devil?
John 13:15 – “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you”
From today’s scripture, how does THE Shepherd inside you to shepherd your flock?
“For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.” – Psalm 30:5
Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication
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