The Fear of the Lord
In Psalm 34 King David gives us the most beautiful instruction as to the secret of a happy, progressive and blessed life. He says, “Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord” (vs. 11). David also wrote, “The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever” (Psa. 19:99The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. (Psalm 19:9)). I think that gives you the keynote of the scripture, as regards the fear of the Lord. Without this, you cannot progress in practical holiness or sanctification. I believe David teaches us the true secret of it. Such a condition does not keep us back from the Lord; rather, it is the path of progress. Another writer — Solomon — says, “Happy is the man that feareth alway” (Prov. 28:1414Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief. (Proverbs 28:14)). It is not the fear of judgment and wrath, but it is that holy and blessed fear in the soul, which the Spirit of God always begets, a fear lest we fail so to walk in everything as to please Him.
The Poetical Books
The Book of Proverbs speaks frequently of “the fear of the Lord.” In the Proverbs God gives us the furnishing of good understanding. Reading a chapter of Proverbs every day of your life will help preserve you from much sorrow and trouble in your pathway. I want to point out the way, in the structure of the Bible, in which it is connected. The following two books, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon, have something to say to the heart. You have the conscience in the Psalms, the understanding in Proverbs, and, in the next two books, the heart. They complement each other. In Ecclesiastes Solomon talks of the heart, only to confess that it is empty, and in the Song of Solomon it is more than full. In the one the heart is too big for the object — the world, all under the sun — and in the other, the object — Christ — is too big for the heart. One book is heartache, and the other is heart’s ease. The secret of divine peace and joy is found in the Song of Solomon. It is occupation with the love and the Person of Christ.
The Book of Proverbs
But now for the Proverbs. You find seven times in this book what the fear of the Lord is stated to be. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Prov. 1:77The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7)). The fear of the Lord is the first step to knowledge and progress. Now pass on to the eighth chapter. “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate” (Prov. 8:1313The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. (Proverbs 8:13)). Things which He hates, we should also hate, or His fear is not in us. Next we get, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of the holy is understanding” (Prov. 9:1010The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)). There is a great difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge may puff me up, but wisdom will never puff me up. Knowledge is the apprehension of the truth, but wisdom is the capacity of using the truth. It is the way in which the soul, led of God, can rightly and divinely use what it has been given. Then, “The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened” (Prov. 10:2727The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. (Proverbs 10:27)). It is very similar in its tone to what we find in Psalm 19. Next we read, “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death” (Prov. 14:2727The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death. (Proverbs 14:27)). A sure way of escaping Satan’s snares is of priceless value. Sixth, we read, “The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honor is humility” (Prov. 15:3333The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honor is humility. (Proverbs 15:33)). Those who have wisdom are always willing to learn; it is only fools who need no instruction. And now last, “The fear of the Lord tendeth to life; and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil” (Prov. 19:2323The fear of the Lord tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil. (Proverbs 19:23)). Abiding satisfaction is a sweet fruit of this holy fear. You will find now that this verse chimes in with our psalm most beautifully.
W. T. P. Wolston