What Does the Bible Mean by 'Fear of the Lord' — In Biblical Context
The fear of the Lord is not terror but reverent awe — a deep respect for God's holiness, power, and authority that is the foundation of true wisdom.
The fear of the Lord is not terror but reverent awe — a deep respect for God's holiness, power, and authority that is the foundation of true wisdom.
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." — Proverbs 9:10 (KJV)
The Biblical Context
The 'fear of the Lord' appears over 300 times in Scripture and is foundational to biblical spirituality. Proverbs 9:10 declares, 'The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.' This fear is not the cringing terror of a slave but the reverent awe of a child who knows their father is both loving and powerful. It combines worship, respect, submission, and wonder. Moses told Israel, 'fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart' (Deuteronomy 10:12) — notice that fear and love are linked, not opposed. The fear of the Lord produces practical benefits: it is 'the beginning of knowledge' (Proverbs 1:7), it leads people away from evil (Proverbs 16:6), it 'prolongeth days' (Proverbs 10:27), and provides 'strong confidence' and 'a fountain of life' (Proverbs 14:26-27). When Isaiah saw God's holiness (Isaiah 6), he was undone yet drawn in. That is the essence of the fear of the Lord — overwhelmed by God's majesty yet invited into His love.
Where It Sits in Scripture
The core passage for this question, Proverbs 9:10, sits inside Proverbs 9. To grasp the full meaning, read the surrounding paragraph — the verses before set up the thought, the verses after carry it forward.
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding."
Supporting Passages
"And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul."
"The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death."
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