Today's Verse: Psalm 34:9

Sunday, October 9, 2005

Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.
— Psalm 34:9

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

"Fear of the Lord" is one of the great themes of the Old Testament. The phrase is particularly hard to translate, especially in light of the repeated message of the Bible to "fear not" and John's reminder that "perfect love casts out all fear." It means more than "hold God in reverence." Generally, "fear of the Lord" means that we remember our place in the order of things. We know we are deeply loved by our holy Father in heaven. We recognize that we are weak and sinful in comparison and are saved by God's mercy and grace. We acknowledge that his majesty and holiness are far beyond us and that we pale in significance before God. We come to God acknowledging our need for him and our unworthiness to demand anything from him. The incredible reality is that when we approach God with this sense of awe and profound respect, he in turn welcomes us with open arms and brings us close. (See Isaiah 57:15)

My Prayer...

Holy and Righteous Father, God Almighty, thank you for your mercy, grace, and forgiveness. Thank you for your love, faithfulness, and justice. I come to you on my knees, recognizing that you are holy, majestic, awesome in power, and righteous in all that you do. Without your grace and the gift of your Spirit, I know I could not come into your presence with such boldness. Righteous Father, forgive me for my sins and empower me to be a person of integrity and grace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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2 Related Resources by Heartlight

Fear the Lord
Illustration of Psalm 34:9
Inspirational illustration of Psalm 34:9 -- Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.
Fearing God
Article by Tim Archer
Should I be afraid of God? There's a difference between fearing God and being afraid of God. One has to do with reverence; the other is a lack of love.

Illustration

Illustration of Psalm 34:9 — Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Sunday, October 9, 2005

Spiritual Warfare
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Praying with Paul
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'Heirs of Abraham' (Ga. 3:1-14)
"Dear Father, Thank you for giving us your Spirit, not through works of law but through faith in our hearts. Even Abraham was saved by faith, for he....."
Morning & Evening
The classic twice-daily devotional from Charles H. Spurgeon.
Evening Thought: Jeremiah 32:17
"At the very time when the Chaldeans surrounded Jerusalem, and when the sword, famine and pestilence had desolated the land, Jeremiah was commanded by...."
Passion for Praise
A daily passage of Scripture emphasizing praise to our God.
'Why Tremble?' (Ps. 27:1)
"The Lord is my light and my salvation — so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?"

About This Devotional

Today's Verse is a free daily devotional that includes a Bible verse, thought and prayer.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.

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