Today's Verse: Psalm 34:9

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

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.

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

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 Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Passion for Praise
A daily passage of Scripture emphasizing praise to our God.
'You Thrill Me!' (Ps. 92:4-5)
"You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done. O Lord, what great works you do! And how deep are..."
Praying with Paul
Features the apostle Paul's writings turned into daily, powerful prayers.
'Taking Hold of Eternal Life' (1 Ti. 6:12-15)
"Dear Father, Lord of all lords, Enable me to take hold of the eternal life to which I was called when I made the good confession before many..."
Spiritual Warfare
A daily devotional about God's power for our battles.
'Testing the Purity of Our Hearts' (De. 13:1-3)
"Suppose there are prophets among you or those who dream dreams about the future, and they promise you signs or miracles, and the predicted signs or..."
Unstoppable!
A one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts.
'Strengthening Existing Churches' (Acts 16:1-5)
"Paul went first to Derbe and then to Lystra, where there was a young disciple named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a....."

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.

More Today's Verse