Today's Verse: Psalm 34:9

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.

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

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

A daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
""As for me," God says, "this is my covenant with [the Israelites]: My Spirit that I've placed upon you and the words that I've given you to speak, they're not....."
The classic twice-daily devotional from Charles H. Spurgeon.
"Where lies the secret strength of faith? It lies in the food it feeds on; for faith studies what the promise is-an emanation of divine grace, an..."
A daily passage of Scripture emphasizing praise to our God.
"Let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God's presence. Let them be filled with joy."
A devotional to help reclaim Jesus as the daily Lord of our lives.
"Dear Believer, The verses you read today are from Paul's sermon in the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch. As a rabbi trained by the respected Gamaliel..."

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.