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The Fear Of The Lord
Contributed by Thomas Andrufski on Sep 19, 2025 (message contributor)
Summary: The fear of the Lord is not dread—it is reverence. It shapes our desires, disciplines our words, directs our duties, secures our deliverance, and determines our destiny.
The Fear of the LORD
Text: Psalm 34:11 – “Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.”
Introduction
David, in Psalm 34, gives us an invitation: “Come, ye children, hearken unto me.”
This is the language of a father speaking to his family.
It is tender, instructive, and urgent.
He promises to teach us the fear of the Lord
—not mere dread, but a holy reverence that shapes our entire life.
The psalm itself is structured as an acrostic hymn,
each verse beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet, emphasizing completeness.
The beginning shows the testimony of one who fears the Lord (vv. 1–7),
the center teaches what it means to fear Him (vv. 8–15),
and the ending describes the destinies of those who fear Him versus those who reject Him.
The fear of the Lord is not just an attitude,
it is a life commitment—a daily choice to walk in reverence before God.
1. The Desire of the God-Fearing Heart
“What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?” (Ps 34:12).
The fear of the Lord begins with a holy desire.
Everybody wants to live long, but not everybody wants to live long and see good.
There is a difference between just adding years to your life and adding life to your years.
Paul said in Philippians 1:21, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Death is gain, yes—but life is opportunity.
The God-fearing heart longs not for empty days of selfish pleasure,
but for full days of ministry, service, and blessing.
(Biblical Example) Enoch is one of the most beautiful examples in all of Scripture of what it means to desire a life with God.
Genesis 5:24 says, “And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.”
His testimony is not of riches or conquests, but of fellowship with God.
Enoch’s desire was not for long days but for God in his days.
His joy was found in walking with God.
Here lies a great truth:
our joy and happiness are contingent upon desiring God to rule our life.
Psalm 16:11 declares, “In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”
The world seeks happiness in possessions, entertainment, or success,
but true joy comes only from walking with God.
When God rules your life,
His presence brings peace in the storm,
His presence brings contentment in your neediness,
His presence brings direction in confusion.
To fear the Lord is to say, “Lord, I don’t just want days—I want You in my days. Rule me, guide me, walk with me, and let my joy be found in You alone.”
(Historical Example) George Washington Carver prayed,
“Mr. Creator, why did You make the peanut?”
And he devoted his life to helping others.
He uncovered hundreds of uses for peanuts, sweet potatoes, and other crops
—always giving God the glory.
His life was not measured by money but by usefulness.
(Illustration) There is an old story of a wealthy man who spent his whole life chasing pleasure.
He built a mansion, threw grand parties, and filled his days with travel and indulgence.
Yet on his deathbed he was restless, whispering to his doctor,
“I have everything, but I have no peace.”
By contrast, a poor Christian farmer, who had little of this world’s goods,
would rise each morning, read his Bible, pray with his family, and sing as he worked.
When he grew old and weak, his children heard him say with a smile,
“I am ready to go home, for I have walked with God.”
One man had wealth but no joy;
the other had God and possessed everything that mattered.
(Application) what do you desire from life?
Is your heart’s cry simply to live long, or to live well?
A God-fearing man or woman says, “Lord, give me days—not just to breathe, but to bless; not just to exist, but to exalt Your name.
Give me days that are filled with You.”
2. The Discipline of the God-Fearing Life
“Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.” (Psalm 34:13).
The fear of the Lord is displayed in speech that is restrained and holy.
James 3:6 warns, “The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity.”
With a word, you can tear down what took years to build.
With a whisper, you can destroy a reputation.
With a single phrase, you can wound a soul so deeply that it takes years to heal.
The one who fears the Lord must be disciplined in speech.
God is listening to every word.
Jesus said, “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (Matthew 12:37).
