What does "fear the LORD" mean in Proverbs 3:7? Canonical Text “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.” (Proverbs 3:7) Context in Proverbs Proverbs pairs antithetical parallelisms: “Do not be wise in your own eyes” contrasts with “fear the LORD.” Human self-confidence breeds moral autonomy; fear of Yahweh restores dependency on divine wisdom (cf. Proverbs 1:7; 9:10). Turning from evil is the practical fruit; fear is the root. Reverent Awe, Not Paralyzing Terror Exodus 20:20 draws the line: “Do not be afraid, for God has come to test you, so that the fear of Him may be before you to keep you from sinning.” The same Hebrew words stand side-by-side. Yahweh drives out slavish panic yet instills lasting awe that guards behavior. Covenantal Dimension Deuteronomy 10:12-13 links love and fear: “What does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God... and to love Him?” Fear is covenant loyalty: acknowledging His character (holy, just, gracious) and aligning one’s life accordingly. The prophets echo this (Isaiah 8:13), and Ecclesiastes seals it: “Fear God and keep His commandments — for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Theological Grounding in Creation Romans 1:20 says God’s “eternal power and divine nature are clearly seen” in creation. Observing specified, information-rich biological systems (e.g., the bacterial flagellum’s irreducible complexity) demonstrates genius beyond chance, driving rational observers toward awe. Psalm 33:6-9 unites creation and fear: “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made... Let all the earth fear the LORD.” Link to the Resurrection of Christ When the women met the risen Jesus, they departed “with fear and great joy” (Matthew 28:8). Fear here is overwhelmed awe at God’s decisive victory over death. Acts 9:31 records early believers “walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.” The resurrection re-anchors Proverbs 3:7 in new-covenant reality: awe before the crucified-and-risen King produces repentance (“turn away from evil”) and transformed living. Practical Expressions of Fearing Yahweh 1. Intellectual humility — subjecting every opinion to Scripture (Isaiah 66:2). 2. Moral vigilance — swift repentance when sin surfaces (Psalm 130:3-4). 3. Worship and prayer saturated with adoration (Psalm 5:7). 4. Stewardship of creation, realizing it is sacred trust (Genesis 2:15). 5. Evangelistic courage: “knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others” (2 Corinthians 5:11). Contrasts: Wise in One’s Own Eyes Self-made wisdom manifests in relativism and pride (Isaiah 5:21). Archaeological strata of Nineveh and Babylon display sudden collapse after periods of hubris, illustrating Proverbs’ warning. Conversely, cultures shaped by reverence for biblical revelation (e.g., the educational ethos of early universities with mottos like “Veritas Christo et Ecclesiae”) exhibit moral and scientific flourishing. Blessings Promised to the God-Fearing Proverbs 14:27 — “fear of the LORD is a fountain of life.” Psalm 25:14 — “The counsel of the LORD is for those who fear Him.” Malachi 4:2 — “The sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings for you who fear My name.” These promises appeared on ostraca from Qumran cave 4, showing Second-Temple believers clung to the same hope. Summary Definition To “fear the LORD” in Proverbs 3:7 is to live in continual, humble, worshipful awe of Yahweh’s infinite holiness, creative power, covenant love, and redemptive authority, leading one to reject self-sufficiency and to turn decisively from evil. It is an affection of the heart, an orientation of the intellect, and a discipline of the will, producing wisdom, obedience, and joy in the presence of the risen Christ. |
    |