What is the meaning of Psalm 111:10? The fear of the LORD “The fear of the LORD …” (Psalm 111:10) • Not terror that drives us away, but reverent awe that draws us near, as seen in Exodus 20:20—“Do not be afraid … the fear of Him will be with you to keep you from sinning.” • This posture shapes life: Deuteronomy 10:12 ties fear of the LORD to walking in His ways and loving Him. • Proverbs 1:7 echoes the same starting point: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” • Hebrews 12:28-29 points us to “acceptable worship with reverence and awe.” Reverence establishes the relationship in which everything else in the verse makes sense. is the beginning of wisdom “… is the beginning of wisdom …” (v. 10 b) • Wisdom starts, not with information, but with a right relationship to God. Job 28:28 draws the line clearly: “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom.” • Proverbs 9:10 repeats the same equation, confirming that all true wisdom grows out of this foundation. • James 3:13 reminds us that wisdom shows in “good conduct,” not clever words. • Colossians 2:3 locates all treasures of wisdom in Christ, underscoring that a God-centered starting point leads straight to Him. all who follow His precepts gain rich understanding “… all who follow His precepts gain rich understanding.” (v. 10 c) • Obedience unlocks insight. Psalm 119:98-100 shows how God’s commands make a believer “wiser than my enemies.” • Jesus ties love and obedience together in John 14:21: “Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me.” Understanding grows in the keeping, not merely the hearing. • 1 John 2:3-5 affirms that knowing God is verified by keeping His commands. • Matthew 7:24-25 pictures the wise person building on the rock—hearing and doing Christ’s words. • The blessing is “rich” because obedience aligns us with how God designed life to work. His praise endures forever! “His praise endures forever!” (v. 10 d) • The psalm ends by lifting our eyes from our obedience to God’s everlasting worth. Revelation 5:13 shows every creature joining a song that never ends. • Psalm 145:2 speaks of praising God “every day,” hinting that daily praise foreshadows eternal praise. • Isaiah 40:8 says, “The word of our God stands forever,” so the praise grounded in that word stands forever too. • Philippians 2:9-11 assures us every knee will bow and every tongue confess Jesus as Lord, guaranteeing that praise outlasts all time. summary Wisdom starts with reverent awe of the LORD, flourishes through obedient living, and culminates in praise that never fades. By fearing God, we gain the right foundation; by following His precepts, we grow in rich understanding; and by joining the eternal chorus, we find our ultimate purpose—His praise, now and forever. |
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