I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. Psalm 3:6 NASB Not be afraid – The verb is familiar– yārēʾ. Perhaps that’s because we find it in the phrase “fear of the Lord.” But, of course, “fear of the Lord” doesn’t mean emotional trepidation or potential physical…
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil. Job 1:1 NASB Blameless – Job certainly must be fiction. How else could we possibly understand the description of a man who is blameless, upright, and God-fearing? Does such a man really exist? The…
My flesh trembles from the fear of You, and I am afraid of Your judgments. Psalm 119:120 NASB I am afraid – Something is wrong here. If we follow the NASB, we think that in his current condition the psalmist is terrified of God’s judgments. That’s what the present tense of these two verbs sāmar (to tremble)…
Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at His word: “Your brothers who hate you, who exclude you for My name’s sake, . . . Isaiah 66:5 NASB Tremble – Not very often, but when it happens—watch out! That’s my advice about ḥārēdim, the Hebrew word translated “tremble.” It’s only used five times, but…
Do not be afraid when a person becomes rich, when the splendor of his house is increased; For when he dies, he will take nothing with him; his wealth will not descend after him. Psalm 49:16-17 NASB Do not be afraid – Does this seem odd to you? We would have expected “Do not be envious” or “Do not…
Come and hear, all who fear God, and I will tell of what He has done for my soul. Psalm 66:16 NASB Who fear God – Although you won’t see it in the English translation, this phrase (“who fear God”) does not contain God’s name. It uses the word ʾĕlōhîm, the general classification of “god.” Perhaps that’s not…
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil. Job 1:1 NASB Fearing God – We are familiar with the Hebrew verb yārēʾ. Used hundreds of times, this word has a wide umbrella of related meanings: biblical usages of yārēʾ are divided into…
“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 NASB Fear– Actually, I’m not afraid in the usual sense of the word. I’m not even afraid to die. …
When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. Psalm 56:3 NASB Afraid – We know this Hebrew word. yārēʾ, “to fear, be afraid, revere.” Yes, it’s the same word used in the verse about the “fear of the Lord.” But yārēʾ has five different nuances, and one of them is simply the psychological experience…
