Scripture: "Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in His commandments."—Ps. cxii. 1, cxxviii. 1, 4.
The fear of God—these words characterize the religion of the Old Testament, and the foundation which it laid for the more abundant life of the New. "The gift of holy fear" is ever still the great desire of the child of God, and an essential part of a life that is to make a real impression on the world around. It is one of the great promises of the new covenant in Jeremiah: "I will make an everlasting covenant with them ; and I will put My fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from Me."
We find the perfect combination of the two in the Acts (ix. 31).
"The churches had peace, being edified, and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied." And Paul more than once gives fear a high place in the Christian life. "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God that worketh in you." "Perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (.2 Cor. vii. 1).
It has often been said that the lack of the fear of God is one of the things in which our modern times cannot compare favorably with the times of the Puritans and the Covenanters. No wonder then that there is so much cause of complaint in regard to the reading of God's Word, of the worship of His House, and the absence of that spirit of continuous prayer which marked the early Church. We need that texts like the one at the head of this reading should be expounded, and the young converts fully instructed in the need and the blessedness of a deep tear of God, leading to an unceasing prayerfulness as one of the essential elements of the life of faith.
Let us in the inner chamber earnestly cultivate this grace. Let us hear the word coming out of the very heavens:
"Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? for Thou only art holy."
"Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear."
As we take the word, "Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord," into our hearts, and believe that here is one of the deepest secrets of blessedness, we shall seek in every approach to God, in His fear to worship towards His holy temple.
"Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling."
