The Fear of God

Text: Psalm 130:4

Psalm 130:4 NKJV

4 But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.

1. The Fear of God is Not Being Afraid of God

Godly fear is not terror that causes us to run from Him, but reverence that draws us near. Sinful fear hides; holy fear bows in worship.

A. Adam Hiding – Genesis 3:10 Adam's fear came from guilt without grace. He hid because he knew God as Judge but not yet as Redeemer.

B. Israel Trembling – Exodus 20:18–20 At Sinai, the people trembled at God's holiness—but Moses told them not to fear in terror, but to fear in reverence. “God has come to test you, that the fear of Him may be before you, that you may not sin.”

Exodus 20:18–20 NKJV

18 Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. 19 Then they said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.” 20 And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.”

Notice how Moses is distinguishing between a proper fear of God and being afraid of God.

This distinction here is crucial: one fear flees from God; the other clings to Him. Throughout the Bible, whether it’s the hiding of Adam, the fear of Isaiah, or Peter jumping off the boat, sin produces in us a disposition of being afraid of God.

2. The Fear of God is Produced by Forgiveness

Holy fear rises not from wrath, but from mercy. It is awe at the grace of being pardoned.

A. Psalm 130:4 – "But with You there is forgiveness, that You may be feared." This forgiveness doesn't cheapen God's holiness—it exalts it. The soul that’s been forgiven knows the weight of sin and the wonder of mercy. That soul trembles, because they know they deserve wrath, but have received grace. He is unbelievably good. The question we need to ask is where the forgiveness is given since we know that the blood of bulls and goats could never truly forgive sin and the answer to that is that the Psalmist for saw the forgiveness of sins in the Lord Jesus Christ.

B. Forgiveness is Fulfilled in Christ, the Mediator of the New Covenant The New Covenant brings about a heart-change through Christ’s atoning work. Listen to two of the Old Testament prophesies about what God promises to do in the New Covenant which are things He has done to you and me if we know the Lord.

Jeremiah 32:39–40 NKJV

39 then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them. 40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me.

Jeremiah 33:8–9 NKJV

8 I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me. 9 Then it shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise, and an honor before all nations of the earth, who shall hear all the good that I do to them; they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that I provide for it.’

This is not the fear of judgment, but the fear of overwhelming goodness that humbles and draws in the heart. Because we have been forgiven by God, we fear Him. As these texts show us, the overwhelming goodness of God develops a healthy, fatherly fear of God.

3. This Fear Produces Godly Fruit

The fruit of holy fear is not paralysis but joyful obedience and gospel proclamation.

Delight in God That Causes Us to Tell Others Psalm 130:5-8

One of the fruits of being brought to fear the Lord is that we delight in the Lord. The Psalmist here, having been assured of the Lord’s forgiveness, speaks about longing and waiting for the Lord. So, when God produces a healthy fear of Himself in our hearts, its supposed to produce a delight for Him in our souls. Another thing that this delight does is encourage us to point others to Him. The psalmist ends by calling all Israel to hope in the Lord. The forgiven heart becomes a herald, inviting others to taste the same mercy.

Psalm 130:5–8 NKJV

5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope. 6 My soul waits for the Lord More than those who watch for the morning— Yes, more than those who watch for the morning. 7 O Israel, hope in the Lord; For with the Lord there is mercy, And with Him is abundant redemption. 8 And He shall redeem Israel From all his iniquities.

Desire to Obey Isaiah 6:5–8

Isaiah 6:5–8 NKJV

5 So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.” 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

What we see here is a picture of Psalm 130 in real life. Isaiah, just like the Psalmist is consumed with sorrow over his sin, but the Lord provides forgiveness. In Isaiah, we see fear of the Lord depicted in his response to the Lord’s call for a servant. What we learn here is that the forgiving goodness of God sparks a desire in our hearts to serve the Lord. In Luke 7:47, Jesus says

Luke 7:47 NKJV

47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

To summarize, Jesus emphasizes that those who are forgiven of their many sins, and we have a lot to be forgiven of, will, in turn, love the Lord woh forgave them.

Hopeful Trust in God’s Word Psalm 130:5–6

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I hope…” The fear of God anchors us in hopeful expectancy. We wait for Him like watchmen for the morning—not fearing wrath, but longing for His appearing.

Psalm 130:5–6 NKJV

5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope. 6 My soul waits for the Lord More than those who watch for the morning— Yes, more than those who watch for the morning.

Closing Exhortation:

Proverbs teaches us that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” It’s not because God terrifies us into obedience, but because He forgives us into reverence. One writer put it this way, “This fear is the fruit of being stunned by grace. It's the trembling of a sinner who’s been pardoned when he knew he deserved wrath.”