Fear and Reverence
But I, through the abundance of Your steadfast love, will enter Your house. I will bow down toward Your holy temple in the fear of You.
PSALM 5:7
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Fear and Reverence
Only the saints revere God, because they alone acknowledge the greatness of His majesty and the limitless sea of His wisdom and the abyss of His goodness shown to us. He who acknowledges it more and more will also revere God more and more. But those who have little or no regard for it will have little reverence and will not be awe-struck but act and strut about and walk up to Him. But the saints are filled with fear and reverence, so that they are afraid to look at Him and call on Him. . .. The more the saints come to know the goodness, wisdom, and majesty of God, the more they conduct themselves with fear and reverence toward Him, so that they truly rejoice in Him with fear. Consequently, if you are not yet filled with awe and reverence, fear and trembling, do not think you know God. "Serve the Lord with fear" (Psalm 2:11), and "Let all the ends of the earth fear Him" (Psalm 67:7). Psalm 47:2 "For the Lord is high, terrible." "How terrible is this place" (Genesis 28:17). This fear is the highest form of worship of God, and it is not worship unless it is one of perfect love and faith and hope.
From First Lectures on the Psalms (Luther's Works 10:346)
PSALM 5:7
+
Fear and Reverence
Only the saints revere God, because they alone acknowledge the greatness of His majesty and the limitless sea of His wisdom and the abyss of His goodness shown to us. He who acknowledges it more and more will also revere God more and more. But those who have little or no regard for it will have little reverence and will not be awe-struck but act and strut about and walk up to Him. But the saints are filled with fear and reverence, so that they are afraid to look at Him and call on Him. . .. The more the saints come to know the goodness, wisdom, and majesty of God, the more they conduct themselves with fear and reverence toward Him, so that they truly rejoice in Him with fear. Consequently, if you are not yet filled with awe and reverence, fear and trembling, do not think you know God. "Serve the Lord with fear" (Psalm 2:11), and "Let all the ends of the earth fear Him" (Psalm 67:7). Psalm 47:2 "For the Lord is high, terrible." "How terrible is this place" (Genesis 28:17). This fear is the highest form of worship of God, and it is not worship unless it is one of perfect love and faith and hope.
From First Lectures on the Psalms (Luther's Works 10:346)
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