This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission when you make a purchase at NO additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our site in this way!
How can one word mean two completely different things?
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
– Psalm 139:14
Day 146 Devotion: The Two Sides of Fear
I remember when my son was in Kindergarten and his sweet teacher chose Psalm 139:14 as the class verse. The children memorized it and we heard it over and over again over the course of that year.
But it wasn’t until I was struggling with my own fearful heart that I dug deeper into the root of the verse.
“Fearfully” in Psalm 139:14 is the Greek word “yārē” and actually has two very different meanings:
- the emotional and intellectual anticipation of harm or danger; the sense of dread.
- a very positive feeling of awe or reverence for God, which may be expressed in piety or formal worship.
It’s this second definition we discover in the verse above. My Hebrew Greek study Bible goes on to say fear can be faced with trust in the Lord. Fearing God is often the motivation which produces godly living.
Isn’t it like God to take one thing that looks awful and transform it into something beautiful and healing?
Which side of fear will you embrace today?
Once A Day Bible Reading Plan & Devotion
Day: 146
Scripture: Psalm 131:1-3; Psalms 138:1-139:24; Psalms 143:1-145:21
You can use this daily Bible reading plan with any Bible, but it’s patterned from NIV Once-A-Day Bible: Chronological Edition
Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook so you don’t miss a day of the Once A Day Bible reading plan.
Remember, you can start on ANY day of the year with this Once A Day Chronological Bible Reading Plan & Devotion…just click here to go to Day 1!
