How happy is everyone who fears the Lord,
who walks in his ways!
Psalm 128:1
In reading the Psalms I often see the word happy and fears the Lord in the same sentence. Fears the Lord conjures up thoughts of being afraid of God. Upon further investigation I found fear the Lord to mean reverence, honour, respect, to stand in awe of or be awed.(Blue Letter Bible)
Happy and blessed are used interchangeably meaning oh the happiness of the man.
As I read this passage I thought of Proverbs 31:30
Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting,
but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised.
I also came across this verse
Hallelujah!
Happy is the man who fears the Lord,
taking great delight
in His commandments.
Psalm 112:1
(not craven terror but reverent love, ESV notes)
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Do I put as much effort into fearing the Lord and loving him reverently as I do in getting ready for the day?
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How much time do I spend picking out my clothes, putting on make-up and doing my hair each morning?
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Do I look forward to getting to know God by saturating my heart, mind and soul with His Word and spending time in his presence?
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Or am I spending more time taking care of the physical body that will someday return to the earth?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for a new outfit, on sale of course. Making myself presentable for my husband and the day ahead.
But what takes precedence?
Outer beauty that will return to the dust?
Or a woman who loves God with all her heart, mind and soul, taking great delight in His commandments?
