In Proverbs 19:23 we read “The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.”

When you hear the word “fear,” what comes to your mind? Spiders? Snakes? Heights? Speaking in public? For me, I’m deathly afraid of snakes. Deathly. Afraid. Like, paralysis! And that makes a lot of sense when you think of fear in that way — something you’re genuinely afraid of. However, that isn’t quite what Solomon is getting at when he writes, “the fear of the Lord leads to life.” So then, what does this verse mean?

• The Fear of the Lord: This does not mean being terrified of God as a monster. Instead, it means having a profound, loving reverence, respect, and submission to the person of God and His authority. It’s recognizing that God is holy and that His ways are best.

• Leads to Life: Respecting God moves you away from selfish, destructive, and sinful choices. It connects you to the true purpose and vitality God has designed for humans and it puts you on the path of wisdom.

• Rests satisfied: When you trust God, you stop chasing temporary things like money, status, relationships, influence, prestige, notoriety, etc., for happiness. You find a deep, lasting peace in your soul that is only truly found in God.

• Not Visited with Evil: This means God’s wisdom guards you from major moral disasters and self-inflicted pain. It doesn’t mean that nothing difficult or harmful will happen to you, as bad things still happen in a broken world. It does mean that you are kept safe from the ruin that foolish choices bring.

Thanks, Vadim Bogulov, for the picture.