bible verses about fear of the lord

Fear of the Lord Bible Verses: 12 Scriptures and What They Mean

Bible verses on the fear of the Lord, what Proverbs 9:10 means by it, and why fearing God is reverence and trust, not terror.

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By Christopher McAllister

Founder of theBibleand.Love

Published September 30, 2026Updated October 23, 20266 min readProverbs 1:7 (NIV)

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"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction."

— Proverbs 1:7 (NIV)

People who search bible verses about fear of the Lord want Scripture for reverence and awe of God — not only the fear and anxiety lists that calm terror. This page is a numbered list of twelve passages with the NIV text and a short note on each. Related lists: Bible verses about wisdom, Bible verses about holiness, Bible verses about fear, Bible verses about peace, and Bible verse of the day. Fear of the Lord here means yir'at YHWH / phobos Kyriou — holy reverence — distinct from panic, dread of people, or anxious worry.

Word study (lead theme). In Hebrew, "fear" as reverence is often יִרְאָה yir'ah (Strong's H3374; Bible Hub H3374) — fear, reverence, or piety — especially in the phrase fear of the Lord (yir'at YHWH). In Greek, φόβος phobos (Strong's G5401; Bible Hub G5401) can mean fear, terror, or reverential awe; with Kyrios it often names worshipful regard for God, not only panic. Scripture treats this fear as the beginning of wisdom and as hatred of evil — not as anxiety to cast away.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Proverbs 1 presses the beginning of knowledge: the fear of the Lord is where true knowledge starts, while fools despise instruction (Bible Hub commentaries on Proverbs 1:7; Bible Hub MHC Proverbs 1; Blue Letter Bible, Matthew Henry on Proverbs 1). On Psalm 111 he marks the fear of the Lord as the beginning of wisdom and a good understanding for those who do his commandments (Bible Hub commentaries on Psalms 111:10; Bible Hub MHC Psalms 111; Blue Letter Bible, Matthew Henry on Psalm 111). (Terror-calming "do not fear" texts live on the fear and anxiety pages; this list centers reverence and awe.)

What does the fear of the Lord mean?

Proverbs 9:10 names the fear of the Lord as wisdom's beginning and joins it to knowing the Holy One. Proverbs 1:7, the verse quoted above, calls this fear the beginning of knowledge and says fools despise wisdom and instruction. Psalm 111:10 says the same starting point — the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom — and adds that all who follow his precepts have good understanding.

1 John 4:18 speaks of another fear, the fear love casts out. That fear is tied to punishment. The fear of the Lord in Proverbs 9:10, Proverbs 1:7, and Psalm 111:10 is reverent awe, not that terror. Deuteronomy 10:12 asks for the fear of the Lord together with walking in his ways, loving him, and serving him with heart and soul. Proverbs 14:27 calls this fear a fountain of life. Proverbs 19:23 says it leads to life, then to rest, untouched by trouble.

12 Bible verses about fear of the Lord

  1. Proverbs 1:7. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Reverence opens knowledge — contempt of instruction is folly. See Bible verses about wisdom.

  2. Psalm 111:10. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise." Wisdom starts with awe; understanding walks in his precepts. See Bible verses about wisdom.

  3. Proverbs 8:13. "To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech." Holy fear is not soft feeling — it hates evil. See Bible verses about holiness.

  4. Proverbs 14:26. "Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge." Reverence builds a fortress — safety flows from awe, not from bravado. See Bible verses about peace.

  5. Proverbs 14:27. "The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death." Awe is a fountain — it turns you from death's traps. See Bible verses about wisdom.

  6. Proverbs 19:23. "The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble." Reverence leads to life and content rest — not endless dread. See Bible verses about peace.

  7. Deuteronomy 10:12. "And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul." Fear of the Lord sits with love, walk, and serve — one requirement. See Bible verses about obedience.

  8. Ecclesiastes 12:13. "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind." The Preacher's end is awe plus keeping — duty for all. See Bible verses about obedience.

  9. Psalm 34:9. "Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing." Holy people are called to fear him — lack is answered in reverence. See Bible verses about holiness.

  10. Psalm 25:14. "The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them." Friendship-level confidence belongs with those who revere him. See Bible verses about wisdom.

  11. Isaiah 33:6. "He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure." Awe is the key to treasure — salvation, wisdom, knowledge. See Bible verses about wisdom.

  12. Hebrews 12:28. "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe." Acceptable worship carries reverence and awe — kingdom gratitude, not casual ease. See Bible verses about holiness.

How to use these verses

Pick one verse for a decision that needs wisdom, a temptation that needs hatred of evil, or worship that has gone casual — not twelve as a scare tactic. If you need reverence language, start with Proverbs 1:7 or Psalm 111:10. If you need courage against terror or worry, open Bible verses about fear or Bible verses about anxiety. If you need wisdom's path, open Bible verses about wisdom. For a daily verse, open Bible verse of the day.

Questions people ask

What is a good Bible verse about fear of the Lord?

Proverbs 1:7 (beginning of knowledge), Psalm 111:10 (beginning of wisdom), and Proverbs 8:13 (hate evil) are clear starting places.

How do Bible verses about fear of the Lord differ from fear or anxiety?

Fear and anxiety pages center terror, worry, and "do not be afraid" comfort. A fear-of-the-Lord page centers yir'ah / phobos as reverence and awe — then cross-links wisdom and holiness. See Bible verses about fear and Bible verses about anxiety.

What does yir'ah / phobos mean here?

Hebrew yir'ah (H3374) is fear, reverence, or piety — especially fear of the Lord. Greek phobos (G5401) can mean terror or reverential awe; with the Lord it often names holy regard, not panic alone.

Is the fear of the Lord the same as being afraid of God?

No. Proverbs 9:10 and Proverbs 1:7 call the fear of the Lord the beginning of wisdom and of knowledge. Psalm 111:10 joins that fear to following his precepts. 1 John 4:18 names a different fear, the fear love casts out, a fear tied to punishment. Deuteronomy 10:12 sets fearing the Lord beside loving him and serving him. When your heart needs calm, pair this list with Bible verses about peace.

Why is the fear of the Lord the beginning of wisdom?

Proverbs 9:10 and Psalm 111:10 both say the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Proverbs 1:7 says it is the beginning of knowledge, and that fools despise wisdom and instruction. Psalm 111:10 adds that all who follow his precepts have good understanding. Proverbs 8:13 says to fear the Lord is to hate evil. These verses name this fear as wisdom's starting point, and they name following his precepts as the path of understanding.

Where can I read more about wisdom, holiness, and peace?

Start with Bible verses about wisdom, then Bible verses about holiness, Bible verses about fear, and Bible verses about peace.

Sources

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