Psalm 36:1-4
1Transgression speaks to the wicked
deep in their hearts;
there is no fear of God
before their eyes.
2For they flatter themselves in their own eyes
that their iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
3The words of their mouths are mischief and deceit;
they have ceased to act wisely and do good.
4They plot mischief while on their beds;
they are set on a way that is not good;
they do not reject evil..
“… there is no fear of God before their eyes. …”
If “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” as the writer tells us in Proverbs 9:10, what happens if there is no fear of God? Is that the end of wisdom? Is that when we finally admit that we cannot comprehend what God is saying or doing? Does it mean that we simply look at the universe with no understanding of who or what God has done? What happens when there is no fear of the Lord?
That’s what the psalmist seems to be contemplating. Without the fear of the Lord, only desire, self-fulfillment, self-aggrandizement, and narcissism remain. We cannot think beyond ourselves. That leads to all forms of wickedness, iniquity, mischief, deceit, and evil. The person without the fear of the Lord is “set on a way that is not good.”
Which is why our relationship with the Lord begins with fear – awe, respect, honor, admiration, and reverence. We recognize the authority, power, and might of the Lord. We understand that God is the Creator of heaven and earth, the redeemer of all people, and the sustainer of all things. With this recognition, we live, not in terror, but in the light of God’s countenance. Having the fear of the Lord, we become wise in the ways of the Lord, and our lives are set on a way that is good.
Prayer: Holy Lord, we come before You in awe, reverence, and fear. Help me see that it is Your wisdom that leads me in the way of a good relationship with You, with others, and with all of Creation. Amen.