30 Days With the Psalmsਨਮੂਨਾ

Joy and fear?!

“Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling” (Psalm 2:11 ESV).

Psalm 2 speaks about “fear” and “trembling”, but also about “rejoicing”. These words seem to exclude one another. But in this Psalm they are connected. How can this be?

The Lord is a powerful, holy and majestic God. When we think about that for a moment, and realize how tiny and sinful we are in comparison, this fills us with trembling. God has both the power and the right to condemn us, and that would mean our death.

So, where does this “rejoicing” come from? This is possible because God is not only holy and just, but also “a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6 ESV). He does not want people’s destruction; he offers us sinful humans a renewed life through faith in Jesus. He wants to sustain our lives and protect us against evil. This fills us with awe and reverence, but also with great joy: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31 ESV).

What emotions do you experience when you think of the Lord God? Do you feel fear, reverence, joy… ?