![[Photo of a Scripture verse]](https://www.deankwilson.com/Blog_images/Psalm_34_9.jpg)
| “Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.” |
| —Psalm 34:9 |
We generally think of the word “fear” as meaning “afraid.” But, in actual fact, the word “fear” has a much broader definition.
As a transitive verb, fear means to frighten, to feel fear in oneself, to have reverential awe, to be afraid of or expect alarm. As an intransitive verb, fear means to be afraid of or be apprehensive of. Okay. I get it. You want to know what a transitive and intransitive verb is. Right?
A transitive verb is one that is used with an object: a noun, phrase, or pronoun that refers to the person or thing that is affected by the action of the verb. An intransitive verb does not have a direct object.
Notice what King David wrote in Psalm 34:9:
Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.
In this sentence, the word “fear” takes a direct object “the Lord.” So, the word “fear” is a transitive verb. And, instead of evoking a sense of apprehension, the word intends to capture a sense of great reverence. That reverence is borne out of the fact that God is the all-powerful creator of the universe. His power is beyond our comprehension. In fact, every one of His qualities is beyond our comprehension.
Just as His power and might boggle our minds, so does His great love for us. He truly is to be perceived with great reverence. So, David indicates that those who possess great reverence for the Lord are the ones who lack nothing.
As we begin another new day, let’s recognize that our reverence for the God who loved us enough to sacrifice His one and only Son in our behalf is a worthy response to who He is. And, as a result, He gives us everything we need so that we lack nothing.
