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KJV, cf. 1 Peter 1:3).” Human rebels have nothing to offer the Father on their own. They must come to
him only through the Son.

The advice to “serve the LORD with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling (v. 11)” should not be seen
as a dread of God. Older translations use the more accurate phrase “rejoice with trembling” (KJV). While
fear and joy may initially appear in conflict, the Hebrew concept of fear has a wide range that includes
both dread and awe. We should think of something so very good that we tremble for joy. (See Phil.
2:2:12.) We approach joyfully not run away fearfully.

[The fear of the Lord] is an attitude toward God that shrinks back in fear before
experiencing forgiveness and draws close in awe when forgiven. The unforgiven sinner
overwhelmed with feelings of shame before a holy God rightly draws back in fear until
she hears the invitation to draw near, which she does with a compelling sense of awe….
The fear of the Lord involves glad submission to his gracious majesty. Notice that
submission is defined by gladness, and his majesty is seen to be gracious. Our overriding
desire, therefore, is to honor his majesty and respect his authority while appropriating
his grace, reveling in his love, basking in his forgiveness, and seeking only to please him.
And our deepest concern is that we do not besmirch his glory or dishonor his name.
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How crucial is this understanding of Psalms! The entire book is Christ centered. The entire book
details the conflict between sinful humans and God’s king. The entire book speaks of his righteousness,
calling for people to have faith in him. The entire book invites us to have our joy in the Son more than
anything on earth

How to Read the Psalms

99 Stuart Briscoe, Choices for a Lifetime (Wheaton: Tyndale House, 1995), 44.
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