Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love.1
The verse reveals two conditions that catches God’s attention—an understanding of the fear of the Lord and his steadfast love. Seems like two opposing characteristics, doesn’t it? How can a loving God be in the same measure feared? Viewed from our personal filters we may indeed grapple with the thought.
No doubt, God is a holy God. For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.2 He is Creator.3 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, . . .4 Likewise, God is love . . .5 There is no conflict; he exhibits both traits. His love is steadfast; and so is his holiness. He loves righteousness and justice;6 and hates sin—haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.7 God hates all evildoers.8 Now, we do have a problem! For who qualifies to be loved by God?—for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.9 He warns and shows us the future of those who persist in their sinfulness. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, . . .10
How then may we be saved and savor God’s steadfast love? For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight since through the law comes knowledge of sin.11 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.12
Turn, O LORD, deliver my life; save me for the sake of your steadfast love.13 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.14 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.15 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God.16
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, . . .17 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.18 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.19
Blessed be the LORD, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me . . .20 Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright.21 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.22
AMEN!
Notes:
1. Psalm 33:18
2. Deuteronomy 4:24
3. Genesis 1:1
4. Psalm 33:6
5. 1 John 4:16
6. Psalm 89:14
7. Proverbs 6:16-19
8. Psalm 5:4-6
9. Romans 3:23
10. Revelations 21:8
11. Romans 3:20
12. Galatians 2:15-16
13. Psalm 6:4
14. John 3:16
15. 2 Corinthians 5:21
16. 1 John 3:1
17. Deuteronomy 30:19-20
18. 1 John 5:11-12
19. 1 Timothy 2:5
20. Psalm 31:21
21. Psalm 33:1
22. Psalm 33:8-9
