Bible Encyclopedias
Awe

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ô : Fear mingled with reverence and wonder, a state of mind inspired by something terrible or sublime. In the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) it occurs in Psalm 4:4 : "Stand in awe, and sin not" (where the Revised Version, margin has, "Be ye angry," so Septuagint; compare Ephesians 4:26 ); Psalm 33:8; Psalm 119:161 . In the following passages the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "stand in awe of" for the King James Version "fear": Psalm 22:23 phoboúmenoi ; Isaiah 29:23; 1 Samuel 18:15; Malachi 2:5; and in Hebrews 12:28 it substitutes "awe" for the King James Version "reverence" ( déos here only in New Testament). In all these passages, except 1 Samuel 18:15 ( eulabeı́to , where it describes Saul's feeling toward David), the word stands for man's attitude of reverential fear toward God. This is the characteristic attitude of the pious soul toward God in the Scriptures, especially in the Old Testament. It arises from a consciousness of the infinite power, sublimity and holiness of God, which fills the mind with the "fear of the Lord," and a dread of violating His law. See FEAR .