- Blessed
Psalm 128:1, 4
Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord;
That walketh in his ways.
Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed
That feareth the Lord.
If you fear the Lord, then you will be blessed. This blessing is conditional. God blesses the one who fears the Lord; he who fears the Lord is blessed. So what does it mean to “fear the Lord,” to be a “God-fearing person?” Fear = love and trust. Fearing the Lord = loving Him so much we are afraid to offend Him. Fear God = draw near to God and everything good and shun and avoid Sin and everything evil. In practical terms, fearing God is simply obeying the Commandments. He “walks in his ways.”
The God-fearer is simply a believer. He knows Jesus Christ has died for his sins to earn forgiveness; in addition Christ has earned for the believer a righteous life that stands before God with perfection. Jesus has walked in His ways for him. Therefore, in Christ the believer “fears the Lord,” that is, he does not want to sin and disobey God, but when he does he repents and receives forgiveness by the faith of Christ. As one that fears the Lord he can claim the promise of blessedness; he can say in full faith and assurance that he is blessed.