When I am afraid: Fear in the book of Psalms

This article explores the concept of fear in the Psalter. We will begin with a brief look at three common words for fear in the Old Testament. Understanding the range of these words and the differences between them will help us better approach the concept of fear. We will then look closely at two psalms, Psalms 34 and 56, which contain repeated usage of one or more of the fear words. The article will end with a discussion of two important concepts: the fear of God and the presence of enemies. The phrases “fear God,” “fear the LORD,” or “fear him,” though not unique to the Psalter, require careful attention here because of the semantic range of the word “fear.” Enemies require attention in part because our culture so eagerly names them and promotes fear because of them. The Psalms invite us to use our imagination. In a world prone to fear, the Psalms call us to imagine a different response, a counter-cultural response of trusting God, who is the only appropriate focus of fear