The English word "fear" usually carries a heavy, negative definition that we tend to associate it with terror, anxiety, or running away from a threat. Because of this, reading a phrase like "the fear of the Lord" can feel contradictory. Why would we be commanded to have joy and peace, but also be terrified of God? The answer lies in the original Hebrew. The Word: Yirah (Strongs Concordance #3374) In the context of the "fear of the Lord" (such as in Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of