Psalm 34

"I will teach you the fear of the Lord"

In an age where anxiety disorders are skyrocketing, teaching people to fear the Lord sounds like a mental health disaster. More, there are those progressive theological concerns about a "sinners in the hands of an angry God" theology.

But as I expect you know, the Hebrew word translated as "fear" has a range of meanings which include reverence and awe. And here's the interesting thing: Awe is now one of the hottest topics right now in positive psychology given its mental health benefits. Take a look, for example, at Dacher Keltner's book Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life. As Keltner describes, awe is "the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your current understanding of the world." Awe creates what psychologists describe as "the small self," a self that comes to see itself as a part of a greater, connected whole. A small self is a self that is in a relationship with the world. Not surprisingly, given this felt sense of connection with the world, those who possess a small self are more likely to engage in caring and compassionate action.

We're now just discovering the mental health and relational benefits of awe. The ancient Hebrews have been talking about this for a very long time.