Does “the fear of the Lord” mean reverence that draws us near, or does it also include real dread of judgment? Trying to hold Proverbs and the prophets together without flattening either.

It includes both, depending on the person’s relationship to God and the context.

In Proverbs, “the fear of the LORD” often means reverent awe, humility, obedience, and taking God seriously. It is “the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10) and leads a person away from evil (Proverbs 8:13; 16:6). This kind of fear draws us into a right relationship with God rather than making us hide from Him.

But the prophets also speak of genuine dread before God’s judgment. Isaiah 2:10, 19 describes people hiding “for fear of the LORD” when He arises to judge. Hebrews 10:31 similarly says, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” God’s holiness and justice are not merely comforting realities; they are terrifying to persistent rebellion.

So biblical fear of God is not just “respect,” but neither is it merely terror. For the faithful, it is reverent awe joined with trust, obedience, and love. For the unrepentant, that same holiness becomes a reason for real dread.

This also helps explain 1 John 4:18: “perfect love casteth out fear.” John is speaking about the fear of punishment and condemnation, not the reverent fear of God that Scripture commends elsewhere.

So the two themes fit together: the fear of the Lord means recognizing God as utterly holy, just, and sovereign. That reality draws the repentant near in reverence, while giving the rebellious real reason to fear judgment.