Psalms 119:120

KJV

My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.

KJV (with Strong's)

My flesh {H1320} trembleth {H5568} for fear {H6343} of thee; and I am afraid {H3372} of thy judgments {H4941}.

Complete Jewish Bible

My body trembles for fear of you; your rulings make me afraid.

Berean Standard Bible

My flesh trembles in awe of You; I stand in fear of Your judgments.

American Standard Version

My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; And I am afraid of thy judgments. ע AYIN.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Psalms 119:120 profoundly captures the psalmist's deep reverence and awe before the Almighty God. It expresses a visceral, almost physical, response to the divine holiness and the unwavering justice inherent in God's character and His righteous decrees. This verse reveals a healthy, biblical "fear of the Lord"—not a cowering terror, but a profound respect and apprehension that stems from a recognition of God's absolute sovereignty and the certainty of His judgments, leading to a posture of humility and a desire for obedience.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Psalm 119 stands as the longest chapter in the Bible, an intricately structured acrostic poem dedicated entirely to extolling the virtues, benefits, and perfection of God's Word. The psalmist employs numerous synonyms for God's revelation—such as law, statutes, precepts, commandments, and judgments—to articulate a fervent love, devotion, and commitment to divine commands. Verse 120 is situated within a broader section where the psalmist has reflected on the persecution faced from the wicked (e.g., [Psalm 119:110](/psalms/119-110 "Psalm 119:110 - The Wicked Lay a Snare")) and has earnestly prayed for God's intervention and justice. This particular verse, therefore, serves as a deeply personal and visceral acknowledgment of God's ultimate authority and the profound seriousness of His decrees, particularly as they relate to the execution of justice upon both the righteous and the unrighteous. It underscores the psalmist's understanding that God's Word is not merely a guide but a powerful, living force that brings both blessing and accountability.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The concept of "fear of the Lord" (יִרְאַת יְהוָה, _yir’at Yahweh_) is a foundational theme throughout the Old Testament, deeply embedded in ancient Israelite culture and theology. It signifies much more than simple terror; it denotes a profound reverence, awe, and respect for God's holiness, power, and majesty, which serves as the very beginning of wisdom and knowledge ([Proverbs 9:10](/proverbs/9-10 "Proverbs 9:10 - The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom")). In a society where divine kingship was a prevalent concept, the understanding of God as the ultimate Judge and Lawgiver was paramount. The "judgments" (מִשְׁפָּטִים, _mishpatim_) refer to God's righteous ordinances and acts of justice, reflecting His unwavering moral character. The psalmist's physical reaction of trembling would have been understood as a natural, appropriate response to encountering or contemplating the overwhelming presence and absolute righteousness of a holy God, a common motif in biblical encounters with the divine.

* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within Psalm 119 and the broader biblical narrative.
* **Reverential Awe (The "Fear of the Lord"):** The phrase "My flesh trembleth for fear of thee" encapsulates the biblical concept of the fear of the Lord, which is a profound reverence, respect, and awe for God's holiness, power, and majesty. This fear is not debilitating but rather a motivating force for obedience, humility, and true worship. It is the proper posture of humanity before the divine, acknowledging God's supremacy and our dependence. As [Proverbs 1:7](/proverbs/1-7 "Proverbs 1:7 - The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Knowledge") states, it is the foundation of true knowledge.
* **God's Judgments and Justice:** The psalmist's being "afraid of thy judgments" highlights God's role as the righteous Judge. These "judgments" (Hebrew: _mishpatim_) refer to God's just decrees, ordinances, and acts of justice. It is an acknowledgment that God is not only loving and merciful but also perfectly just, and He will indeed execute judgment upon sin and unrighteousness. This awareness leads the psalmist to a posture of humility and a fervent desire to align fully with God's perfect will, understanding the serious and inevitable consequences of disobedience.
* **The Holiness of God:** Implicit in the psalmist's response is a profound recognition of God's absolute holiness. The physical trembling and fear are natural human reactions to the purity, perfection, and moral rectitude of God, before whom no unrighteousness can stand. It underscores the vast chasm between human sinfulness and divine perfection, demanding a response of deep awe and respect from all creation.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Trembleth (Hebrew, _charad'_):** This verb (חָרַד) signifies a strong physical reaction, meaning to tremble, shudder, or be anxious. It conveys a visceral, involuntary response to intense fear or awe, indicating that the psalmist's apprehension of God's character and judgments is not merely intellectual but deeply felt throughout his entire being.
* **Fear (Hebrew, _pachad'_):** The noun (פַּחַד) can denote dread or terror, but in the context of the Psalms, especially when directed towards God, it often carries the weight of profound reverential awe that acknowledges divine power, majesty, and justice. It is a healthy, worshipful fear that leads to obedience and humility.
* **Judgments (Hebrew, _mishpatim'_):** This plural noun (מִשְׁפָּטִים) consistently refers to God's just laws, decisions, ordinances, and acts of justice. These are not arbitrary decrees but expressions of God's perfect righteousness and moral order, which are inherently true, reliable, and just.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"My flesh trembleth for fear of thee":** This clause vividly portrays a profound, all-encompassing physical and emotional response to God's presence and character. The psalmist's "flesh" (בָּשָׂר, _basar_), representing his entire physical being, reacts with an involuntary shuddering. This is not a cowering fear of a tyrant, but a deep, reverential awe that acknowledges God's overwhelming majesty, holiness, and power. It highlights the psalmist's humility and the immense spiritual impact of contemplating the divine. It suggests that a true encounter with God's holiness elicits a response that goes beyond mere intellectual assent, touching the very core of one's existence.
* **"and I am afraid of thy judgments":** This second clause clarifies the object of the psalmist's fear: God's "judgments" (_mishpatim_). This fear is not of arbitrary punishment, but a healthy apprehension of God's perfect justice and the certainty of His righteous decrees. The psalmist understands that God's laws are not suggestions but binding truths that carry serious weight and consequences for disobedience. This awareness cultivates a desire to live righteously and in alignment with God's will, recognizing the absolute seriousness of sin and the inevitability of divine accountability. It underscores God's unwavering commitment to justice and righteousness.

#### Literary Devices
Psalm 119:120 employs several literary devices to convey its profound message. The phrase "My flesh trembleth" is an example of **Anthropomorphism**, attributing a human physical reaction to the psalmist's entire being to emphasize the depth and intensity of his spiritual experience of awe and reverence before God. The verse also exhibits clear **Parallelism**, specifically synonymous parallelism, where the two clauses ("My flesh trembleth for fear of thee" and "I am afraid of thy judgments") convey a similar idea using different phrasing. This repetition serves to reinforce and intensify the core message of reverential awe and apprehension toward God's just character and decrees. Furthermore, the description of physical trembling can be seen as a form of **Hyperbole** or **Intensification**, underscoring the extreme nature of the psalmist's awe and conveying a profound, overwhelming sense of God's presence and power that elicits such a strong, visceral response.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 119:120 offers a vital theological insight into the nature of humanity's relationship with a holy God. It underscores the biblical concept of the "fear of the Lord" as a proper and necessary response to divine holiness and justice. This fear is not a terror that drives one away from God, but a profound reverence and awe that draws one into deeper worship, humility, and obedience. It acknowledges that God is not merely a benevolent friend but also the righteous Judge who upholds perfect standards. This healthy apprehension of God's judgments serves as a powerful motivator for living righteously, understanding that true wisdom begins with recognizing God's absolute sovereignty and moral authority. It reminds us that while God is merciful, He is also just, and His decrees carry eternal weight.

* [Proverbs 1:7](/proverbs/1-7 "Proverbs 1:7 - The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Knowledge")
* [Isaiah 6:5](/isaiah/6-5 "Isaiah 6:5 - Isaiah's Vision and Confession of Unworthiness")
* [Hebrews 10:31](/hebrews/10-31 "Hebrews 10:31 - A Fearful Thing to Fall into the Hands of the Living God")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalm 119:120 serves as a powerful corrective to any casual or overly familiar approach to faith. It challenges believers to cultivate a deeper, more serious engagement with God's character and His Word. The psalmist's physical trembling and fear of God's judgments remind us that our relationship with the Almighty should be marked by profound reverence and awe, not just affection. This means acknowledging God's absolute authority, His unwavering commitment to justice, and the serious consequences of sin. For us today, this translates into a call for greater integrity, righteousness, and diligent obedience in our own lives, not out of compulsion, but out of a deep respect for God's perfect character and His holy will. It encourages us to approach God with humility, recognizing that He is the sovereign Lord of all creation and the ultimate Judge, and to live in a manner that honors His holiness.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does my understanding of God's holiness and justice impact my daily walk and decision-making?**
* **In what ways might I cultivate a deeper, more reverential fear of the Lord in my personal devotion and public worship?**
* **Does the certainty of God's judgments motivate me towards greater obedience and humility, or does it primarily cause me anxiety? What does this reveal about my view of God?**

### FAQ
**Is "fear" in this verse about being terrified of God?**

Answer: While the word "fear" (פַּחַד, _pachad_) can denote dread or terror, in the context of Psalms 119:120 and the broader biblical understanding, it is primarily about reverential awe and profound respect for God's power, holiness, and justice. It acknowledges the seriousness of His judgments and the consequences of sin, but it is a healthy, worshipful fear that leads to humility, obedience, and wisdom, rather than paralyzing terror. This kind of fear is consistently presented as the beginning of wisdom and knowledge, as seen in [Proverbs 9:10](/proverbs/9-10 "Proverbs 9:10 - The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom"), leading one to draw near to God in proper reverence.

**What exactly are God's "judgments" that the psalmist is afraid of?**

Answer: In this verse, "judgments" (מִשְׁפָּטִים, _mishpatim_) refer to God's righteous decrees, ordinances, and acts of justice. These are not arbitrary punishments but expressions of His perfect character, moral order, and covenant faithfulness. The psalmist's "fear" of these judgments is not a fear of an unjust or capricious ruler, but a profound respect for their absolute truth, their unwavering nature, and the certain consequences of deviating from them. It reflects an understanding that God is a righteous judge who will uphold His standards and bring accountability for sin, leading the psalmist to desire to live in full alignment with God's just and perfect will.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 119:120, with its depiction of the psalmist's trembling fear of God and His judgments, finds its ultimate fulfillment and transformation in Jesus Christ. While the psalmist rightly apprehended God's holiness and justice, humanity remained under the shadow of those very judgments due to sin. However, Jesus, the perfect Son of God, fully embraced and bore the weight of God's righteous judgments on the cross, becoming sin for us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God ([2 Corinthians 5:21](/2_corinthians/5-21 "2 Corinthians 5:21 - Christ Became Sin for Us")). Through His atoning sacrifice, believers are delivered from the condemnation of God's judgment, allowing us to approach the holy God not with cowering terror, but with confident access and reverent awe, knowing that our sin has been fully paid for. The "fear of the Lord" for the Christian is now a profound, worshipful reverence for the One who reconciled us to a holy God ([Romans 5:8](/romans/5-8 "Romans 5:8 - God Demonstrates His Own Love for Us")), and who is Himself the wisdom of God ([1 Corinthians 1:30](/1_corinthians/1-30 "1 Corinthians 1:30 - Christ Our Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption")). We no longer fear the judgment due to us, but rather stand in awe of the God who is both just and the justifier of those who have faith in Jesus ([Romans 3:26](/romans/3-26 "Romans 3:26 - God is Just and the Justifier")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Daniel 10:8

Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.

Daniel 10:11

And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.

Habakkuk 3:16

¶ When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops.

Hebrews 12:28

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

Hebrews 12:29

For our God [is] a consuming fire.

Hebrews 12:21

And so terrible was the sight, [that] Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)

Isaiah 66:2

For all those [things] hath mine hand made, and all those [things] have been, saith the LORD: but to this [man] will I look, [even] to [him that is] poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.