Things that God Says Are Awe-some

Texts:

Ps. 4:4, "Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah."

Ps. 33:8, "Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him."

Ps. 119:161, "Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word."

In the U.S you often here people, especially younger people, refer to certain people, places, or things as "awesome."  The common usage is synonymous with "great" or "wonderful."  But the scriptural usage is something different.

The word "awe" appears in scripture only three times, all in Psalms, and the references are provided above.  The second reference above, I believe, provides the scriptural sense of "awe":  a holy fear.  "Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him."  Note that the context of awe is always something holy: God (Ps. 4:3-4, 33:8) or his word (119:161).  We're not to be in "awe" of princes like we are God and his word (119:161), but we are to "Render...fear to whom fear" is due, namely "rulers" (Rom. 13:1-7).  So I think that it's safe to say that awe is a higher fear due to God and his word than that due to "the powers...ordained of God" (Rom. 13:1).  It is a heart condition that can and should be present even when lying down (Ps. 4:4): one can "stand" in awe while lying upon one's bed!