Proverbs 14:26
In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The true richness of this verse lies in the surprising connection made between "strong confidence" and "refuge for his children." It's not just about personal security; the confidence gained from fearing the Lord naturally extends as a lasting protection and safe place for the generations that follow. This highlights how a life lived in reverence for God creates an enduring legacy of safety and hope, not just for oneself, but for one's entire family line.
This verse is part of a larger collection of wisdom sayings that contrast the paths of the righteous and the wicked. It directly follows a verse that describes the wicked person as being cast out and disgraced, highlighting the negative consequences of their actions. In this context, verse 26 pivots to describe the positive outcome for those who revere God, offering a strong sense of security for both themselves and their descendants.
Does fearing God mean being scared of Him? This verse talks about 'strong confidence' coming from it, which seems like a contradiction!
The 'fear of the Lord' isn't about trembling terror. It’s a deep, reverent awe and respect for God’s absolute holiness and power.
Awe, Not Terror
Think of standing at the edge of a vast canyon. You’re filled with awe at its grandeur, maybe a little nervous about the drop, but mostly, you're struck by its immense, natural power. That’s closer to the 'fear of the Lord'. It’s recognizing God as the ultimate Creator and Sovereign, His holiness, His justice, and His immense love.
Confidence Found in Awe
When we truly grasp who God is – His faithfulness, His mercy, His strength – our own anxieties and the troubles of the world shrink in comparison. This awe doesn't paralyze us; it anchors us. It gives us 'strong confidence' because we know we are held by someone infinitely more powerful and loving than any problem we face.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Proverbs 14:26 is available in the Sola app.
This verse promises not just personal benefit, but a lasting inheritance for your children. What kind of inheritance is it?
The security found in the fear of the Lord isn't just a personal blessing; it creates a spiritual and practical 'refuge' for future generations.
God's Generational Faithfulness
The verse suggests that a life lived in awe of God provides a foundation of safety and stability that extends to one's children. This isn't a guarantee against all hardship, but it points to God’s faithfulness to those who are faithful to Him.
More Than Just Protection
This 'refuge' encompasses spiritual security – knowing God as Father – and often practical well-being, as righteous living tends to create a more stable environment. It's the assurance that God’s care and provision, established through a parent's devotion, extend to their offspring.
Understand the original words
yir'ah · Hebrew Noun
The reverential awe, worship, and obedience owed by humans to the Creator, rooted in recognizing His holiness, power, and covenantal relationship. It is the foundational posture of wisdom and right living before God.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The supreme, sovereign Creator and Covenant-keeper of Israel, who revealed Himself to Moses as 'I AM'. It signifies the holy, self-existent God of the Bible.
machseh · Hebrew Noun
A secure place of shelter, protection, and trust. Biblically, it refers to God as the ultimate asylum and security for His people amidst life's dangers.
This psalm echoes the 'strong confidence' found in the fear of the Lord, stating, 'The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?'
Romans 8:31Paul directly connects God's presence with ultimate confidence, asking, 'If God is for us, who can be against us?' mirroring the security found in fearing the Lord.
Deuteronomy 7:9This passage highlights the generational aspect of God's faithfulness to those who love Him, showing how His promises and protection extend to their descendants, similar to the refuge promised to the children in Proverbs.
Psalm 103:17This verse speaks of the Lord's steadfast love enduring for generations of those who fear Him, reinforcing the idea that the blessing of the God-fearing man, including refuge, passes on to his children.
Isaiah 41:10This promise from Isaiah assures those who are called by God of His presence, strength, and support, directly addressing the confidence and refuge that arise from acknowledging His sovereignty.
pulpitProverbs 14:26: "In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge."
Verse 26. - In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence. The fear of God casts out all fear of man, all despairing anticipations of possible evil, and makes the believer confident and bold. St. Gregory ('Moral.,' 5:33), "As in the way of the world fear gives rise to weakness, so in the way of God fear produces strength. In truth, our mind so much the more valorously sets at naught all…
ellicottProverbs 14:26: "In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge."
(26) His children.— Either, the children of the man who fears the Lord, as the blessing of Abraham ( Genesis 17:7-8 ) and David ( Jeremiah 33:20-21 ) descended to their children; or the pronoun may refer to God’s children, i.e., those who look up to Him as a father, an expression which occurs in the Old Testament (e g., Psalm 73:15 ), but is brought forward more prominently in the New…
The true richness of this verse lies in the surprising connection made between "strong confidence" and "refuge for his children." It's not just about personal security; the confidence gained from fearing the Lord naturally extends as a lasting protection and safe place for the generations that follow. This highlights how a life lived in reverence for God creates an enduring legacy of safety and hope, not just for oneself, but for one's entire family line.
This verse is part of a larger collection of wisdom sayings that contrast the paths of the righteous and the wicked. It directly follows a verse that describes the wicked person as being cast out and disgraced, highlighting the negative consequences of their actions. In this context, verse 26 pivots to describe the positive outcome for those who revere God, offering a strong sense of security for both themselves and their descendants.
This verse is part of a larger collection of wisdom sayings that contrast the paths of the righteous and the wicked. It directly follows a verse that describes the wicked person as being cast out and disgraced, highlighting the negative consequences of their actions. In this context, verse 26 pivots to describe the positive outcome for those who revere God, offering a strong sense of security for both themselves and their descendants.
"In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge." — The true richness of this verse lies in the surprising connection made between "strong confidence" and "refuge for his children." It's not just about personal security; the confidence gained from fea…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
