HEBREW WORD STUDY – TREMBLE – רעד  Resh Ayin Daleth

Psalms 2:11: “Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.”

On our All Access subscription site I am beginning to do a comprehensive and in-depth study of the Book of Psalms from the Hebrew with references to Jewish commentators, rabbis, and sages as well as Jewish literature such as the Talmud and the Midrash.  I figure it will take three years to get through the whole book. This is for my own personal edification but as those who subscribe to our, All Access are usually people who have a real interest in such an in-depth study I will share it with them as well.  The content will be too much to put in a book so only those who subscribe to the site will be able to read my weekly study into the Psalms.  However, I would like to give you a little teaser as I feel there is a message buried in the Hebrew in this passage that many might miss from a cursory reading. 

At first reading, it seems we are to serve the Lord with fear, that is we must be cautious and very careful because if we blow it, God will crush us with His thumb.  Yes, there will be rejoicing when we serve God but we will also be so afraid we will be trembling with fear. Jewish commentators are very clear that this fear is not a fear for your own gizzard.  It was none other than Charles Darwin himself who put the fear for one’s own safety into the English word for fear.  Prior to that time the English word fear meant to fear to offend someone, wounding their heart or breaking their heart.  Sort of like, “I fear to tell you this but…”   This is a fear rooted in a concern for another.  It was used in the age of chivalry where you went out of your way to show respect for another.  We see remnants of this today if you watch C-Span.  Two Senators from opposing parties who might literally hate each will address each other by saying: “I would like to disagree with my esteemed and honored colleague who stems from that beautiful and glorious State of our Union etc. etc, etc.”  Of course, once outside the Senate chambers and confronted with the press asking him what he thought of Senator Mitiwind’s proposal he would say: “That big old blowhard from that liberal socialist state of our Union is just looking for political points.” The point is the Middle English word fear is to show respect for the person’s position even if you have no respect for that person himself. 

There was a time when Congressman Andrew Jacobs from the 10^th and 11^th districts of Indiana and Congresswoman Martha Keys of Kansas’s 2^nd district got married.  If Congressman Jacobs were to yield the floor to Congresswoman Keys, he would not have said: “Honey, you may have the floor.”  He would have followed protocol and said: “I yield to my honorable and esteem colleague Congresswoman etc. etc.”  Even when going through their divorce the language would remain the same.  Of course, when off Capital Hill she was Honey and he was Sweetheart – initially.

To fear God is to show respect for His position and the role He plays as the creator of the Universe.  So we serve the Lord in recognition of his position as God. If the President of the United States asks for some sort of service from someone, they will be honored and take the request very seriously, if for any reason just out of respect of the office. Sometimes we take our service for God lightly, like it is a favor for an old buddy.  When we serve God we must always keep in mind His position as the creator of the universe and if he asks some service from us, it is an honor and a privilege and a service we take very seriously, with all our hearts. 

To be chosen to serve the God of the universe should bring us joy and cause us to tremble.  Is that to tremble with fear.  Maybe, we do not want to fail the God we love so we fear we will not live up to the job.  But you know that word ra’ad is a trembling alright but it may not have to be fear. The idea behind ra’ad is losing control. If you lose control of your body, it may tremble. But there are other forms of losing control. Ra’ad can be losing control of your will, that is giving control of your will to God.  Thus if you serve the Lord out of respect for His office as God you will rejoice for you need not fear failure if you are yielding your will and strength to Him, that is giving Him complete control over the task you are performing for Him.