Hebrew · yir-AH
יִרְאָה
Yirah
“Fear; holy awe and reverence”
“The yirah of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Proverbs 9:10
Yirah is not terror — it is the trembling that comes when you stand before something vastly greater than yourself and realize it is for you, not against you.
What it means
Scripture calls yirah 'the beginning of wisdom' — awe is where understanding starts, not where it ends.
It is the emotion of standing at the edge of the sea as it parts, of Sinai wrapped in smoke, of an empty tomb at dawn.
The fear of the Lord displaces every smaller fear: he who fears God fears nothing else in the same way again.
Pray the word
Lord, restore my awe. Show me Your greatness until my problems find their true size.
Teach me the holy trembling that walks carefully before You and walks fearlessly before men.
Let reverence for You be the anchor of every decision I make today.
I walk in the fear of the Lord — holy awe before Him, and no fear of man before me.
In the Mighty Name of Jesus! Amen.
Where it appears: Proverbs 1:7 · Psalm 34:9 · Isaiah 33:6 · Acts 9:31