Should we fear God? David’s reasons for praising our holy and awesome God (v 9) conclude with the idea that ‘wisdom’ begins with fearing him. Why? Current church worship tends to focus on a God of love, but Jesus often expressed anger at the words and deeds of those claiming to be speaking on God’s behalf and failing (‘You have heard, but I tell you…’), declaring that God’s claims on his followers were more exacting than any human demand to simply keep the rules (Matthew 5:20–26).

Perhaps ‘fear’ in this case is about showing due respect to our Creator and his works. Throughout the Bible and recorded history, proud people often come to a sticky end, because they are more interested in building their own reputation instead of serving the common good. However, ‘knowing your place’ is a good starting point for anyone wanting to build anything worthwhile because it shows we are willing to humbly learn from others with more knowledge or experience. Furthermore, remembering what God has done for us (including dying for us on the cross) keeps everything in perspective, even our own aspirations or achievements.