One of the most important attitudes students should demonstrate is respect. Students need to respect their teachers because their teachers are in a position of authority and have more experience/knowledge than they do. But respecting strangers doesn’t come naturally to everyone – some people need help learning how to show respect for their teachers. So teachers have to sometimes prove their worthiness to students. Teachers earn and keep the respect of their students by their actions, words, and attitudes. In return, those actions (hopefully) help students see why their teacher deserves respect.
In Psalm 34, David is recounting God’s goodness. He proclaims:
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
David details how God protected him in the face of his enemies and answered his prayers.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
In the middle of this praise, thanksgiving and declaration of God’s goodness David makes this statement:
Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
Here David is talking to the children of Israel. He tells them to come listen to his declaration of God’s goodness. David adamantly states that with it he will teach them to fear the Lord. Is David suddenly telling the children of Israel that they should be afraid of God? No – that would be a sudden departure in tone and message from Psalm 34. Instead, David is telling the children of Israel that by listening and hearing about God’s goodness and care that David can teach them to revere and respect Yahweh.
Psalm 34 describes in detail all that God does for the righteous:
✏️ The Lord answers us (vs. 4).
✏️ The Lord delivers us from all our fears (vs. 4).
✏️ The Lord saves us from trouble (vs. 6, 17, 19).
✏️ The Lord protects and delivers those that fear/respect Him (vs. 7).
✏️ The Lord provides refuge to those who seek Him (vs. 8).
✏️ The Lord ensures we lack no good thing (vs. 10).
✏️ The Lord watches out for us (vs. 15).
✏️ The Lord hears our cries (vs. 15).
✏️ The Lord stands against those who do evil (vs. 16).
✏️ The Lord is near to the brokenhearted (vs. 18).
✏️ The Lord saves those with a crushed spirit (vs. 18).
✏️ The Lord condemns those that hate the righteous (vs. 21).
✏️ The Lord redeems the lives of his servants (vs. 22).
It is in the middle of this amazing list that David declares because of all the Lord has done for Him David can teach others how to fear Yahweh. He immediately outlines how to fear and respect God: Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
To show God the fear, respect, and reverence He deserves, we must keep our mouths form evil, do good, and pursue peace. And why should we show Him this respect – why should we revere and fear the Lord? Because of His own actions, attitudes, and words. Like any good teacher, God action’s merit our respect and fear. Yahweh has done more than any person or being has done or ever will do for us. He has earned our respect and reverence. So, we must and should want to show it to Him. #TheMasterTeacher #GodsPupils
Adonai's Appeal 