Bible Dictionary
AWE
Awe is fear joined with reverence and wonder. In Scripture it commonly describes the worshiper’s response to God’s holiness, majesty, and power, leading to reverence and careful obedience.
Definition
Awe is fear mingled with reverence and wonder, produced by something terrible, sublime, powerful, or holy.
Biblical Usage
Except where it describes Saul’s feeling toward David, the cited passages use awe for reverential fear toward God. It is the characteristic attitude of the pious soul before God’s power, holiness, and law.
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>o: Fear mingled with reverence and wonder, a state of mind inspired by something terrible or sublime.</p><p>In the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) it occurs in Ps 4:4: "Stand in awe, and sin not" (where the Revised Version, margin has, "Be ye angry," so Septuagint; compare Eph 4:26); Ps 33:8; 119:161. In the following passages the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "stand in awe" for the King James Version "fear": Ps 22:23 phoboumenoi;</p><p>Isa 29:23; 1Sa 18:15; Mal 2:5; and in Heb 12:28 it substitutes "awe" for the King James Version "reverence" (deos here only in New Testament). In all these passages, except 1Sa 18:15 (eulabeito, where it describes Saul's feeling toward David), the word stands for man's attitude of reverential fear toward God. This is the characteristic attitude of the pious soul toward God in the Scriptures, especially in the Old Testament. It arises from a consciousness of the infinite power, sublimity and holiness of God, which fills the mind with the "fear of the Lord," and a dread of violating His law. See FEAR.</p><p>D. Miall Edwards</p>