“The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverted mouth, I hate.” — Proverbs 8:13

The fear of the Lord is a concept that runs deep in Scripture, calling us to revere and honor God in all aspects of our lives. This verse provides not only a definition of what it means to fear the Lord but also an invitation to examine our hearts and align our lives with God’s holiness.

Pride, as described in this passage, is the root of all sin. It was pride that caused Satan to fall from his glory as a created being, and it is pride that continues to lead humanity away from God. Pride is essentially placing anything or anyone, including ourselves, before God. It is a rebellion against the Creator’s rightful authority and a violation of the first four commandments of the Decalogue, which emphasize putting God first and giving Him the reverence He is due. As the author and sustainer of all things, God deserves our utmost honor. Pride is the foundational sin because it sets the stage for all other sins to flourish.

Closely tied to pride is arrogance. Those who are prideful often exhibit arrogance, a trait that reflects an inflated sense of self-importance and entitlement. This mindset leads to a selfish and self-centered way of thinking, where others—and even God—are marginalized. The combination of pride and arrogance distorts the mind and heart, pulling us further from God and His purpose for our lives.

The verse also mentions “the evil way” and “the perverted mouth.” These are not isolated sins but are natural outcomes of pride and arrogance. A life steeped in selfishness and rebellion against God will inevitably produce evil actions and corrupt speech. Our words, after all, reflect the condition of our hearts. The perverted mouth becomes a vehicle for spreading sin and harming others, further compounding the damage that pride initiates.

God’s response to these sins is clear: He hates them. This hatred is not arbitrary or spiteful but stems from His very nature. God is holy, completely without sin, and utterly opposed to anything that contradicts His character. Sin is not merely an affront to God’s rules; it is a direct challenge to His holiness and an obstacle to the relationship He desires to have with us.

To fear the Lord, therefore, is to recognize the gravity of sin and align ourselves with God’s perspective. It means discerning the sins of pride, arrogance, and corruption and taking active steps to oppose them in our lives and the world around us. The fear of the Lord calls us to humility, to place God at the center of our lives, and to honor Him in everything we do. It also calls us to speak out against sin, not in judgment but in truth and love, pointing others to the holiness and grace of God.

This is not an easy calling, but it is a vital one. As we grow in our understanding of God’s holiness and the destructiveness of sin, our hearts will increasingly reflect His desires. We will hate what He hates and love what He loves, living lives that honor Him and draw others closer to His light. The fear of the Lord is not just a reverence for His power but a commitment to walk in His ways, rejecting evil and embracing righteousness.

“Do you mortify; do you make it your daily work; be always at it whilst you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you.” — John Owen