“The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.”
My Notes
What Does Psalms 25:14 Mean?
David reveals a principle of divine intimacy: the secret of the LORD is with them that fear him. God has secrets — and he shares them with a specific group: those who fear him. The reverence is the qualification for the revelation.
The word secret (sod) means intimate counsel, confidential communication, the inner circle. God has an inner circle — and admission is based not on intelligence or status but on fear. The reverential awe that takes God seriously is the key to his confidence.
"He will shew them his covenant" — the secret is not abstract mystery. It is covenant — the specific terms of God's relationship with his people. God reveals the depths of his commitment to those who revere him.
The verse describes a spiritual principle: the depth of revelation corresponds to the depth of reverence. Casual worshippers receive surface truth. Those who fear God receive his secrets — the intimate counsel that casual observers never access.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What is 'the secret of the LORD' — and why is it shared only with those who fear him?
- 2.How does reverence function as the key to deeper revelation?
- 3.What is the difference between casual worship and the fear that accesses God's secrets?
- 4.Where might deeper reverence produce deeper revelation in your spiritual life?
Devotional
The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him. God has secrets. Confidential information. Intimate counsel reserved for an inner circle. And the qualification for the inner circle is not education or talent. It is fear — reverence, awe, holy trembling.
With them that fear him. The secret is not broadcast. It is shared — personally, intimately, with those who take God seriously enough to fear him. The casual do not receive the secret. The reverent do.
He will shew them his covenant. The secret is specific: his covenant. The terms of his commitment. The depth of his promises. The specifics of his relationship. God reveals the details to those who approach with appropriate awe.
The principle is consistent throughout Scripture: the depth of your reverence determines the depth of your revelation. God does not share his secrets with the casual, the distracted, or the presumptuous. He shares them with the fearful — those who tremble at his word, who approach with awe, who take his holiness seriously.
Do you want to know God's secrets? The path is not more study. It is more fear. Not terror — reverence. The trembling awareness that you are in the presence of someone infinitely greater than you. That posture — maintained consistently — opens the door to the inner circle.
The secret of the LORD. Available. Waiting. For those who fear him enough to receive it.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him,.... The secret of his purposes with them; as his purpose according to…
The secret of the Lord - On the word here rendered “secret,” see the notes at Job 15:8. It properly means a couch or…
God's promises are here mixed with David's prayers. Many petitions there were in the former part of the psalm, and many…
Mysterious spiritual blessings await him too. To those who fear Him Jehovah reveals His secret counsel. Cp. Pro 3:32;…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture