Happy [is] the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.
Ver. 14. Blessed is the man that feareth always.] That is "in the fear of the Lord all day long." Pro 23:17 Duo sunt timores Dei, servilis et amicalis, saith Bede: There is a twofold fear of God - servile and filial; perfect love casts out the former, breeds and feeds the latter. By this "fear of the Lord it is that men depart from evil," that they shake off security, that they abound in God's work, that they may abide in his love, that they set a jealous eye upon their own hearts, and suspect a snake under every flower, a snare in every creature, and do therefore "feed with fear," and "rejoice in fear," "pass the whole time of their sojourning here in fear," yea, "work out their whole salvation with fear and trembling." Oh the blessedness of such!
But he that hardeneth his heart.] As a perfect stranger to God's holy fear. The contrite heart ever "trembles at God's word" Isa 57:17 "Why hast thou hardened our hearts from thy fear," Isa 63:17 which, as fire doth iron, mollifies the hardest heart, and makes it malleable. Fear is a fruit of repentance, 2 Corinthians 7:11 , "yea, what fear" which intenerates the heart, and makes it capable of Divine impressions, as Josiah. On the other side, the Jews feared not God because of a rebellious heart. Jer 5:22-23
Shall fall into mischief.] Manifold mischief, ruin without remedy Pro 29:18 The incestuous person, though delivered up to Satan, repented and recovered: but he that is delivered up to a hard heart, to a dead and dedolent disposition, is in a manner desperate and deplored; he "heaps up wrath against the day of wrath." Rom 2:5 This made a reverent man once say, If I must be put to my choice, I had rather be in hell with a sensible heart than on earth with a reprobate mind. A hard heart is, in some respect, worse than hell: since one of the greatest sins is far greater in evil than any of the greatest punishments, as one hath well observed.