The fear of a king [is] as the roaring of a lion,.... The wrath and displeasure of a king, which causes fear; see Proverbs 19:12; kings should be terrors to evil works and workers, though not to good ones, Romans 13:3. This is true of the King of kings, who one day will be terrible to the drunkards, the mockers, and murderers of his people, before spoken of;
[whoso] provoketh him to anger sinneth [against] his own soul; he exposes his life to danger: the Targum supplies it as we do. It may be rendered, his "soul sinneth" a; he is guilty of sin, as well as is in danger of punishment; see Proverbs 8:36.
a חוטא נפשו.