I Desire to Tremble at Your Word

There is a portion in the book of Isaiah that has always inspired and intrigued me deeply.

Isaiah 66:2b LORD GOD is speaking saying, “To this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.” 

So what exactly does it mean to tremble at God’s word? Tremble, shake, be afraid? To tremble when one speaks seems to be much more serious that just hearing or even obeying. It speaks of a sobriety that causes a visceral reaction. Tremble means fear but also reverence. One who is superior, seriously superior. One able to hold the hearer to account if they do not listen or respond appropriately. My first thought is to think of one called to pull over by a police officer. However, this verse is deeper than fear or even reverence. This is the LORD HIMSELF speaking and promising to ‘look’ to the humble contrite one trembling. This is not the look of a police detective peering at a criminal caught in some transgression being investigated under a hot light. This is the Father of spirits looking at a child of His Great Love. In the New Testament there is a verse in 2 Corinthians 3:16-18.

2 Corinthians 3:16 -18 that says that ‘whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit is Lord is there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” 

When we tremble at His Word we draw the gaze of His love. He promises to look to us, to pay attention to us, to move heaven and earth on our behalf. We look up to Him in fear, reverend humility, and contrition knowing He is awesome in power and authority. However He, like the father in the story of the prodigal son, is running to us longing for a deeper loving relationship. We desire to respond to Him as He is and He looks to us and looks after us! What is our response to this look? Grateful love and praise and even more contrition. 

1 John 4:19 “We Love because He first loved us.