The Bible actually encourages a type of fear, the fear of the Lord. "The LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love" (Psalm 147:11). This fear of God involves standing in awe of him. In Psalm 65, David expressed this: "You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness, O God our Savior" (v. 5). This fear also includes dreading separation from God or the absence of fellowship with him. In Psalm 51, David modeled this when he prayed: "Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me" (v. 11).
