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Chapter 4ViaRegia.1.4

De timore

The Royal Road of Fear

The author introduces the third step of the royal road, defining the fear of the Lord as the necessary foundation for all righteous work.

With God's help, we've already reached the third step of the royal road, where we must plant the right foot of our work. But since we can't act on our own, let's carefully consult the Prophet of that same Lord whose road we are walking. Kind, humble David is here with us, filled with the Holy Spirit, and he shows us where, after keeping God's commandments and after blessed service, we ought to plant the foot of our work, saying: Serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice before him with trembling. The Apostle also warns us: Work out your salvation with fear. See how the royal road lies open; see how clear it is; see how freely it offers itself to those who come to meet it: it spreads out level for travelers and shines brightly for those who walk it. What could be clearer? What could be more radiant? Or what could be more fitting than that whoever loves the Lord should keep his commandments and work in them? And whoever works should not work emptily or boastfully, but with the fear of God; and he should not claim empty, hollow praise for himself over a good work, but should continually give the Lord the thanks he is owed—who both fills him with the fruit of good work and grants him happy help as he works.1 For it is written: Those who fear the Lord have hoped in the Lord; he is their helper and their protector.

A King's Prayerful Protection

The author invites the king to adopt the prayers of the saints, grounding his royal authority in the protective fear of God.

Fear God, then, most gentle king, so that he may always give you protection and blessed help, and so that your voice, joined with the voices of Miriam, Moses, and Aaron, may cry out to the King of kings and say: The Lord is my helper and protector, and he has become my salvation.2 And let your voice also, joined with the voice of King David and filled with a cry of joy, shout out and say: The Lord is my strength, my firm support, my refuge, and my deliverer; my God, my helper—and I will hope in him.✦ My protector, and the horn of my salvation, and my upholder.✦3 Praising him, I will call on the Lord, and I will be saved from my enemies.✦ Fear God, King, so that He may continually provide you with strength of soul and body, grant you firmness of mind and everlasting help, exalt the horn of your kingdom, and strengthen your arm with power. For in praise of fear, Solomon says: The fear of the Lord will add days.✦ So fear God, O king—but with that fear that remains holy forever and ever; with that pure fear that will add to the days of this present time eternal days, perpetual days, immortal days, everlasting days: no, one single day without evening and without end, a day full of blessed joy, filled with unfailing light, upheld by the company of angels—a day night does not interrupt, darkness does not darken, cloud does not dim; summer heat does not make unbearable, and winter cold does not make sluggish: a day that will be one for you with the saints, shared with the angels, eternal with both—which with blessed joy will grant you fellowship with the angels, make you a companion of the patriarchs, count you among the prophets, and in rejoicing make you a companion of the apostles.✦4

The Fountain of Life

Drawing on Solomon and the wisdom tradition, the author presents the fear of the Lord as the source of true life and enduring wisdom.

Solomon himself, in praise of good fear, says: The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life.✦ So if you want, O king, to live happily forever, you must eagerly return to that fountain of life. For that fear itself is the fountain of life: continually offering the cup, it will take away thirst forever, and with glory it will bestow the crown of immortality.5 Solomon also says: The fear of the Lord gives life.✦ You see, O king, that the fullness of life is found in the fear of the Lord; you see that it provides us with immortal and eternal life. For our present life isn't sustained by a fullness of days, but the life to come is. We are cut off in the middle of our days; just when we think we’re going to live, we are snatched from this life.✦ As the righteous king Hezekiah says: I said in the middle of my days: I will go to the gates of the underworld, and so on.✦6 My life has been cut off as if by a weaver; while I was still beginning the warp, he cut me down: from morning until evening you will finish me.✦ For the book of Ecclesiasticus gathers into one saying alike that in the fear of God there is the fullness of wisdom, and the fullness of fruits, and the fullness of generations, and the treasure of salvation, and it says: The fullness of wisdom is to fear God; and from its fruits, fullness will fill his whole house with generations, and the storehouses with his treasures.7 The crown of wisdom is the fear of the Lord, filling with peace and the fruit of salvation; and he saw it and numbered it—but both are gifts of God.8 He warns you again, for your salvation, to fear the Lord, saying: Keep his fear, and grow old in it. You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy, and don't turn aside from him, so that you don't fall. You who fear the Lord, trust him, and your reward won't be emptied out. You who fear the Lord, put your hope in him, and mercy will come to you with delight. You who fear the Lord, love him, and your hearts will be enlightened.

The Virtue of True Judgment

The author explains how the fear of God corrects human judgment, elevating the humble over the powerful and establishing a standard for royal virtue.

Solomon himself says again: The fear of God is not to despise the just poor man, and do not exalt the rich sinner. For no matter how great a judge may be, or how powerful in status, he is not greater than the one who fears God. How great is the person who finds wisdom and knowledge—yet they are not above the one who fears God. The fear of God stands above all things; blessed is the person to whom it has been given to fear God.9 The fear of the Lord is like a paradise of blessing, and they have covered him with a covering greater than every glory.10 So you see, king, that this too is a royal virtue: in it is the confidence of strength; in it the fullness of life is found; in it the fullness of fruit is nourished; in it a family's line grows from generation to generation; through it the fruit of salvation and peace springs up; through it a saving treasure is laid up; through it the hearts of the just will be enlightened; through it their reward will increase many times over. It is absolutely true: blessed is the person who has been given the fear of God.

The Rising Sun of Righteousness

The chapter concludes with a promise from Malachi, depicting Christ as the Sun of Righteousness who illuminates the king's mind and secures his reign.

Listen further, King, and pay close attention to what the Lord promises through the prophet Malachi to those who fear him. "The sun of righteousness will rise for you who fear my name," he says, "and healing will be in his wings; and you will go out and leap like calves from the herd; and you will trample the wicked when they have become ashes under the soles of your feet." And so you too must fear the name of the Lord, so that the sun of righteousness—Christ—may rise for you yourself: that he may drive the darkness from your mind, take away the ignorance of your heart, pour into you the light of understanding, direct the rays of wisdom into you, and extend to you a discerning memory; that he may lay the necks of your enemies under your feet to be trampled, and defend the kingdoms of the faithful from the snares of enemies while you rule.11

Read the original Latin

Ecce jam auxiliante Deo ad tertium viae regiae pervenimus gradum, in quo operis nostri rectum debemus figere gressum. Sed quia per nosmetipsos agere non valemus, Prophetam ejusdem Domini, cujus viam gradimur, diligenter interrogemus.

Adest nobis benevolus humilisque David Spiritu sancto repletus, et ubi post observantiam mandatorum Dei, servitiumque beatum pedem operis nostri figere debeamus ostendit, dicens: Servite Domino in timore: et exsultate ei cum tremore. Nam et Apostolus aeque nos admonet, dicens: Cum timore vestram salutem operamini. Ecce quomodo via regia patet, ecce quomodo perspicua est, ecce quomodo ultro se occurrentibus offert: planam se iter agentibus sternit, et lucidam se calcantibus praebet. Quid enim clarius? quid lucidius? quidve congruentius esse potest, quam ut qui diligit Dominum, mandata ejus observet et operetur in eis? et qui operatur, non inaniter, aut jactanter, sed cum timore Dei operetur, et non sibi de bono opere inanes et vacuas tribuat laudes, sed Domino jugiter dignas gratias referat, qui eum et fructu boni operis impleat, et in operando felix ei adjutorium praebeat. Scriptum est enim: Qui timent Dominum, speraverunt in Domino: adjutor eorum et protector eorum est.

Time ergo, o mitissime rex, Deum, ut protectionem tibi jugiter et adjutorium felix ministret, et tua vox cum voce Mariae, Moysi et Aaron unita ad Regem regum clamet, et dicat: Adjutor et protector meus Dominus, et factus est mihi in salutem. Necnon et vox tua cum regis David voce conjuncta, jubiloque exsultationis repleta vociferans clamet, et dicat: Dominus virtus mea, firmamentum meum, et refugium meum, et liberator meus: Deus meus, adjutor meus, et sperabo in eum. Protector meus, et cornu salutis meae, et susceptor meus. Laudans invocabo Dominum, et ab inimicis meis salvus ero.

Time ergo Deum, rex, ut jugem tibi animae virtutem corporisque ministret, firmamentum mentis et adjutorium concedat aeternum, cornu regni tui faciat sublime, et brachium fortitudinis robore confirmet. In timoris etenim laudem Salomon ait: Timor Domini apponet dies. Time ergo Deum, o rex, sed illo timore, qui sanctus permanet in saeculum saeculi; illo casto timore, qui tibi ad dies temporis hujus adjiciet dies aeternos, dies perpetuos, dies immortales, dies perennes: imo diem unum sine vespera et infinitum, diem felici gaudio plenum, indeficiente luce refertum, angelico comitatu suffultum, diem quem nox non interpolat, tenebrae non obscurant, nubilum non offuscat, importabilem non efficit calor aestatis, pigrum non reddit frigus hiemis: dies qui tibimet unus erit cum sanctis, communis cum angelis, aeternus cum utrisque, qui tibi cum felici gaudio consortium tribuat angelorum, et socium faciat patriarcharum, in numero computet prophetarum, in exsultatione socium faciat apostolorum.

Ipse quippe Salomon de laude boni timoris ait: Timor Domini fons vitae. Ergo, si vis, rex, in aeternum feliciter vivere, alacriter ad fontem debes recurrere vitae. Ipse enim est fons vitae, qui juge dans poculum, aeternam auferet sitim, et cum gloria tribuet immortalitatis coronam. Ipse iterum Salomon ait: Timor Domini dat vitam. Vides ergo, rex, quia in timore Domini plenitudo invenitur vitae: vides quia timor Domini nobis immortalem et aeternam ministrat vitam. Praesens etenim vita dierum plenitudine non fulcitur, sed futura. In dimidio namque dierum nostrorum tollimur; et ab ista, dum adhuc vivere cogitamus, rapimur vita. Sic enim rex justus Ezechias ait: Ego dixi in dimidio dierum meorum: Vadam ad portas inferi, etc.

Praecisa est velut a texente vita mea; dum adhuc ordirer, succidit me: de mane usque ad vesperam finies me. Nam quod in timore Dei plenitudo sit sapientiae, et plenitudo fructuum, et plenitudo generationis, et thesaurus salutis, una sententia comprehendit pariter Ecclesiasticus liber, et dicit: Plenitudo sapientiae est timere Deum; et plenitudo a fructibus ejus, omnem domum illius implebit a generationibus, et receptacula a thesauris illius. Corona sapientiae timor Domini, replens pacem, et salutis fructum: et vidit, et dinumeravit eam, utraque autem sunt dona Dei. Ipse iterum te timere Dominum salutariter admonet, dicens: Serva illius timorem, et in illo veterasce. Metuentes Dominum sustinete misericordiam ejus, et non deflectatis ab illo ne cadatis. Qui timetis Dominum, credite illi, et non evacuabitur merces vestra. Qui timetis Dominum, sperate in illum, et in oblectatione vobis veniet misericordia. Qui timetis Dominum, diligite illum, et illuminabuntur corda vestra.

Ipse iterum Salomon ait: Timor Dei est non despicere pauperem justum, et noli magnificare peccatorem divitem. Quia quamvis magnus sit judex et potens in honore, non est major illo qui timet Deum. Quam magnus qui invenit sapientiam et scientiam, sed non est super timentem Deum. Timor Dei se super omnia superposuit: Beatus homo cui donatum est habere timorem Dei. Timor Domini sicut paradisus benedictionis, et super omnem gloriam operuerunt illum.

Vides ergo, rex, quia et ista regia virtus est, in qua fiducia fortitudinis est, in qua vitae plenitudo invenitur, in qua fructuum plenitudo nutritur, in qua generationis crescit prosapia, per quam fructus pullulat salutis et pacis, per quam thesaurus reconditur salutaris, per quam illuminabuntur corda justorum, per quam multipliciter crescet merces eorum. Vere verum est: Beatus cui datum est habere timorem Dei.

Adhuc audi, et diligenter attende, rex, quid Dominus per Malachiam prophetam timentibus se promittat. Orietur, inquit, vobis timentibus nomen meum sol justitiae, et sanitas in pennis ejus; et egrediemini, et salietis sicut vituli de armento; et calcabitis impios, cum fuerint cinis, sub planta pedum vestrorum. Et tibi ergo timendum est nomen Domini, ut sol justitiae tibimet oriatur Christus, qui mentis tuae tenebras repellat, ignorantiam cordis auferat, et lucem intelligentiae infundat, sapientiae radios in te dirigat, et discretionis tui memoriam porrigat, inimicorum colla plantis tuis calcanda substernat, et fidelium regna ab inimicorum insidiis te dominante, defendat.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Ps.17.2-Ps.17.3 — “Let my vindication come from your presence; let your eyes see what is right.” Ps.17.3 — “You have tested my heart; you have examined me in the night; you have tried me and found nothing wrong. I have resolved that my mouth will not transgress.”
  2. ↩Ps.17.3 — “You have tested my heart; you have examined me in the night; you have tried me and found nothing wrong. I have resolved that my mouth will not transgress.”
  3. ↩Ps.17.4 — “As for human deeds, by the word of your lips I have kept away from the paths of the violent.”
  4. ↩Prov.10.27 — The fear of the LORD adds days, but the years of the wicked are cut short.
  5. ↩Ps.19.10;Ps.19.9 — The fear of the LORD is pure, standing forever; the judgments of the LORD are true, righteous altogether. Ps.19.9 — The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, giving light to the eyes.
  6. ↩Prov.14.27 — The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to turn away from the snares of death.
  7. ↩Prov.19.23 — The fear of the LORD leads to life, and the one who is satisfied rests untouched by harm.
  8. ↩Isa.38.10 — I said, in the prime of my life I shall go to the gates of Sheol; I am deprived of the remainder of my years.
  9. ↩Isa.38.10 — I said, in the prime of my life I shall go to the gates of Sheol; I am deprived of the remainder of my years.
  10. ↩Isa.38.12 — My dwelling is removed and folded up from me, like a shepherd's tent. I have rolled up my life like a weaver; he cuts me off from the loom. From day to night you bring me to an end.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩Relative qui (who fills... and grants help) is taken as referring to the Lord, not the worker: Domino... qui eum et fructu... impleat.
  2. 2 ↩Latin Mariae with Moysi et Aaron names the sister of Moses (Miriam in modern English), not the Virgin Mary; rendered Miriam for clarity.
  3. 3 ↩cornu salutis keeps the biblical idiom 'horn of my salvation' (strength/power of deliverance), not a literal animal horn.
  4. 4 ↩casto timore rendered as 'pure fear' (not merely 'chaste'), for the durable biblical/devotional sense of holy fear free of servile dread.
  5. 5 ↩Ipse may be read as the fear of the Lord (immediate antecedent from s1) or as the Lord who is the true fons vitae; rendered as the fear personified as the fountain, which fits the local grammar.
  6. 6 ↩inferi rendered as 'the underworld' (Sheol/Hades sense in Isa 38:10); not modern hell as place of damnation only.
  7. 7 ↩plenitudo generationis / a generationibus can mean offspring, posterity, or successive generations; rendered as 'generations' to keep the biblical house-and-storehouse image.
  8. 8 ↩utraque ('both') most naturally points to peace and the fruit of salvation as twin gifts, though the syntax can also take the crown (fear) and its fruits together.
  9. 9 ↩donatum est marks the fear of God as a gift granted, not a self-made achievement; kept as 'it has been given' rather than flattened to mere possession.
  10. 10 ↩operuerunt illum is third-person plural ('they covered him'); kept the impersonal plural rather than forced into a singular subject. super omnem gloriam taken as the covering surpassing every glory.
  11. 11 ↩discretionis tui memoriam porrigat: rendered as “extend to you a discerning memory,” taking memoria as the soul’s remembering faculty and discretio as practical discernment; could also be heard as “grant you the recollection that belongs to discernment.”

Via Regia (The Royal Road) companion

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