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By William Van Zyl
Published November 28, 2025.
I share with you an insight I have gained during my devotional time – early in the morning – at my house: Thursday, November 27, 2025. Fear is an interesting word. You may ask how fear can be clean? It is clean, immaculate. Please continue reading.
Psalm 19:9 (KJV)
“The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.”
Yes, I am talking about the “FEAR OF THE LORD”. It is clean, spotless.
1. The Phrase: “The fear of the LORD is clean…”
Here, “fear of the LORD” refers not to terror, but to reverent awe, worshipful obedience, and heart-level submission to God. In Psalm 19, David lists different expressions describing God’s Word—law, testimony, statutes, commandments, fear, judgments—each giving a different angle on God’s revealed truth.
So here, “the fear of the LORD” = the life of reverent obedience produced by the Word.
2. Hebrew Word Study
A. “Clean” (Hebrew: טָהוֹר – tahor)
Meaning
Pure, uncontaminated, flawless, ceremonially clean, morally upright, free from corruption.
Usage in Scripture
The word tahor is used throughout the Old Testament to describe:
- Pure gold (Exod. 25:11)
- Clean animals (Lev. 10:10)
- A pure heart (Psalm 51:10: “Create in me a clean (tahor) heart”)
- Pure words of God (Psalm 12:6)
Theological meaning in Psalm 19:9
Here, tahor means:
- God’s fear-producing Word has no moral impurity.
- It is never corrupt, misleading, or polluted.
- It cleanses the person who follows it.
- It is spiritually hygienic—free from defilement or decay.
So “clean” means spiritually, morally, and truthfully pure—nothing in it leads to moral contamination.
B. “Enduring” (Hebrew: עוֹמֶדֶת – omedet)
The core root is עָמַד (amad) meaning:
- To stand
- To remain
- To endure
- To be fixed, established, immovable
Sense in Psalm 19:9:
Omedet means that the fear of the LORD—produced by His Word—does not fade, decay, or lose relevance.
- It stands firm through all ages.
- It is permanent, not temporary.
- It continues unchanging no matter what cultures or generations do.
3. Greek Word Study (Septuagint/LXX)
The Septuagint (Greek OT) translates:
“Clean” → καθαρά (kathara)
Meaning:
- Pure
- Unmixed
- Free from stain
- Morally clean
- Cleansing
Same root as katharsis (purging, purification).
“Enduring” → μένει (menei)
From μένω (meno) meaning:
- To abide
- To remain
- To continue unchanged
- To stay permanently
This is the same word used in the New Testament:
“He that abideth (meno) in me…” (John 15:5)
4. What Does “Clean” Mean Here? A Full Explanation
When David says, “The fear of the Lord is clean,” he means:
1. It is morally pure
No part of God’s Word is corrupt, misleading, or morally questionable. It is ethically flawless.
2. It produces purity
The fear of God cleanses a person from:
- moral dirt
- spiritual pollution
- unholy desires
- sinful thinking
3. It never corrupts
Unlike human traditions or the wisdom of the world, God’s fear does not decay or degrade over
4. It is refreshing and life-giving
Clean water revives and doesn’t make one sick—so does the fear of God.
5. It is free from mixture
No syncretism, no impurity, no contamination with falsehood.
It is pure in essence and purifying in effect.
5. Summary
| Phrase | Hebrew | Meaning |
| “Clean” | טָהוֹר tahor | Pure, flawless, morally clean, spiritually cleansing |
| “Enduring” | עוֹמֶדֶת omedet | Permanent, standing firm, never fading, unchanging |
| Greek “clean” | καθαρά kathara | Pure, unmixed, cleansing |
| Greek “enduring” | μένει menei | Abides, remains, continues permanently |
6. Final Insight
Psalm 19:9 teaches that:
- A life shaped by reverent fear of God
- Is morally pure (clean)
- And remains unchanging throughout life and eternity (enduring forever)
The holiness produced by God’s Word will never fade or lose its value. It stands as firm as God Himself.
Copyright © 2025 by William Van Zyl
Fear Is Clean.
All rights reserved. This eBook/article or any portion
thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner
without the publisher’s permission, except for using brief quotations in a book review.
Published by Five House Publishing (New Zealand)
First Publishing, November 2025
More eBooks and articles are available at https://fivehousepublishing.com/
More about the author at http://williamvanzyl.com/
