“O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. For the LORD Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth” (Psalm 47:1-2).

The King James Version of the Bible uses the word “terrible” in place of the word “awesome.” Apparently when the KJV was being translated, this word “terrible” actually meant that which was incredibly awe-inspiring. The word “awesome” is an accurate translation of the Hebrew word yare. We are to stand in awe of God, fear Him, and offer the true devotion of worship to Him because He is God. Many years ago when I was holding a family conference in Phoenix, Arizona, as I stepped out of my motel room, a beautiful shiny 1957 Chevy slowly rolled by. A teenage boy several rooms down from me looked at the car, looked at me, looked back at the car, and then looked at me and said, “That car is awesome, dude!” First of all I was not a dude. Secondly, and much more important, that 57 Chevy was a pretty car, but it was not awesome. Only our great God is “awesome.”

For today: Let’s be careful how we use the term “awesome.” I think it should be reserved for God alone. But that’s how I see it. How about you?