God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints,
&c.] Which Jarchi and Kimchi understand of angels again, and render it "God is to be feared in the great assembly of them"; for they are a very large number, even an innumerable company, in and by whom the Lord is feared and worshipped, ( Hebrews 12:21 ) ( Revelation 5:11 ) ( Revelation 7:11 Revelation 7:12 ) , but rather an assembly or congregation of holy men are designed: it is the duty of such to assemble together publicly for religious worship; they ought to do it on account of the Lord, who requires it, and encourages it by his presence, he has promised; on the account of themselves, it being for their profit and pleasure; and on the account of others, for their conversion and comfort; and in imitation of the people of God, in all ages; nor should they forsake the assembling of themselves: the word (dwo) rendered "assembly", signifies "counsel" or "secret"; see ( Genesis 49:6 ) and so the Targum,
``God is mighty in the secrets of the saints, sitting on a throne of glory;''in the assembly of the saints, the secrets of God's love are disclosed unto them; the doctrines and mysteries of his grace, called the whole counsel of God, ( Acts 20:27 ) are there made known; and the ordinances of the Gospel, which also are styled the counsel of God, ( Luke 7:30 ) , are there administered: now, where all this is done,
God is greatly feared herein;
not with a slavish fear, a fear of hell and damnation, such as may be in devils; nor with an hypocritical fear, such as is taught by the precepts of men; but with a filial, godly fear, such as is peculiar to the children of God; with an holy and humble fear, with a fiducial and fearless one; with a reverential affection for the Divine Being, and such as includes all worship of him, internal and external: and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him; which the Targum paraphrases
``and is to be feared above all the angels that stand round about him''and so Kimchi interprets it; see ( Revelation 5:11 ) ( 7:11 ) , but the same thing, in different words, is meant, as in the preceding clause.