Ps 102:17

“In your reflections therefore on yourself, think of your low estate, think of your dust: be not lifted up: if you are anything better, you will be so by His Grace, you will be so by His mercy. For hear what follows: "but the mercy of the Lord endures for ever and ever upon them that fear Him" [Psalm 103:17]. You who fear not Him, will be grass, and in grass, and in torment with the grass: for the flesh shall arise unto the torment. Let those who fear Him rejoice, because His mercy is upon them.”

“We need divine mercy pardoning our offenses, and divine justice recompensing our merits. But the fear of God makes one find mercy, and the observance of the commandments, justice. The consideration of the magnificence of God leads to fearing; the consideration of the divine law leads to the observance of the commandments. And for this reason it is suggested to us that we should always meditate on the divine law. Whence the Jews on the Sabbath day were accustomed always to dispute concerning the law of God, because this is the work of God.”

“We cannot have the grace of God except through the fear of God, because "the mercy of the Lord is from eternity and unto eternity upon those who fear him." No one receives the grace of God unless he fears God. Bernard says: "In truth I have learned that nothing is equally efficacious for meriting, preserving, and multiplying the grace of God as if at all times you are found before God not to be wise in lofty things, but to fear."”