Ps 33:11

“"Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord" (ver. 11). Ye think, brethren, that I say this: think that David saith it; think that an Apostle saith it; nay think that our Lord Jesus Christ Himself saith it; "Come, ye children, hearken unto Me." Let us hearken unto Him together: hearken ye unto Him through us. For He would teach us; He the Humble, He that drummeth, He that affecteth, would teach us. ...”

“This is not the fear that leads to dread, but the kind that leads to love. Fear of people is full of bitterness, but this fear is full of sweetness. The first compels us to slavery, but the second draws us toward freedom. Finally, the first fears confinement, but the second opens up the kingdom of heaven. So he rightly professes that this second type of fear is useful and we ought to learn it with an eager mind.”

“"Come, children, hear me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord." These words are of the Prophet David, in which he invites the children of the grace of God and the children of adoption to learn this lesson: and he invites not only the little ones, but also the advanced and the aged and the decrepit. This is a lesson that ought to be taught in youth and never abandoned. This lesson, therefore, is for all. It is true that Sacred Scripture speaks of the fear of the Lord; and the fear of the Lord is handed down in Sacred Scripture. The preacher does as a man who is in a meadow and gathers flowers: he cannot gather them all, but he gathers some and makes from them a garland. I wish to make for you a garland from the flowers that I have gathered, which for the present I wish to set before you. It seems to me that the fear of the Lord is a most beautiful tree planted in the heart of the holy man, which God waters continually: and when the tree is brought to perfection, then the man is worthy of eternal glory. I wish to describe for you the root of this tree and its branching together with its fruit. And what is the root of the fear of the Lord? For it is necessary to go to the original principle, so that we may know by what way the fear of God arises in us. Now the fear of God arises in us first from the consideration of the sublimity of divine power, second, from the consideration of the perspicacity of divine wisdom, third, from the consideration of the severity of divine vengeance.”

“"Come." Having presented above the exhortation to praise, here a necessary instruction is presented. And concerning this he does two things. First, he instructs about the fear of God. Second, about divine providence, at "The eyes of the Lord," etc. Concerning the first he does two things. First, he presents, as it were, a proem to his teaching. Second, he adds his teaching, at "Who is the man?" In the introduction he does three things. First, he renders the hearer benevolent. Second, attentive, at "Listen to me." Third, docile, at "I will teach you the fear of the Lord." He says therefore, as to the first, "Come, children." For it belongs to parents to love their children; and therefore he says "children," so that by parental love he may render them benevolent. Likewise, it belongs to parents to invite their children to learning and to educate them; hence he says, "Come": Gen. 49: "Jacob called his sons and said, Gather yourselves together that I may tell you what shall happen to you in the last days": Heb. 12: "We have had fathers of our flesh as educators, and we reverenced them." As to the second he says, "Listen to me": Prov. 1: "The wise man, hearing, will be wiser," etc. Sir. 33: "Hear me, O you great men, and all you peoples, and you rulers of the Church," etc. Third, he renders them docile; and this when he indicates what he is about to speak of: "I will teach you the fear of the Lord," that is, what fruit you shall have if you fear God. Or, how you should fear God. And he begins with fear, and rightly so; because in knowledge one must begin with the elements: Prov. 1: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," namely divine wisdom.”