The Lord's Prayer has been badly mistranslated for almost 2000 years, to devastating effect.

a reply to: Cwantas
and a reply to: quintessentone

From the foregoing, we can see that fear of God is a wholesome attitude that all of us should cultivate, since it is a fundamental part of our worship of Jehovah. It leads us to trust in him implicitly, to walk in his ways, and to cling to him. As was true of Jesus Christ, fear of God can also move us to fulfill our dedication to God.

Godly fear is never morbid or unduly restrictive. “Happy is everyone fearing Jehovah, who is walking in his ways,” the Bible assures us. (Psalm 128:1) Jehovah encourages us to fear him because he knows that this quality will protect us. We note his loving concern in his words to Moses: “If only they [the Israelites] would develop this heart of theirs to fear me and to keep all my commandments always, in order that it might go well with them and their sons to time indefinite!”​—Deuteronomy 5:29.

Similarly, if we develop our heart to fear God, it will go well with us. In what ways? First of all, such an attitude will please God and will draw us close to him. David knew from personal experience that “the desire of those fearing him he will perform, and their cry for help he will hear, and he will save them.” (Psalm 145:19) Second, godly fear will benefit us because it will affect our attitude toward what is bad. (Proverbs 3:7)

Do not become wise in your own eyes.

Fear Jehovah and turn away from bad. (Proverbs 3:7)

“Just as courage imperils life, fear protects it,” observed Leonardo da Vinci. Bravado, or foolhardy courage, blinds a man to danger, whereas fear reminds him to be careful. For example, if we get near the edge of a cliff and see how far down we could fall, most of us instinctively move back. Similarly, a wholesome fear not only promotes a good relationship with God, as explained in the previous comment, but also helps safeguard us from injury.

Fear of many modern-day hazards, however, has to be learned. Since young children are unaware of the dangers of electricity or city traffic, they can easily have a serious accident. Wise parents try to instill a wholesome fear in their offspring, warning them again and again of surrounding dangers. Parents know that this fear may well save their children’s life.

Jehovah has a similar concern for our well-being. As a loving Father, he teaches us through his Word and his organization to benefit ourselves. (Isaiah 48:17) Part of this divine teaching program involves warning us “again and again” about spiritual pitfalls so that we can develop a healthy fear of such danger. (2 Chronicles 36:15; 2 Peter 3:1) Throughout history many spiritual disasters could have been avoided and much suffering averted ‘if only people had developed this heart of theirs to fear God and keep his commandments.’ (Deuteronomy 5:29) In these “critical times hard to deal with,” how can we develop our heart to fear God and keep out of spiritual danger?​—2 Timothy 3:1.

The Bible explains that “the fear of Jehovah means the hating of bad.” (Proverbs 8:13) A Bible lexicon describes this hatred as “an emotional attitude toward persons and things which are opposed, detested, despised and with which one wishes to have no contact or relationship.” So godly fear includes an inner aversion or disgust toward all that is bad in Jehovah’s eyes.* (Psalm 97:10) It impels us to turn aside from bad, just as we would back away from the edge of a cliff when our instinctive fear sounds the alarm. “In the fear of Jehovah one turns away from bad,” says the Bible.​—Proverbs 16:6. (*: Jehovah himself feels this disgust. For example, Ephesians 4:29 describes bad language as “rotten saying.” The Greek word used for “rotten” literally refers to putrefying fruit, fish, or meat. Such a term vividly portrays the repulsion that we should feel toward abusive or obscene speech. Likewise, idols are often described in the Scriptures as “dungy.” (Deuteronomy 29:17; Ezekiel 6:9) Our natural aversion to dung, or excrement, helps us to understand God’s feeling of disgust for any form of idolatry.)

We can reinforce this wholesome fear and hatred for what is bad by considering the harmful consequences that sin inevitably brings. The Bible assures us that we will reap what we sow​—whether we sow according to the flesh or according to the spirit. (Galatians 6:7, 8) For this reason Jehovah graphically described the inevitable results of disregarding his commandments and abandoning true worship. Without divine protection, the small, vulnerable nation of Israel would be at the mercy of cruel and powerful neighbors. (Deuteronomy 28:15, 45-48) The tragic outcome of Israel’s disobedience was recorded in detail in the Bible “for a warning” so that we can learn the lesson and cultivate godly fear.​—1 Corinthians 10:11.

Apart from what happened to the nation of Israel as a whole, the Bible contains real-life experiences of individuals who were overtaken by jealousy, immorality, greed, or pride.* Some of these men had served Jehovah for many years, but at one crucial moment in their life, their fear of God was not sufficiently strong, and they reaped a bitter harvest. Meditating on such Scriptural examples can strengthen our resolve not to make similar mistakes. How sad it would be if we waited until we had a personal tragedy before taking God’s advice to heart! Contrary to what is commonly believed, experience​—especially from self-indulgence—​is not the best teacher.​—Psalm 19:7. (*: By way of example, consider the Scriptural accounts of Cain (Genesis 4:3-12); David (2 Samuel 11:2–12:14); Gehazi (2 Kings 5:20-27); and Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:16-21).)

Another powerful reason for cultivating godly fear is our desire to safeguard our relationship with God. We fear to displease Jehovah because we treasure his friendship. Whom does God consider to be a friend, someone he would invite into his figurative tent? Only the one “who is walking faultlessly and practicing righteousness.” (Psalm 15:1, 2) If we value this privileged relationship with our Creator, we will take care to walk faultlessly in his eyes.