The messengers returned to Jacob with the report: “We came to your brother Esau, and he is also heading toward you. He has 400 men with him.” And Jacob was very frightened and distressed… (Genesis 32:7-8) It is written: “And like the fear of You, so is Your wrath” (Psalms 90:11). That is, a person should always fear G-d, just as when he is in distress¹ and he fears G-d greatly. The verse can also be interpreted in reverse. In a time of distress, do not merely be afraid [due to the situation], for it is proper to feel the fear of G-d always.² Likutim Yikarim, p. 4c

footnotes: ¹ I.e. in a time of G-d’s wrath. ² Even when a person is afraid of a mortal danger, he should realize that the situation is being orchestrated by G-d; thus, it is G-d whom he should fear, not the situation itself.