The fear of a king [is] as the roaring of a lion,.... The wrath and displeasure of a king, which causes fear; see Pr 19:12; kings should be terrors to evil works and workers, though not to good ones, Ro 13:3.
This is true of the King of kings, who one day will be terrible to the drunkards, the mockers, and murderers of his people, before spoken of;[whoso] provoketh him to anger sinneth [against] his own soul; he exposes his life to danger: the Targum supplies it as we do.
It may be rendered, his "soul sinneth" ; he is guilty of sin, as well as is in danger of punishment; see Pr 8:36.