Confronting a massive and powerful enemy naturally triggers deep anxieties. Overcoming this terror requires a conscious shift in focus from the physical threat on the battlefield to the Divine presence. The demand is not simply to suppress fear, but to redirect it entirely toward its true source. In the heat of battle, soldiers are warned against breaking ranks and fleeing, especially when the fight turns against them. Even if the enemy appears to be gaining the upper hand, the fighters must remain steadfast [העמק דבר, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Shrinking back in terror represents the most severe form of surrender to the enemy, an ultimate collapse that follows earlier stages of despair and dread [אלשיך].
The primary approach among commentators is that the prohibition against fearing the enemy stems from a fundamental duty to reserve all awe exclusively for God. Unlike emotions such as love, respect, and gratitude, which can be extended to human beings without diminishing the honor of heaven, awe is exclusive to the Creator. Fearing flesh and blood directly flaws the recognition of God's supreme exaltation [הכתב והקבלה]. When a person is filled with a profound awe of God, the minor fear of mortal men naturally vanishes. It is much like a person being attacked by a roaring lion who pays no attention to the sting of a bee [מלבי״ם]. Therefore, awe must be directed solely toward God, who dwells within a person and sees their hidden thoughts, recognizing that it is ultimately sin that brings death, not the enemy [שפתי כהן]. Furthermore, because the Divine presence rests directly within the Israelite camp during wartime [העמק דבר], surrendering to the enemy is tantamount to surrendering the Divine presence itself to the nations [אלשיך]. Simply remembering that God is in their midst is enough to banish all panic [ביאור יש״ר].
On the battlefield, God operates in two opposite capacities simultaneously. He is great in His loving-kindness and goodness toward the Israelites, while being awesome in the terror He casts upon their enemies [אלשיך]. Commentators note the specific absence of the title of might in this context and offer different conceptual explanations. One perspective links these divine titles to the patriarchs who actively engaged in warfare: greatness corresponds to Abraham and awesomeness to Jacob. Isaac, who is traditionally associated with the attribute of might, did not go to war [קיצור בעל הטורים]. Another perspective explains that might frequently refers to God's ability to suppress His anger and remain silent while the nations revel in His sanctuary, a situation characteristic of times when God hides His face. However, when God is actively present in the Israelite camp, He does not tolerate their pain for even a single moment. Therefore, He reveals Himself as great and awesome, rather than as a mighty figure who restrains His wrath [חתם סופר].
Taking a broader view of the war, even if the enemy occasionally seems to secure a victory in a specific battle, it is merely a temporary and localized consequence of sin. There is no reason to fear an absolute defeat [העמק דבר]. The reality that the conquest of the land will not happen instantly is not a reflection of a lack of divine capability. Rather, it is a measure of care for the Israelites, designed to prevent wild animals from overrunning a suddenly desolate landscape [בכור שור]. It is also a deliberate process meant to gradually build their confidence. By navigating through localized setbacks, the people learn to lean entirely and completely on God [אלשיך].