Hebrews 12:21 (YLT)

Passage

and, (so terrible was the sight,) Moses said, `I am fearful exceedingly, and trembling.'

Nearby Context

Hebrews 12:19 and a sound of a trumpet, and a voice of sayings, which those having heard did entreat that a word might not be added to them,

Hebrews 12:20 for they were not bearing that which is commanded, `And if a beast may touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or with an arrow shot through,'

Hebrews 12:21 and, (so terrible was the sight,) Moses said, `I am fearful exceedingly, and trembling.'

Hebrews 12:22 But, ye came to Mount Zion, and to a city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of messengers,

Hebrews 12:23 to the company and assembly of the first-born in heaven enrolled, and to God the judge of all, and to spirits of righteous men made perfect,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "terrible", "sight", "moses", "said", "fearful", "exceedingly", and "trembling". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "terrible" and "sight", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 20's "for they were not bearing that which..." into verse 22's "But ye came to Mount Zion and...", so "terrible" and "sight" belong inside that flow. In Hebrews context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "terrible" and "sight" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.