Yāqar (יָקַר) means to be precious, to be prized, to be of great value, to be rare. Also means to be honored or esteemed. Related noun yaqar = preciousness.
Psalm 116:15: 'Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful servants.' God places infinite value on His people's lives — every death of a saint matters to Him. Psalm 139:17: 'How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!' 1 Samuel 3:1: 'the word of the LORD was rare (yaqar) in those days' — God's Word was precious because it was scarce. What is precious to God should be precious to us: His Word, His people, His purposes. And we are precious to Him.