Grateful for God’s Chesed

Have you ever experienced something so wonderful it left you “tongue-tied,” lost for words in attempting to describe the blessing you received? Yet, you try anyway? Sometimes, in such a circumstance, we might even quip, “Words don’t do it justice!”

When our children Elijah and Shoshi were younger, my wife Lori adventured for 12 weeks on a trip across the country, staying with friends and seeing sights along the way. One of the places they visited on their exhilarating journey across America the Beautiful was the Grand Canyon. In asking them what they thought of the Grand Canyon, they all attempted, with words, to describe such majesty and magnificence. Oh, the wonder of God’s handiwork!

Words don’t do it justice. 

In 1987, God saved me, blessing me with forgiveness of sin, reconciliation with Him, and the gift of abundant and eternal life. To put into words what that experience and reality was and is like for me personally, is, well, difficult.

Words don’t do it justice. Yet, with words, I try. In fact, I’m grateful I can give testify of our great God and the mighty things He has done, He is doing and will do, with words.

In Psalm 136, the psalmist, with words, describes his gratitude to God for the Lord’s goodness, grace and mercy in delivering Israel out bondage to Egypt into the freedom and blessing of the Promised Land. With one Hebrew word in particular, chesed (pronounced kheh’-sed), the psalmist reveals a foundational aspect of God’s character. The beginning of Psalm 136 highlights this profound Hebrew word: 

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.

Oh, give thanks to the God of gods!
For His mercy endures forever.

Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords!
For His mercy endures forever (Psalm 136:1-3).

In Psalm 136 alone, the phrase “His mercy lasts forever” is used 26 times!

That word “mercy” in these verses is the Hebrew word Chesed, a word pregnant with meaning. In the verses above mercy may also be translated lovingkindness, faithfulness, steadfast love.

Chesed is one of the most important words in the Old Testament, where it’s used well over 200 times. Chesed reveals much about God’s character. In simple terms, it refers to God’s persistent and unconditional tenderness, kindness, grace and mercy, as He seeks out a relationship with man.

I like one bible scholars’ description. He writes: “When used of God, chesed generally denotes the Divine Love condescending to His creatures, more especially to sinners, in unmerited kindness.” As believers in Jesus we would associate chesed with God’s grace and mercy. In general, grace is getting something we don’t deserve, as in forgiveness, while mercy is not getting something we do deserve – as in judgment, condemnation, and wrath!

A stunning example of God’s chesed bestowed upon a helpless sinner is found in the case of David. After David committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband Uriah killed in a battle, he is ultimately exposed by his advisor Nathan and confesses his sin. David’s stunning confession is followed by God’s shocking response, “And Nathan said to David, ‘The Lord also has taken away your sin; you shall not die’” (2 Samuel 12:13). 

God forgives David in a moment. Why? How? Although the Old Testament law provided a means of forgiveness through substitutionary atonement on the alter of sacrifice, there was no offering or sacrifice sufficient for adultery and murder. Those sins were simply punishable by death. By all accounts, David is not getting what he deserves. Saying I’m sorry for a capital offenses does not suffice in a courtroom, at least not in a human courtroom.  

The scandal of David’s sin is overshadowed by the reach of the God’s grace and mercy, His chesed! For where sin abounds, grace abounds much more. This goes to heart of the gospel.

Bible scholars generally believe David penned both Psalm 51 and Psalm 32 in response to God following his conversation with Nathan. In these Psalms David recalls his sin and suffering, while also recounting his experience of God’s forgiveness, restoration and joy through confession of sin.

Writing in Psalm 51:1, David exclaimed, “Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness.” Lovingkindness in this verse is chesed.

David would sum up his confession and God’s forgiveness in Psalm 32:5, “I acknowledged my sin to You, And You forgave the guilt of my sin.”

Just as God bestowed upon David His chesed, the Lord has also bestowed His chesed upon you and me, we who know Christ as Savior.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving and move into the the Christmas season, may we focus on and be grateful for God’s chesed. As we ponder the wonder of the incarnation of the Savior this Christmas season and all it means for us as followers of Jesus Christ, may we live daily in an attitude of gratitude, not only in this holiday season, but in every season of life.

For He has blessed us with so so much and we could never exhaust the things for which we can be thankful.

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His chesed endures forever.

Oh, give thanks to the God of gods!
For His chesed endures forever.

Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords!
For His chesed endures forever.