Hesed
Notes
Transcript
1 Lord, You have been favorable to Your land; You have brought back the captivity of Jacob.
2 You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people; You have covered all their sin. Selah
3 You have taken away all Your wrath; You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger.
4 Restore us, O God of our salvation, And cause Your anger toward us to cease.
5 Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?
6 Will You not revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You?
7 Show us Your mercy, Lord, And grant us Your salvation.
8 I will hear what God the Lord will speak, For He will speak peace To His people and to His saints; But let them not turn back to folly.
9 Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, That glory may dwell in our land.
10 Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed.
11 Truth shall spring out of the earth, And righteousness shall look down from heaven.
12 Yes, the Lord will give what is good; And our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness will go before Him, And shall make His footsteps our pathway.
Hesed
Hesed
The Hebrew word "hesed" appears frequently in the Bible's Old Testament. It is difficult to put into words the full range of its meaning, but some typical English translations include "steadfast love," "loving-kindness," and "mercy." One common way to depict God's love and loyalty toward His people in the covenant is using the Hebrew word hesed, which means faithful and enduring love.
Beyond an abstract concept, the term denotes deeds that are faithful and dedicated, carrying out commitments and keeping partnerships together. Psalm 85 and other biblical texts center around the theme of hesed, which emphasizes the everlasting and unchanging love of God, particularly in reference to covenantal relationships.
One definition of hesed given by Dan Boone in our advent devotional book, "Joy of Every Longing Heart," is "the behavior that one person has the right to expect of the other in light of promises that were made." He brings it up in the context of covenants, specifically marriage, where one party has the right to expect the other to carry out their end of the bargain due to the sworn agreement.
"Show us your steadfast love [hesed]" (v. 7), the faithful pray in Psalm 85. In this prayer, God is recalled by the people as having promised to be true to Abraham in the covenant.
Their transgressions and disloyalty to God are acknowledged, but they are seeking forgiveness and hope that God's faithfulness will be shown to them again, just as it has been before. Their faith lies in the boundless love of God and in his future faithfulness.
During Advent, we have the opportunity to reflect on our lives, seek God, and repent—not out of fear or worry, but because we also have faith in God's unchanging love. God has proven time and time again that he will be faithful.
An essential part of Advent is repentance. It's an opportunity for Christians to take stock of their life, confess any shortcomings, and renew their devotion to God. Because it emphasizes God's unending love regardless of human shortcomings, Hesed matches this story nicely. It gives us hope and reassurance that God's love is unchanging, no matter how bad we are.
Observing Advent is not just about remembering Jesus' historical birth, but also about looking forward to His return. Believers are encouraged to actively seek God throughout this season by Hesed, which serves as a theme of God's faithful love. It inspires a yearning for a closer relationship with God and a sense of hope for when God's promises come true.
Hesed is powerfully displayed in the Christmas narrative. Because His love for humanity is steadfast, God sent His Son to earth to live among us. As the nativity story attests, God has kept His word and is faithful to the covenant. The hesed-centered practice of Advent sets a significant stage for the rediscovery of the Christmas narrative.
Looking forward to Christ's return, whether in memory of the past or in expectation of the future, can be a difficult yet rewarding path. In the midst of repentance, active pursuit of God, and patient waiting for Christ's return, believers find encouragement in Hesed, which reminds them that God's love sustains them.
In the midst of Advent, hesed offers a firm grounding in hope. The promise of God's unfaltering love is a source of hope that resonates throughout the season, leading up to the celebration of Christ's birth, as believers contemplate their need for repentance and actively seek God.
To help us understand this hesed, this steadfast love we need to look back to the covenant the God made with Abram.
7 Then He said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it.”
8 And he said, “Lord God, how shall I know that I will inherit it?”
9 So He said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”
10 Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two.
This is a visual picture of a covenant from Abram’s time. It was known as “cutting the covenant.” I’m a very visual learner. I like to see things because I learn when I can see, visualize, touch, or imagine. A covenant in Abram’s time was symbolize by this act of splitting an animal down the middle. They were laid facing each other with room between to walk between. When two parties were creating that covenant, this is what they would do. The words of the covenant would be spoken and both parties would walk between the two pieces of the animal. It symbolized the idea that the party who broke the covenant would be like the animals split in half.
The difference between a covenant between two humans and this covenant that God was making with Abram was that it was God himself who passed through the two pieces of the animals. He represented the promise giver and also the promise keeper. God was keeping both sides of the covenant.
Look further down in that Genesis passage to verse 17
17 And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces.
That smoking oven and the torch represented God. God then spoke and said to Abram
18 On the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates—
19 the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites,
20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,
The land of promise was much greater than what Israel occupied or occupies today. This map shows the extent of that promised land that this covenant was about.
Nearly half a century after Jerusalem's destruction in 586 B.C., the Persian ruler finally gave the exiles permission to go back home. Embarking on the expedition, they were filled with excitement and optimism as they started to rebuild. They were hopeful at first, but soon came to terms with the fact that Israel would never be the same. This period of disappointment was probably when Psalm 85 was composed. In verses 10–13, the psalmist describes with eloquence God's faithfulness in the past, and he then asks for a full measure of restoration
1 Lord, You have been favorable to Your land; You have brought back the captivity of Jacob.
2 You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people; You have covered all their sin. Selah
3 You have taken away all Your wrath; You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger.
In the first three lines of Psalm 85 (1-3), the people of Israel reflect on their history and give thanks to God for his constant faithfulness.
In the time after the Israelites' exile, when they return to their homeland, the phrase "restoring the fortune of Jacob" suggests a future age. "Fortune" encompasses more than just monetary gain; it also signifies the full reestablishment of Jacob's familial line. Following a period of upheaval and displacement, this harkens back to a period of restoration and renewal, highlighting the redemptive power of God.
The use of the divine name "Yahweh" (LORD) has deep theological significance, relating specifically to the covenant established with Abraham and his offspring. Not only does this heavenly title denote God's power, but it also indicates that God is present and involved in His people's lives. Bringing up the name "Yahweh" is a strong way to bring attention to the long-lasting covenantal connection, in which the presence and strength of God are fundamental to the history and identity of the people.
The psalmist praises God for his mercy by remembering times when God forgave him. This looking backward highlights the community's self-awareness concerning their sins, which are met with God's mercy and forgiveness. Remembering the forgiveness they've received in the past acts as a spiritual anchor, bringing them back to a place of thankfulness.
The verses depict a community that is deeply involved in remembering. Through remembering God's kindness in reversing Jacob's fortunes, calling upon the mighty name of Yahweh, and recognizing God's pardon, the community aims to cultivate a shared awareness based on their common past and covenantal bond with God. In the words that follow, the psalmist expresses his repentance and his cry for forgiveness, but first he draws strength from a well of thankfulness, trust, and assurance—the fruits of his memory.
In verses 4–6 of Psalm 85, the tone shifts to one of heartfelt repentance and lamentation, as the community grapples with existential questions about God's enduring anger and the potential for spiritual renewal.
4 Restore us, O God of our salvation, And cause Your anger toward us to cease.
5 Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?
6 Will You not revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You?
The psalmist prays for divine intervention so that the people may be revived. Restoring the community's relationship with God, reviving its spiritual life, and reestablishing a favorable relationship with God are all encompassed in this cry for revival. We are all thirsty for a life-changing encounter with God, and the question, "Will the people be revived?" highlights that sentiment.
We all share the psalmist's preoccupation with the aftereffects of sin and the possibility of redemption, and his questions about these topics touch on existential dread. As the community faces the brunt of divine punishment and the possibility of a spiritually reviving future, the questions expressed are genuine and reflect a feeling of urgency.
The process of repentance is shown as sincere and introspective, rather than as a superficial ritual. It is clear that the community needs to repent deeply of their wrongdoing and mourn the repercussions of their conduct. Because of this genuine investment, their request for forgiveness and rebirth is all the more heartfelt.
These lines reflect the larger storyline of a gracious God who is receptive to sincere confession in the Bible. The group's confession of sins is in harmony with the creedal belief that genuine sorrow and repentance pave the way to God's redemptive grace.
7 Show us Your mercy, Lord, And grant us Your salvation.
In the seventh verse of Psalm 85, the psalmist expresses a heartfelt plea for the restoration of God's constant love. The keyword here is "hesed," a deep and sophisticated Hebrew word that encapsulates the essence of unwavering love, faithfulness, and covenantal devotion.
The psalmist's prayer for God's hesed is more than a mere request; it's a deep longing for the restoration of an intimate, lasting relationship with the divine. This cry is born of a profound realization of the transformational power contained in God's unfailing love.
This petition includes an exhortation to God to remember the covenant made with the people. The word covenant adds levels of meaning since it represents a holy pact, an unbreakable relationship established by God. The community emphasizes their understanding of the reciprocal nature of their relationship with the divine by evoking the covenant.
Surprisingly, the psalmist recognizes the human proclivity for unfaithfulness. The request for God's hesed is rooted on a genuine understanding of human imperfections and failings. Despite their own unfaithfulness, the community approaches God with a bold faith in His unending love.
A key theme is the contrast between God's unwavering faithfulness and human fallibility. In essence, the psalmist communicates the realization that God's faithfulness overcomes human inadequacies. Even in the face of human unfaithfulness, the community believes in the constancy of God's love and seeks to reestablish that covenantal tie.
The call for God to stay loyal in the face of human sinfulness encapsulates a major theological contradiction. It encapsulates the conflict between human limits and divine perfection. The community, humbled by their own shortcomings, turns to the divine nature, which is always faithful, regardless of the fickle nature of human faithfulness.
This verse reminds us of the contrast between God's eternal constancy and human unreliability. It underlines that, while God's love is constant and unshakable, human commitment might fade. In the face of human imperfection, the petition for hesed becomes a cry for divine grace.
10 Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed.
11 Truth shall spring out of the earth, And righteousness shall look down from heaven.
12 Yes, the Lord will give what is good; And our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness will go before Him, And shall make His footsteps our pathway.
The psalmist weaves together the preceeding thoughts into these verses, weaving a tapestry of profound theological ideas that further illustrate the interconnection of God's qualities and the answers expected from His people.
The psalmist emphasizes the close connection between faith and love. This link is founded on covenantal terminology, which echoes the premise that real love, fashioned after God's love, naturally breeds loyalty. God's unwavering love is portrayed as the source from which faithfulness comes, resulting in a reciprocal dynamic in which love and fidelity merge in a covenantal dance.
A dramatic scene of reconciliation is evoked by the imagery of righteousness and peace kissing. This figurative "kiss" represents the merger of ethical behavior and peace. The psalmist suggests that when people pursue righteousness—acting in conformity with God's moral standards—peace follows naturally. The interconnectedness of these qualities demonstrates God's desire for harmony in both ethical behavior and inner peace.
Using agricultural imagery of a harvest, the psalmist depicts loyalty and righteousness as fruitful ground from which abundance arises. The image of a harvesting field becomes a metaphor for the productive outcomes of keeping a right relationship (covenant) with God. In this perspective, abundance includes spiritual richness, healthy relationships, and a plentiful existence in addition to material riches.
The frequent use of covenantal language emphasizes the fundamental nature of God's relationship with His people. The interwoven themes of loyalty, love, righteousness, and peace have their origins in God's covenant. The covenant serves as a guiding framework for these values to thrive and bring fruit.
These passages provide a thorough theological examination of the nature of God's qualities. God's love is not depicted in isolation but is inextricably linked to His faithfulness. Similarly, the alignment of righteousness and peace underscores God's comprehensive nature, encouraging believers to strive for a harmonious integration of both virtues in their own lives.
The imagery of the psalmist encourages the community to deliberately create a covenantal way of life. The psalmist portrays a picture of a life lived in accordance with God's divine order—a life that provides wealth and symbolizes the flourishing of God's planned covenantal relationship with His people—by intertwining love, fidelity, righteousness, and peace.
These verses weave together the ideals of love, fidelity, righteousness, and peace within the framework of a covenantal relationship with God. This combination enables Christians to reflect on their own lives, encouraging them to imitate the divine attributes embodied in the covenant and imagining a life defined by plenty, righteousness, and tranquil peace.
Experiencing God's Unchanging Love
Experiencing God's Unchanging Love
As people on a journey of faith, we must look back and remember God's unwavering love and faithfulness throughout history:
- We find occasions in the Bible's narratives when God's unwavering love is powerfully portrayed. Reflecting on these stories enables us to see how God continuously exhibits His steadfast love.
- Exploring the record of church history reveals instances where God's unwavering love was seen throughout the larger community of Christians.
- Our friend's and family's stories provide tangible instances of God's love in the context of personal relationships.
- Our own lives reveal situations where God's unfailing love has served as a guiding force.
Recognizing broken covenants around us is a sobering reminder that not all relationships reflect God's unwavering love. It is critical to recognize that God does not want anybody to suffer abuse, and that abuse breaks a covenant.
Witnessing relationships that reject persistent love may call our faith in God's love into question. There is a tendency to project human events onto our perception of God, which can lead to emotions of unworthiness.
Advent is a great opportunity for introspection, considering the sources of feelings of unworthiness and unlovability. Seeking help from a therapist, spiritual director, friend, or pastor can be beneficial during this reflective period.
Repentance comes after identifying brokenness and lamenting the ways in which covenants have been broken. This entails sincerely repenting of actions that have been unfaithful to God while remaining confident in God's unwavering love.
Recognizing areas in our lives that require repentance might include both corporate or societal sins and personal failures. Sincere self-reflection leads to hopeful transformation.
We know that honesty before God and others creates the road for radical transformation and for dispelling the fear of God's wrath.
Armed with memories of God's unchanging love in the past, acknowledgement of broken promises, and repentance for personal faults, we enter into a celebration of God's present love.
Christmas becomes a critical opportunity to enhance this celebration, celebrating God's enormous love manifested through the incarnation.
This celebration is not limited to a single season; it lasts all year. We consistently affirm and celebrate God's unfailing love through songs, prayers, sharing with others, and many forms of worship. This celebration serves as a reminder of our own belovedness, attests to God's commitment to others, and acts as a touchstone for future occasions when we need to recall God's enduring love.
We are Loved!
We are Loved!
We experience the Hesed of God
At the heart of the Christmas narrative is a fundamental truth that has been passed down through the ages: "We are loved!" This assertion serves as the narrative's core melody, harmoniz ing with the divine overture of God's enduring and faithful love. Christmas, with its everlasting impact, serves as a powerful reminder that God's love transcends time and remains constant throughout our lives.
We discover an unwavering source of confidence in the tapestry of God's love. It stands firm, undisturbed by the inadequacies of others or our own failures. The truth resounds – we can have complete faith that God's love is not only vast but also ever-present, a continuous companion in the ebb and flow of life's uncertainties.
The certainty of God's encompassing love invites us into a sanctuary of faith. It is a trust that thrives despite the flaws of those around us, acknowledging that human love may fail, but God's love remains. It is a trust that goes beyond our own failings, realizing that our flaws do not decrease the depth of God's love. We find sanctuary, a safe haven in this trust, where the constancy of God's love becomes an unbreakable anchor despite life's storms.
As we manage the challenges of life, remembering prior examples of divine fidelity strengthens our ability to believe in God's love. Reflecting on these occasions becomes a voyage through the pages of our personal history – a past delicately intertwined with threads of God's steadfast commitment. Whether in times of joy, success, or even in the gloomy corridors of tragedy, God's constancy becomes a guiding thread, creating a story of love that defies comprehension.
Now is the time to rejoice in God's unwavering love. The celebration of God's love is more than just remembering; it is a dynamic, living manifestation that takes place in the present. Every breath we take bears witness to God's unfailing love. We celebrate not only in spectacular actions, but also in the details of daily life - in the warmth of sunlight, the embrace of relationships, and quiet moments of meditation.
The revelation of God's steadfast love is a lyrical refrain in the symphony of our lives, accompanying us through every season. Christmas, as the culmination of this symphony, urges us to celebrate the embodied love that took on human form. Beyond the festivities, it invites us to celebrate the love that is still being revealed — a love that is not dependent on perfection but flourishes in the delightfully flawed landscape of our humanity.
The booming truth remains in the chorus of existence: "We are loved!" This statement reverberates through the ages, inviting us to trust, remember, and joyfully celebrate the love that defines us, sustains us, and weaves the fabric of our eternal belovedness.