Hesed
Revive me according to Your lovingkindness,
So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth
So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth
Psalm 119:88
TAKING IT IN
Have you ever taken time in your devotional life to study an attribute of God?
A few years ago I had the privilege of teaching at a retreat up in the mountains with a small group of women. The theme was “Seeing Him” and that weekend we studied six attributes of God. I will never forget the powerful presence of God among us as we beheld Him in all His glory!
In this week’s verse we can’t help but notice how the Psalmist desires to be revived.His request is specific and he asks to be revived “according to the lovingkindness” of God; which lets us know he was deeply acquainted with this attribute, so much so that He called upon it in his prayer.
Adam Clarke comments
That the psalmist’s wish was not to be raised from the death of sin by God’s thunder, but by the loving voice of a tender Father.
Hesed or (checed) is a beautiful and rich word in the Hebrew language that powerfully describes the faithful mercy and steadfast lovingkindness of our Lord. Translators have used a variety of words in their attempt to capture the complete meaning of hesed. No one English word adequately embodies its full definition. You will most often find it translated in your Bible with the words such as lovingkindness, mercy, goodness, or steadfast love.
MAKING IT MEANINGFUL
There are three passages in the Book of Ruth that help us to better understand this word.
- Ruth 1:8, when Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the LORD show kindness (hesed) to you, as you have shown to your dead and to me.”
- Ruth 2:20, when Naomi saw how much Ruth brought home from gleaning in the field she said, “He has not stopped showing his kindness (hesed) to the living and the dead.
- And, Ruth 3:10, when Ruth asked Boaz to “spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer,” he replied “this kindness (hesed) is greater than that which you showed earlier.”
Although hesed is translated as kindness in these passages, it has rich meanings like, loyalty, faithfulness, kindness, goodness, mercy, and love and compassion which we see throughout the story of Ruth.
Hesed is relational; and, because it is relational, it is connected to the idea of covenant. Covenant expresses deep and abiding loyalty and commitment between the parties bound by it.
A thorough study of the Hebrew word hesed in the Old Testament will reveal that it has always been God’s plan to establish a holy nation of people from every tribe, clan, language and culture to be the objects of His hesed.
Working it into my heart
Hesed is also a gospel word and that is where it becomes key to our revival. Most of us have heard of the “Hasidic” Jews. “Hasidic” is a form of our word hesed, and describes those who aspire to practice and walk in hesed. In the true Biblical sense of the word, we need to be a “hasidic” people.
As God has extended His lovingkindness to us so must we extend it to others. Often that is not always easy.
Consider Spurgeon who said
If we are revived in our own personal piety we shall be out of reach of our assailants. Our best protection from tempters and persecutors is more life. Lovingkindness itself cannot do us greater service than by making us to have life more abundantly. When we are quickened we are able to bear affliction, to baffle cunning, and to conquer sin. We look to the lovingkindness of God as the source of spiritual revival, and we entreat the Lord to quicken us, not according to our deserts, but after the boundless energy of his grace. What a blessed word is this “loving kindness.” Take it to pieces, and admire its double force of love…
A double force of love, isn’t that exactly what we need when we are misjudged, attacked unfairly and hurt and wounded by others? What a witness we are to the world when we are able to extend God’s lovingkindness when those who come against us give us no cause to be loving and kind! Just as the psalmist prayed God would revive him according to His loving kindness, he knew he had not deserved it or earned it.
This week we see the purpose of a revived spirit within us. Many people look to revival as merely a time of heightened spiritual excitement but it is so much more than that –; it is time for a more faithful, obedient walk with God. This mistaken idea of revival actually hinders the work of true revival.
This revived life was also given for the sake of steadfastness to the testimony of God’s mouth and to represent Him in the sharing of His great gospel truths!
David spoke wonderfully when he said
Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips shall praise You.
Psalm 63:3
Memorize Psalm 63:3 and take time this week to study the attribute of God’s lovingkindness. What you behold you will become and you will know you are being revived when God’s lovingkindness impacts your desire to love others!