God abounds in mercy, love, kindness, faithfulness, and goodness.
This word in the Hebrew is “Hesed” and showcases the grandeur and greatness of our God’s character and nature.
Rich in meaning, this word (Hesed) is hard to translate yet best understood as “when the person from whom I have a right to expect nothing gives me everything.”
And our God, who abounds in Hesed, whose Hesed endures forever – wants to fill our lives via His Spirit and produce Hesed in and through us.
In this episode, we discuss the Hebrew word Hesed and how God’s goodness, mercy, faithfulness, and lovingkindness endures forever!
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Show Notes / Additional Resources
Interested in winning a copy of Michael’s Card’s book Inexpressible: Hesed and the Mystery of God’s Lovingkindness … Winners of the Deeper Christian monthly book giveaway are picked randomly from those who enter.
This amazing and powerful Hebrew word (Hesed) occurs nearly 250 times throughout all the major divisions of the Old Testament (Law, Prophets, and Writings), 127 of which are in the Psalms (with 26 of those in Psalm 136 alone).
Though this is a simple Hebrew word, its translation is quite complex. The translation into English is often rendered:
- love
- kindness
- loving-kindness
- steadfast love (or faithful love)
- loyalty (or unswervingly loyal)
- favor
- mercy
- beauty
- righteous
- devotion
- faithfulness
- favor
- gracious covenant (or covenant loyalty)
- grace
- goodness
- loving instruction
- covenant friendship
Though Hesed is translated in a variety of ways throughout the Old Testament, the best definition I’ve found comes from a book by Michael Card, where he translated Hesed as “when the person from whom I have a right to expect nothing gives me everything.”
Exodus 34:6-7 declares: “And the LORD passed before [Moses] and proclaimed, ‘The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in Hesed and truth, keeping Hesed for thousands [of generations], forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.’”
Psalm 136 – The Hesed of the LORD endures forever! … also see 1 Chronicles 16:34; 2 Chronicles 5:13; 7:3,6; 20:21; Ezra 3:11
Lamentations 3:21-23 – This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. Through the LORD’s Hesed we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness”
- People in Scripture whose names were “Hesed” – see 1 Kings 4:10 and 1 Chronicles 3:20
- Josiah is known for “Hesed” at his death – see 2 Chronicles 35:26
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About NRJohnson & the Deeper Christian Podcast
NRJohnson (Nathan Johnson) is a Christian who has an overwhelming passion for Jesus, the Gospel, and Studying God’s Word. He is a writer, teacher, and communicator who helps other believers understand and apply the Bible as they grow and mature in their faith—desiring that they gain greater intimacy with Christ, experience the victorious Christian life, and transform the world through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Read more about him here.
The Deeper Christian Podcast is the podcast to help you study God’s Word, know Jesus intimately, and discover how you can build your life around Jesus Christ. This weekly audio program, hosted by NRJohnson, dives into Scripture and encourages Christians to keep their focus upon Jesus Christ—equipping believers in how to study the Bible and know God’s Word, grow in their spiritual lives, and change the world. Main discussion topics center around practical advice on Christian living, Bible study, prayer, the Gospel, freedom from sin, evangelism and how to share your faith, the Christian disciplines, and the lives and messages from the Christian heroes from yesteryear such as A.W. Tozer, Charles Spurgeon, Major Ian Thomas, Oswald Chambers, Hudson Taylor, Amy Carmichael, Corrie Ten Boom, C.T. Studd, George Müller, Andrew Murray, Leonard Ravenhill, E.M. Bounds, and others. Learn more about the deeper Christian life.
Leave a response or ask a question and we will try to address it in a future episode.
The difficulty with podcasts is that they are one-sided—so each week I ask one question for you to participate in the conversation. Head over to the deeperChristian Facebook page to leave a comment and join in the conversation.
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If you have enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe on your favorite app.
Like what you hear? … Leave a rating & review
If you enjoyed the podcast, please take 30 seconds and rate it on your favorite app (and write a brief review if you can). This would be a tremendous blessing to help us get the word out to others who might be encouraged and blessed by it—apps use the rating and reviews in their searches to help other people find the podcast.
About NRJohnson
NRJohnson (Nathan Johnson) is the host of the Deeper Christian Podcast and has an overwhelming passion for Jesus, the Gospel, and Studying God’s Word. He is a writer, teacher, and communicator who helps other believers understand and apply the Bible as they grow and mature in their faith—desiring that they gain greater intimacy with Christ, experience the victorious Christian life, and transform the world through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Read more about him here.
About the Deeper Christian Podcast
Many Christians feel frustrated because they don’t grow spiritually. The Deeper Christian Podcast helps equip Christians to understand the Word of God and cultivate a passionate love for Jesus that turns the world upside down.
Whether you want to learn how to study God’s Word, grow in your faith, cultivate a powerful and effective prayer life, share the Gospel boldly, deepen your intimacy with Jesus, live victoriously, or transform the world through the indwelling life of the Holy Spirit, the Deeper Christian Podcast with NRJohnson (Nathan Johnson) will encourage and equip you to grow spiritually and live a Christ-centered life.
