Goodness of God is Steadfast
Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord (Psalm 107:43).
The Scripture: Psalm 136
Sometimes language isn't enough. Defining God? Impossible. His divine nature greatly surpasses our ability to understand the full dimensionality of His goodness. God, when He passed before Moses as He gave the Ten Commandments said that He is,
“The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation” (Exodus 34:6-7).
In the middle of that self-description is the Hebrew word, חֶסֶד (ḥeseḏ, pronounced kheh'-sed). No other language on earth has a word that encompasses so much, and over the millennia, translators struggled to render the word in a way that people can understand. Some translations to English include mercy, kindness, lovingkindness, loyal love, goodliness, goodness, faithfulness, righteousness, and steadfast love. The sheer number of translations illustrates how rich and complex חֶסֶד khesed is.
No one loves like the Lord. His goodness is steadfast in all ways. Psalm 136 offers a way to remember the khesed of God when life gets complicated. In 26 verses, every other line is a reminder: "His steadfast love endures forever." The psalm serves as a model for prayer, especially when we feel forgotten or troubled. The first four verses remind us who God is: He is Good; he is the God of gods and the Lord of lords who does wonders. The next verses lead us to consider creation, from Genesis 1 to what we see in the natural world around us. On each day of creation, God demonstrated khesed. The next section recounts the Exodus, a powerful demonstration of God's khesed that touches nearly every book of the Bible. Then the psalmist recounts major battles the Lord won for His people. And then the last four couplets, a reminder that God is present always: in hard times, when embattled, and in need— He is the God of Heaven whose khesed never fails. He is steadfast in His goodness to us.
His khesed embodies all of His great names: Yᵊhōvâ in verse 1; 'ĕlōhîm in verse 2; and 'āḏôn in verse 3. Jehovah/Yahweh, the name of God so revered that it is unspoken by Jews even today, who say "Hashem," or the Name. It means self-Existent and eternal. Then Elohim, the supreme God. And finally, Adonai, the Master of the whole earth. This is the God whose goodness manifests itself in steadfast and loyal love for us. As beings made in the image of God (Imago Dei), we have a sense of what is good, but our understanding is limited. Even when we do good for our children or the community around us, we do so as beneficiaries of God's steadfast goodness.
The ultimate measure of God's steadfast love in His goodness is Jesus. Paul wrote to the Romans, "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). The curse of the Law is broken. For that we sing: His khesed endures forever.
As a prayer, Psalm 136 is a model. When life turns upside down, remember the past and how His khesed sustained and delivered. When things are good, offer thanks for His khesed that allows you to enjoy His providence.
The steadfastness of God's goodness is indescribable in any language--except Hebrew. His khesed surrounds, strengthens, and saves us. His goodness is unalterable because khesed is the core of His very nature. His goodness is immovable, unshakeable, and steadfast throughout history: from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to the troubles of this world today. In Jesus, we experience khesed in ways that even the prophets never could. We can rely on it, rest in it, and remember all the ways God's goodness reveals itself in our daily lives.
Resources:
The ESV Bible. English Standard Version, Crossway, 2001. (All Scripture references, unless otherwise noted, are ESV)
Adelman, Mendel. “What Is Chesed?” Chabad.org, 7 Aug. 2024, www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/6541733/jewish/What‑Is‑Chesed.htm .
BibleProject. “The Loyal Love of God.” The BibleProject Podcast, episode 12, hosted by Tim Mackie, Jon Collins, and Carissa Hales, BibleProject, 2 Nov. 2020, https://bibleproject.com/podcast/loyal-love-god/.
Blue Letter Bible. Sowing Circle, 1996–2024, www.blueletterbible.org.
Snaith, Norman H. Distinctive Ideas of the Old Testament. London, Epworth Press, 1944. Quoted in “Chesed,” Bible Researcher, www.bible-researcher.com/chesed.html.
This prompt came from a conversation with my church's Women's Minister, Karie Farley. I've begun asking pastors and ministers to tell me something about the goodness of God--putting them on the spot so they can't prepare a "right" answer. Look for these in the coming weeks!
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