My Current Favorite Word

July 31st, 2024
by Sarah Knott

For the next several weeks, we will have guest authors for our Words for Wednesday. Today our guest author is Sarah Knott. Enjoy!

My Current Favorite Word

I’m sure if someone asks you what your favorite Bible verse is you could list at least one, possibly two or three. We’ve all thought about our favorite verse or verses. Have you ever thought about your favorite word from the Bible in the original Greek or Hebrew? My guess would be most of us have not. Until recently, I hadn’t either. Then God took me on a journey of studying verses using the original Greek or Hebrew versions.

My current favorite Hebrew word is “hesed” (kheh’-sed). It is used 248 times in the Old Testament and has multiple meanings. A few of the meanings are lovingkindness, mercy, goodness, kindness, and faithfulness.

Let’s look at how it is used in a just few of those verses. Psalm 103:8 states, “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love (hesed).” The Lord’s love or “hesed” is never ending. It is steadfast, unwavering and faithful.

A cross reference of this verse is Exodus 34:6-7 when God is speaking of Himself and describing His attributes to Moses. “The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love (hesed) and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love (hesed) for thousands…” God loves us faithfully. We don’t deserve it, and we haven’t earned it.

Psalm 103:11 “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His steadfast love (hesed) toward those who fear Him.” God’s love for His children, those who fear Him, is great and abounding in mercy as high as the heavens. It is never ending, unwavering. His love exists in enormous amounts, so much that we cannot comprehend.

As Psalm 103 continues, verse 17 says, “But the steadfast love (hesed) of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him…” God’s love is with you forever. It is never ending.

Take a minute today and ponder God’s “hesed” for you. It’s never ending, as high as the heavens, and unwavering. If you have more than a minute, look up some of the other verses that speak of the Lord’s “hesed”.

These are your Words for Wednesday.

In His “Hesed”,
Sarah Knott