The 'Hesedness' of God shown in Choosing to Hear Us and Save Us, Proving His Goodness and Power

In the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, the landowner says, "Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what I own." God can do whatever God chooses: it is truly good news that God chooses to love us. One Hebrew word that expresses this love is hesed.

"Debate continues as to the precise meaning of hesed. One school relates it to right or duty and sees a basic connection with the covenant. Another finds in it simple kindness both as will and act. The truth, perhaps, is that it expresses spontaneous goodness, or grace in a specific relationship or in ongoing fellowship?the element of duty emerges; constancy and loyalty are native to it." (TDNT, W. Zimmerli, IX, 376-87)

The following chapter and verse citations are but a few of the testimonies of God?s love in the psalms, and are meant to give a survey of the character of this kind of love and thus a view of the character of God.

Ps 119:149 Hear my voice in accordance with your love; preserve my life, O LORD, according to your laws.

This love saves us...

Psalm 109:26 Help me, O LORD my God; save me in accordance with your love.

redeems us...

Psalm 44:26 Rise up and help us; redeem us because of your unfailing love.

It's purpose is to give life...

Psalm 119:88 Preserve my life according to your love, and I will obey the statutes of your mouth. and to forgive us.

Psalm 25:7 Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD.

because of it we can come and worship...

Ps 5:7 By your great mercy, I will come into your house; in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple. 

God listens...

Psalm 106:45 for their sake he remembered his covenant and out of his great love he relented.

God shows up himself to save us...

Psalm 94:18 When I said, "My foot is slipping," your love, O LORD, supported me.

Parallels of it are salvation...

Psalm 13:5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.

mercy...

Isaiah 55:3 Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.

righteousness...

Psalm 36:10 Continue your love to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart.

redemption...

Ps 130:7 O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.

faithfulness...

Psalm 36:5 Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.

Miracles are connected with it...

Psalm 107:8 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for humankind. 

joy and praise arise at it...

Psalm 31:7 I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul.

Psalm 138:2  I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.

The earth is full of it...

Psalm 33:5 The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.

it reaches to heaven...

Psalm 36:5 Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.

it endures forever...

Ps 89:2 I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.

God sends it...

Ps 57:3 He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking those who hotly pursue me; God sends his love and his faithfulness.

it comes...

Psalm 59:10 My loving God will go before me and will let me look in triumph over my enemies.

accompanies us...

Psalm 85:10 Love and faithfulness meet
together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.

We must remember...

Psalm 23:6  Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

consider well...

Psalm 106:7 When our fathers were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles; they did not remember your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.

and wait for it...

Psalm 48:9 Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love

And if death seems to limit it...

Psalm 88:11 Is your love declared in the grave, your faithfulness in Destruction?

It is better than life itself...

Psalm 63:3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.

Psalm 107:1-2 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so- those he redeemed from trouble.