חֶסֶד
Chesed
Lovingkindness, steadfast love, mercy
There is a Hebrew word so rich, so layered, so profound that no English word can capture it. That word is chesed (חֶסֶד). Your Bible might translate it as 'lovingkindness,' 'steadfast love,' 'mercy,' 'loyalty,' or 'faithfulness' — and every translation falls short. Chesed is all of those things woven together into one unbreakable cord of covenant love. It's the word used more than any other to describe how God loves His people: 248 times in the Hebrew Bible. Psalm 136 repeats 'His chesed endures forever' 26 times in a single chapter. When you grasp chesed, you grasp the heart of God.
“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love (chesed) endures forever.”
Etymology & Root Letters
Chesed comes from the root ח-ס-ד (chet-samech-dalet). It's considered one of the most untranslatable words in Hebrew — no single English word captures its full meaning of loyal love, mercy, grace, and covenant faithfulness combined.
How Chesed Is Used in Scripture
Chesed appears 248 times in the Hebrew Bible, more than any other word for love. Psalm 136 repeats 'His chesed endures forever' 26 times. It describes God's loyal, covenant love that never fails — even when we fail.
Cultural & Modern Context
Chesed is considered one of the highest virtues in Judaism. The Talmud teaches that the world stands on three things: Torah, worship, and acts of chesed (lovingkindness). Many Jewish organizations are named after this word.
How to Use Chesed in Prayer
Meditate on chesed when you need to remember that God's love is not based on your performance. His chesed is covenant love — loyal, steadfast, and enduring forever, regardless of your failures.
People Also Ask About Chesed
Why can't chesed be translated into one English word?
Chesed combines at least four concepts that English separates: love, loyalty, mercy, and covenant faithfulness. It's not just love (which can be fickle), not just mercy (which can be patronizing), not just loyalty (which can be cold), and not just faithfulness (which can be dutiful). Chesed is all of them fused together — warm, loyal, merciful, committed love that endures forever.
Why does Psalm 136 repeat 'His chesed endures forever' 26 times?
Psalm 136 is a responsive psalm where the congregation repeats 'ki l'olam chasdo' (for His chesed endures forever) after each line. The 26 repetitions match the numerical value of God's name YHWH (26). The psalm traces God's chesed through creation, the Exodus, and Israel's history — showing that His covenant love is the constant thread through all of history.
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