When with sorrow I am stricken,
Hope my heart anew will quicken,
All my longing shall be stilled.
To His lovingkindness tender
Soul and body I surrender;
For on Him alone I build.
Ps. 52:8b says, “I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and forever.” The word lovingkindness is the Hebrew word Chesed. It’s a word close to the word Agape Love and Grace in the New Testament, but has an stronger thought. We could spend volumes describing Chesed, but for time sake I will give a short summarized definition. It is rooted in a covenant commitment, so it has the the idea of a recorded solemn vow, to steadfastly cherish, delight in, love generously and pursue with such steadfast love, unconditionally, without cause other than the fact that the one who loves has set his love on that someone.
David said that is the thing he trusted in forever and ever. Everything else may have shifted and changed, but the one thing he was sure of was the lovingkindness (Chesed) of God. David was anything but perfect but he was a man after God’s own heart, and in that pursuit He discovered something about God’s heart;the Chesed of God. If you study the life of David, you will discover that he lived feeling cherished and delighted in, by God.
The word Chesed is often associated with the morning. Lam. 3:22-23, ” The Lord’s lovingkindnesses (Chesed) indeed indeed never cease,for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is your faithfulness.” What a great way to start a day, celebrating the fact that His goodness and lovingkindness (Chesed) will follow you today and all the days of your life. That’s one thing you can always trust in.