God’s Unending Love: Understanding Hesed in Psalm 103
Have you ever wondered what makes God’s love different from human love? Psalm 103 reveals a Hebrew word that captures the essence of divine love in a way that transforms how we understand God’s heart toward us. This ancient song teaches us about hesed, God’s loyal, covenant love that refuses to let go.
What is Hesed? The Love That Never Gives Up
The Hebrew word ‘hesed’ appears throughout Scripture to describe a special kind of love. It’s not sentimental or soft. It’s covenant love, concrete and unwavering. This is loyal love that refuses to leave, even when it breaks your heart to stay.
Think of someone in your life who loved you when you were unlovable, who stuck by your side through thick and thin. Someone who refused to leave when it would have been easy to walk away. That’s a glimpse of hesed.
How God Describes Himself
When God revealed His glory to Moses after the golden calf incident, He proclaimed: “The Lord, the Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in hesed.” This wasn’t just a description. It was God’s character declaration.
Human love says, “I will love you as long as you make me happy, as long as you do what I want.” But hesed says, “I will love you even if you break my heart, and I will never leave you.”
Why Does God Tell Us to Remember?
Throughout Psalm 103, we see a recurring theme: “forget not all his benefits.” The psalmist lists God’s goodness. He forgives sins, heals diseases, redeems from the pit, crowns with love and compassion, and satisfies with good things.
The Problem with Forgetting
We’re commanded to remember more than almost anything else in Scripture. The Hebrew word “zakar” doesn’t just mean to recall. It means to bring to mind in order to act. When God remembers, He acts. When we remember, we worship.
But we have a tendency to forget, especially when life gets comfortable. The more we aren’t forced to rely on God for our next meal, safety, or well-being, the easier it becomes to think we’ve built our own success.
What Distracts Us from Remembering?
Our problem isn’t just biological forgetfulness. It’s the constant noise around us, phone notifications, social media, news cycles, that pulls us away from what matters. We live with uncontrolled input and constant distraction, which leads to spiritual forgetfulness.
How Can We Remember God’s Goodness?
The solution involves moving from memorization to remembering. While memorization fills your head, remembering fills your heart.
The Difference Between Memorizing and Remembering
Memorization = Controlled input + Repetition
Remembering = Controlled input + Intentional reflection
When we intentionally reflect on God’s Word, it stays with us throughout the day. Moments arise where we’re reminded of God’s hesed, His benefits, and His character.
Why Scripture Memory Matters
Memorized Scripture becomes a constant companion. It’s with you everywhere you go, ready to remind you of God’s goodness when you need it most. It transforms random moments into opportunities for worship and gratitude.
Our Place in God’s Story
Psalm 103 reminds us that “the life of mortals is like grass. They flourish like a flower in the field. The wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.”
How many generations back can you name in your family tree? Most of us can’t go past great-great-grandparents. In 150-200 years, no one will remember who we were. Yet we often think the world revolves around us.
But God’s Love Endures Forever
While our lives are temporary like flowers in a field, “from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him.” His hesed endures forever, spanning generations and outlasting our brief time on earth.
The Connection Between Memory and Worship
Forgetfulness is the enemy of worship. When we forget God’s hesed and goodness, we don’t worship as we should. But remembering becomes the soil where gratitude grows and flourishes.
Worship reminds us of our proper place in the world. It reminds us who we are and who God is. It brings us back into right relationship with our Creator.
Life Application
This week, commit to intentionally remembering God’s hesed in your life. Choose one verse from Psalm 103 to memorize and carry with you. As you repeat it throughout your day, reflect on specific ways God has shown you His loyal love.
Consider these questions as you apply this truth:
- When have you experienced God’s hesed – His love that refused to give up on you?
- What distractions in your life make it harder to remember God’s goodness?
- How can you create space for intentional reflection on God’s benefits in your daily routine?
- In what areas of your life do you need to remember that it’s God’s grace, not your effort, that sustains you?
Remember: God’s love for you is not based on your performance or worthiness. His hesed endures forever, and His mercies are new every morning. Let this truth fill your heart with gratitude and transform how you see both God and yourself.