It’s February, which means love is in the air. Whether you’re a fan of Valentine’s Day or can’t stand it, it’s hard to escape the hearts, jewelry ads, and candy sales reminding us of the love that everyone is searching for. And with love being on everyone’s minds this time of year, I thought it would be a good time to meditate on the love of God. As I spent time studying and meditating on God’s love, I was struck by the security of God’s hesed love.
Hesed: God’s Covenant Keeping Love
Hesed is a Hebrew word used to describe God’s love throughout the Old Testament. In the NASB95, hesed is usually translated “lovingkindness,” ESV translates it as “steadfast love,” and other translations will use the word “mercy.” This word appears 247 times in the Old Testament and has a beautifully rich meaning. Hesed is defined as absolute goodness or kindness, and when speaking of God: “lovingkindness in condescending to the needs of his creatures…. specifically lovingkindness: in redemption from enemies and troubles; in preservation of life from death; in quickening of spiritual life; in redemption from sin; in keeping the covenants.”1 God’s love is beautifully displayed in the way He keeps His covenants with Abraham, Israel, and David, in promising a coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, who would save us from our sins. Scripture also defines God’s hesed as abundant (Num. 14:18), saying that the earth is full of His hesed (Ps. 33:5), and His hesed is everlasting (Ps. 136).
God’s love is a covenant-keeping, faithful love that never runs out and never ends! And this love is unshakeable.
God’s Love is Unshakeable
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. Psalm 136:1
“For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, And My covenant of peace will not be shaken,” Says the Lord who has compassion on you. Isaiah 54:10
God’s love is unshakable. We don’t have to live in fear, thinking that God loves me today but He might not tomorrow. God’s love is dependent on His unchanging character, not our circumstances or our trials or our struggles and shortcomings. (You can read a commentary on Psalm 136 and God’s lovingkindness here.)
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
What a beautiful promise to know that nothing can separate us from God’s love! His love is trustworthy.
“The Lord your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy. Zephaniah 3:17
God delights in His children, and we can find security in that love. Good parents loves their child, not because the child can do anything for them (in fact, for a long time kids have to rely on their parents for literally everything!), but because that child is their child. How much greater is the love of our perfect Heavenly Father for His children! God’s love is a reason for great comfort and joy.
It’s Because of God’s Lovingkindness that we are Forgiven
Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Psalm 51:1
For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You. Psalm 86:5
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:10
In truth, we deserve God’s wrath because of our sins. Sin has marred the perfect love we were designed to have with God and with others. But God, because of His great love, offers us forgiveness through the blood of Christ who took our place on the cross. It’s because of God’s great love that we are redeemed and restored to right relationship with God. That is amazing love.
We can know perfect love through the love of our Heavenly Father. Today, take some time to meditate on and rejoice in His amazing, perfect love for you!
With love,
Kelsey
P.S. Want to take this article deeper? Listen to the latest episode of Wholeheartedly with Kelsey Lee: Secure in God’s Love.
- hesed: “H2617 – ḥeseḏ – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (NASB95).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 4 Feb, 2026. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h2617/nasb95/wlc/0-1/> ↩︎
2 comments
Julie
The Romans 8:38-39 passage has blessed me over the years. I have added whatever or whomever has been a struggle to the list knowing that God is faithful regardless!
Kelsey
Yes! He is faithful!