LOVINGKINDNESS AND TENDER MERCIES
Psa. 103:4 Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
I learned to do word studies in the early days of my ministry from one of my mentors, Dick Mills. Brother Mills had a love and an incredible hunger for God’s word which caused him to delve deeply into the study of Bible words. This scripture verse today has two powerful Hebrew words that bring to us a profound vision of God’s love for His people. The first word is lovingkindness which comes from the Hebrew word chesed. This word is very descriptive. Zodhiates word book says this about chesed. “The basic idea is that of an act of kindness, love or mercy shown to someone. The quality of the kindness shown is usually that reserved for close friends and family members.” I love that The Lord actually takes us into His family and begins to pour His family blessings on us. The greatest of these blessing is His love for us. Now that we are in Christ, He pours His love upon us. His lovingkindness truly lasts forever.
The second word that stands out to me in this verse is tender mercies. This comes from the Hebrew word racham. Strong’s word book brings out the shocking meaning of this word. rakh’-am; compassion; by extension the womb as cherishing the fetus. The Theological Word Book. Says “This root refers to deep love (usually of a “superior” for an “inferior”) rooted in some “natural” bond.” This is absolutely amazing to me. The deepest form of love David could imagine was the love a mother has for a child that begins in her womb. David says that this is like the love The Lord has for us. He crowns our life with the tenderest of mercies.
Now this brings us to the whole point of what this passage is all about. He crowns us, or even better, surrounds us with His lovingkindness and His tender mercies. Our lives, from before we were ever born, are surrounded by God with His lovingkindness and His tender mercies.
This is one of those passages in the Bible that reminds us of how practical God’s love is for us. His love is not just a doctrine to examine in church or Bible class. It is actually an experiential reality that keeps us in the darkest of times. For David, this love is what held him when he was in exile for years. This mercy kept him and restored him when he fell into sin with Bathsheba. This lovingkindness and tender mercies were his bread when his son Absalom tried to take over his father’s kingdom. Maybe you are in trouble today. Maybe depression has grabbed you and tried to choke the very life from you. If so, remember this family love God has for you. Even better, He has loved you from your mother’s womb. You are His. He is with you, watching, caring, and loving you all of your days. Bless The Lord oh my soul and all that is within me bless His holy name. Don’t ever forget His benefits. He has crowned you with chesed and racham.
6 thoughts on “LOVINGKINDNESS AND TENDER MERCIES”
Wow! Pastor Bailey ray and I Monday were driving around to see this home possibly for my in-law and we ran into Nathan a friend of ours from church when went to after we were married a precious young married couple believeing for a baby for five years! we had such a precious time of prayer and that was one if of the things we prayed thethat lord. that each day in her pregnancy we asked she would sense that closest bond with the baby on the promises of the lord in his word! !
Whew hoo, Jesus does.:), Hallelujah, nothing like the compassion of the Lord.
The word LOVE is just so Lovely. Ha. What a King we serve that supplies the things we need daily.
What a deep ROOT that just grows and grows unconditionally and fills you inside out and all around.
Thank You Lord for your Love, without it I would be bankrupted. Very delicate words that are great to use often, All the time.
Awesome blog Pastor Frank, Blessings, with lovingkindness and tender mercies.. with love, have an awesome day in our LORD,
The King of Kings.
I wanted to say to Pastor Frank, my youngest daughter Shelby will be having one of Gods awesome gifts.
She is going to have a baby also, full of the Lords Love. This is the due date they gave her for delivery Christmas Day.. It’s all in the LORDS hands.
Keep her in Prayer please. Love You all, You all are in my prayers….:)
Thank you.
Thank you, we need that , I need that . I thank God for you Pastor Frank, our church, and Victory fellowship family. The love that we have for one another . Most of all for the love God loves us with, He is enought for me !
Awesome Blog, Thank You, Seemingly Speaking Directly to my Present Trials and Afflictions. And Yes, I Believe These Suffering are only for The Moment, That Indeed This too will pass; That Somehow I must keep my mind on Things Above!!! Honestly Pastors, I Believe that Your Blogs are one of the few Outlets or rather Plug-ins Presently keeping me Sane!!! Of Course #1 Help and Source is the Church Family and Pastors God has Chosen for me. However Respectly, along side my Fellowship, Your Blogs prove Inspirational and quite Informative. We are inspired to really want to read and read even more of God’s word. We are challenged to reflect on how God really feels about us and how we really feel about God. And Yes, I still come up with “Oh How I Love Jesus, Because He First Loved Me.” And Yes, “There Is A Name I Love To Hear, It Sounds Like Music In Mine Ear.” Oh Yes, to be Crowned with Chesed and Racham!!! Thank You Lord, Amen! Amen!! Amen!!!