RR Psalm 31:8 Part 7

Shalom,

Psalm 31:8 I will be glad and rejoice in Your lovingkindness, for You saw my affliction. You knew the troubles of my soul.

“Gilah V’Simcha,” meaning “rejoice and be glad,” written in the first person future (I will).  And, what’s the impetus behind this personal celebration?  Nothing less than the “Chesed” of God.  So what we really need to do is understand “Chesed.”  On the surface, it is God’s loving and merciful kindness toward us.  

However; like everything throughout the Scriptures there are layers of meaning that can take us to a deeper level of understanding of God’s character.  The word is used more than 250 times in the Hebrew Scriptures.  It’s first appearance is in Genesis 19 when it is part of an expression by Lot as he offers thanksgiving to the men - who were angels of the Lord - for saving him and his family from the destruction of Sodom.  Lot knew he was saved by grace, and you should know it too.  

Another verse that uses “Chesed” and caught my attention is Micah 7:20 (the last verse of Micah) You will extend truth (Emet) to Jacob, mercy (Chesed) to Abraham, that You swore to our ancestors from the days of old. Significantly, God’s “Chesed” (unmerited favor) is perfected in Yeshua.  John 1:17 Torah was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Yeshua the Messiah.  Truth (Emet) and grace (Chesed) are two sides of the same coin.  They cannot be separated from each other.

We need grace to live in truth.  Paul understood as much, which is why he ends his three chapter (Romans 9, 10, and 11) treatise on Messianic Judaism with this… 

Romans 11:33 O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how incomprehensible His ways! 34 For “who has known the mind of Adonai, or who has been His counselor?” 35 Or “who has first given to Him, that it shall be repaid to him?” 36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.  

I’m thinking that tomorrow we will deal with the second part of the verse.  How God sees our affliction and knows the troubles of our souls.  Shalom shalom.

Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Mon16-June-2025 20th of Sivan, 5785
Nu 13:21-14:7Jer 31Dan 71 Co 13 (Mk 14:1-42)

Rabbi H Michael Weiner

Recent

Archive

Categories

Tags