Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord. (Psalm 107:43 ESV)

Webster defines steadfast as firm, fixed, unchanging, steady, loyal and unswerving.  It is an attitude which a party in a covenant ought to maintain towards each other.  So, when we say God is steadfast, we can certainly agree that He is fixed, unchanging, steady, loyal, etc.  However, the Bible has many different uses for the term steadfast. 

The word steadfast is the word “hesed” in the Old Testament.  It appears 250 times in the Old Testament and 150 of those are found in the Psalms.  There are 14 different words used to convey its meaning in the King James Version.  Just a few of the meanings are listed below:

Psalm 103:4 – lovingkindness
Psalm 103: 8 – mercy
Psalm 103:11 – everlasting mercy
Psalm 51:1 – abundant
Psalm 25: 10 – faithful
Isaiah 63:7 – repeated forgiveness
Psalm 57:3 – truth
Psalm 31:16 – rescuing love
Jeremiah 2:2 – kindness
Deut. 7:9 – covenant loyalty

The Bible is a story of God’s undeserved, gracious, and generous love.  The entire history of God’s relationship with Israel and Jesus’ message to the world can be summarized in terms of hesed.  Through Jesus, God has and is actively reaching into our mess, our sin, our pain and our confusion.  God is active and initiates the relationship with us.  And when we are grasped through His steadfast love, we are secure, not driven away or lost!

All that God does for us through His steadfast love is to lead us to consider and understand His love and in return worship Him in response.  I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. For I said, ‘steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness. (Psalm 89:1-2 ESV)

God lavishes on us His steadfast love; He in return asks us to worship Him and part of that worship is to pledge our steadfast love back.

 For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6 ESV)

He has told you O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness (steadfastness), and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8 ESV)

Do you know His steadfast love?  Do you love Him in return with that same kind of covenant love? 

Lynne Jahns
Christian Counselor