Thy Loving-Kindness is Better than Life

“Thy lovingkindness is better than life,” so says the Psalmist about God. That word, lovingkindness, caught my attention as I was reading. I don’t remember ever seeing it in the Greek text. And upon further research, it isn’t. Why not? It appears there is no single Greek word that completely captures the full extent of the Hebrew word, chesed. In fact, there is not a single English word that captures the whole picture so someone came up with the idea of cramming two words together—loving and kindness. Still, it seems, the picture is incomplete so translators use other words—mercy, grace, faithfulness, devotion, goodness. Those are the words we read in the Greek text.

According to Vine’s Expository Dictionary, three concepts are combined every time the word is used—strength, steadfastness, and love. So, the Psalmist says that God’s love, steadfastness, and strength expressed to us is better than life, itself—a concept we should explore further sometime.

Also according to Vine’s, chesed can only be expressed within a covenant relationship. In fact, it becomes an expression of generosity and mercy that the stronger party expresses to the lesser. Chesed requires a personal involvement in the relationship that goes “beyond the rule of law.” In other words, God’s steadfastness and commitment to us is stronger than law requires.

Hosea and Gomer’s relationship comes to mind. While Torah says to put the adulteress to death, Hosea’s chesed toward his wife supersedes Torah. Does this mean there are situations where we should NOT obey Torah? Apparently so, IF there is a covenant relationship and the offended party chooses to respond with chesed. In other words, Hosea’s response to Gomer’s infidelity demonstrates his strength of character, steadfast commitment, and unending love to the weaker party in the relationship.

Finally, according to Telushkin’s commentary on the Babylonian Talmud, “Charity is equal in importance to all the other commandments combined.” And, “One who gives charity in secret is greater than Moses.” However, given charity’s preeminence over the other mitzvah, there remains one thing greater than charity—chesed. How is chesed greater? It is greater in three ways.

Charity is done with one’s money, while lovingkindness may be done with one’s money or person [e.g. spending time with a sick person].

Charity is given only to the poor, while lovingkindness may be given both to the poor and to the rich [e.g. consoling those who are mourning or depressed].

Charity is given only to the living, while lovingkindness may be shown to both the living and the dead [e.g. by arranging burial and handling after death business].

Perhaps we should expand our understanding of at least two verses that come to mind:
Hosea 6:6 “I desire mercy [chesed], not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. “

Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

Shalom,
Bryan