8 September, 2020
💞 Dear Royal Praying Priests, shalom!
💎 “Praise Adonai, for He is good, for His lovingkindness endures forever.” (Psm 136:1, TLV)
הוֹדוּ לַיהוָה כִּי-טוֹב: כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּו
(Hodu l’Adonai ki tov, ki le’olam chasdo)
In Modern Hebrew תוֹדָה (todah) means thanks and gratitude, and in the Biblical Hebrew הוֹדוּ (hodu) comes from a root word יָדָה (yadah). According to Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon, יָדָה (yadah) literally means to use or hold out the hand; physically means to throw, to shoot or to cast a stone or an arrow at, especially to revere or worship with extended hands; intensively to cast out, make confession, praise, and give thanksgiving. “Hodu l’Adonai” therefore can be translated as thank God, praise God, acknowledge God or confess to God. Our acknowledgment of God’s goodness births out the true and deep worship of who God is (being) and what He has done to us (doing).
The inspired psalmist praises God because His lovingkindness endures forever. The Hebrew word חַסְדּוֹ (chasdo) comes from חֶסֶד (chesed). Earlier in Manna for Meditation 79, we explained that חֶסֶד (chesed) is used for love or mercy of God towards people, and it is often translated as lovingkindness, mercy, goodness, or faithfulness in English translations. Therefore, חֶסֶד (chesed) means committed devotion, dedicated love and steadfast passion. When God revealed Himself to Moses, חֶסֶד (chesed) is also one of the attributes of God mentioned in Exodus 34:6-7. Our God is abundant in lovingkindness חֶסֶד (chesed) and faithfulness.
Psalm 136 reminds us over and over again that God’s lovingkindess endures forever. In the Month of Praise, let us switch our focuses on God’s being and doing, purposefully find His fingerprints of goodness, faithfulness, lovingkindess and mercy in all our circumstances, and sing praises to Him endlessly.
Worship song : Forever
🙏 Dear Heavenly Father, today we join the psalmist in giving praises and thanks to You. Hodu l’Adoai ki tov, ki le’olam chasdo! You are good to us always, Your love is never-ending, and Your mercy endures forever! We never grow tired of singing of You, because You are worthy of all our praises! In the Name of Yeshua we pray and bless You, Amen.