The Steadfast Love of the Lord

 

The prophet Jeremiah knew sorrow. He's often called the "weeping prophet" because of the tears he cried over the destruction of Jerusalem and the sinfulness of her people. The book of Jeremiah paints a vivid portrait of a man who deeply loved his people and his God yet watched helplessly as the consequences of their rebellion played out in the form of invasion, siege, and the complete decimation of the holy city. Jeremiah's heart was shattered time and time again as he proclaimed God's warnings and pleaded with the people to repent, only to see them stubbornly refuse.

And yet, even in his deepest anguish, Jeremiah could hold on to hope. Despite the unspeakable trauma he endured, the prophet remained confident that both God's people and the city of Jerusalem would one day be restored, thanks to the Father's faithfulness and unending mercy. This hope, rooted firmly in the steadfast love of the Lord, is most poignantly expressed in the third chapter of the book of Lamentations.

Lamentations 3:22-23 reads: "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness" (ESV). In these two verses, Jeremiah gives voice to a profound truth that sustained him through his darkest days: God's unwavering, unfailing love. Even as the prophet grieved the fall of Jerusalem, he clung to the confidence that the Lord's compassions would never fail. 

The Hebrew word חֶסֶד translated as "steadfast love" in this passage is the rich and multifaceted term hesed. The word חֶסֶד "Hesed" comes from the Hebrew root "HSD" חסד, which conveys the idea of loving-kindness, mercy, steadfast love, or loyalty. It is associated with acts of grace, compassion, and faithfulness. Hesed encompasses the ideas of covenant loyalty, unfailing kindness, and unwavering mercy. It speaks of a love that is steadfast, enduring, and unconditional—a love that perseveres no matter what. For Jeremiah, this hesed, this covenantal lovingkindness of the Lord, was the foundation of his hope.

To fully understand the depth of meaning in Lamentations 3:22-23, we must first explore the broader context of the book of Lamentations. As the name implies, Lamentations is a collection of mournful poems that give voice to the profound grief and anguish experienced by the people of Judah in the wake of Jerusalem's destruction by the Babylonians in 586 BC. This cataclysmic event marked the end of the Davidic kingdom and the exile of the Jewish people to Babylon.

Jeremiah, who had prophesied this impending judgment for decades, was an eyewitness to the horrors of the siege and fall of the holy city. In Lamentations, the prophet pours out his heart, lamenting the unspeakable suffering of his people. He gives vivid, heartbreaking expression to the physical, emotional, and spiritual devastation wrought by God's judgment. The city that was once "full of people" now sits "solitary" (Lamentations 1:1). The "joy of our hearts has ceased," and "our dancing has turned to mourning" (Lamentations 5:15). The Temple, the very dwelling place of God, has been desecrated and destroyed (Lamentations 2:6-7).

And yet, even amidst the ruins, Jeremiah clings to the hope found in the steadfast love of the Lord. Amid the lamentation, the prophet declares, "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22-23). This affirmation of God's unfailing love and compassion starkly contrasts the preceding verses, which paint a bleak picture of human suffering and divine wrath.

So what about the concept of hesed, this covenantal lovingkindness that gave Jeremiah the strength to hold fast to hope even in the darkest of times? To unpack this, we must first understand the rich theological background of this pivotal Old Testament term.

The word hesed appears over 250 times in the Hebrew Bible and is a central component of God's self-revelation to his people. From the opening chapters of Genesis, where God demonstrates his hesed by graciously clothing Adam and Eve after the Fall (Genesis 3:21), to the closing verses of the Old Testament, where the prophet Malachi declares that "the Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love" (Malachi 3:17), the theme of God's unfailing covenant love permeates the Scriptures.

This covenantal lovingkindness finds its clearest expression in God's dealings with the nation of Israel. Time and again, the Old Testament depicts the Lord as a faithful, compassionate covenant partner who remains committed to his people despite their repeated rebellion and unfaithfulness. Even when Israel falls into sin and experiences the painful consequences of divine judgment, God's hesed compels him to relent, forgive, and restore. 

A prime example of this can be seen in the book of Hosea, where the prophet's tumultuous marriage to the unfaithful Gomer serves as a living metaphor for God's relationship with his covenant people. Despite Gomer's persistent infidelity, Hosea remains committed to her, redeeming her from the slave market and taking her back as his wife (Hosea 3:1-2). In the same way, the Lord declares, "I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy" (Hosea 2:19).

This steadfast love, this hesed, is rooted in the very character of God. It flows out of his essential nature as a merciful, gracious, and faithful covenant-keeping God. As the Psalmist proclaims, "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever" (Ps 103:8-9). The Lord's hesed is an attribute that is central to his identity and inseparable from his dealings with his people.

This profound theological reality undergirds Jeremiah's hope in the midst of unspeakable suffering. Though the prophet witnessed the devastating consequences of Judah's sin firsthand, he never lost sight of the truth that God's love and mercy would ultimately prevail. Jeremiah knew with unwavering confidence that the Lord's hesed would outlast even the darkest night of exile and devastation.

This confidence is evident in the famous "new covenant" passage found in Jeremiah 31:31-34. Here, the prophet looks beyond the present calamity to a future day when God will make a new and everlasting covenant with his people. Even though Judah's rebellion had shattered the current covenant, Jeremiah declares that the Lord will one day write his law on the hearts of his people, fully and finally restoring the broken relationship. The basis for this future hope? The steadfast love and unwavering mercy of the covenant-keeping God.

This same hesed, this covenantal lovingkindness, finds its boldest expression in Lamentations 3:22-23. Amidst the wrenching cries of grief and despair that fill the book, these verses stand out as a beacon of hope. Here, Jeremiah affirms that even in the midst of unimaginable suffering, the mercies of the Lord never cease. His love and compassion are renewed with every passing day. 

The prophet's use of "steadfast" (Hebrew: 'aman) is particularly significant. This term connotes a love that is enduring, unwavering, and reliable—a love that will never fail or fade away. No matter how bleak the circumstances may appear, Jeremiah is confident that the Lord's hesed will remain a steady, abiding reality. One commentator notes, "This is not sentimental feeling, but a strong, resolute, and unyielding love.

Moreover, Jeremiah's declaration that God's "mercies never come to an end" speaks to divine compassion's boundless, inexhaustible nature. Even as the prophet laments the catastrophic consequences of Judah's sin, he is assured that the Lord's mercies are fresh and new with each passing morning. There is no limit to the Father's willingness to forgive, restore, and redeem his wayward people.

This unwavering confidence in God's hesed is the foundation upon which Jeremiah's hope is built. Though the present may be bleak, the prophet knows that the future is secure in the hands of the faithful, covenant-keeping God. As the Psalmist declares, "Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning" (Ps 30:5). For Jeremiah, that "morning" represents the dawning of a new day when the Lord's steadfast love would shine forth in full splendor, bringing restoration and redemption to his people.

It is worth noting that Jeremiah's unshakable hope in the face of overwhelming tragedy is all the more remarkable given his reputation as the "weeping prophet." Throughout the book that bears his name, Jeremiah is depicted as a man of deep emotion, agonizing over his people's sins and the impending judgment that will befall them. In Jeremiah 9:1, the prophet cries out, "Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!" 

This intense sorrow and grief is fully displayed in the book of Lamentations, where Jeremiah voices the profound anguish of himself and his people. As he surveys the ruined city of Jerusalem, the prophet is overwhelmed by a sense of loss and disbelief. "How lonely sits the city full of people!" he laments. "She who was great among the nations has become like a widow" (Lam 1:1). The sight of the once-mighty city reduced to rubble elicits deep, wrenching cries from Jeremiah's heart.

And yet, even amidst this unbearable sorrow, the prophet can find hope in the steadfast love of the Lord. Though he may be known as the "weeping prophet," Jeremiah also clings tenaciously to the truth of God's unfailing mercy and compassion. He may grieve the present devastation but looks confident about a future restoration.

This ability to maintain hope in the face of such profound loss and suffering is a testament to the transformative power of the Lord's hesed. Jeremiah's tears do not negate his faith; instead, they are the outward expression of a heart fully engaged with the reality of sin and its consequences. But even as he weeps, the prophet refuses to lose sight of the greater truth: that the God who has brought judgment is also the God of unending mercy.

In this way, Jeremiah models for us a profound truth: that true, lasting hope is not rooted in our circumstances or our emotions but in God's unchanging character. No matter how bleak the present may appear, the prophet's confidence remains unshaken because it is anchored in the steadfast love of the Lord. One scholar notes, "Jeremiah does not deny the reality of suffering, but he refuses to let it define his view of God and the future."

This is a lesson that we, like Jeremiah, would do well to heed. In a world often characterized by pain, loss, and brokenness, it can be all too easy to succumb to despair and lose sight of hope. And yet, the testimony of Scripture is clear: God's love and compassion are boundless, unending, and utterly reliable. No matter what storms may rage around us, we can cling to the truth that the Lord's mercies are new every morning.

Perhaps this is why the great hymn "Great is Thy Faithfulness" resonated deeply with believers throughout the centuries. Penned by Thomas Chisholm in 1923, the lyrics draw directly from the language of Lamentations 3:22-23, celebrating the unwavering, covenant-keeping love of God:

"Great is Thy faithfulness," O God my Father,

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not

As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Like Jeremiah, the author of this beloved hymn found his hope firmly anchored in the Lord's steadfast love and unfailing mercies. No matter his difficulties or sorrows, he could cling to the unshakable truth that God's faithfulness would endure forever. 

This conviction, rooted in the rich theological concept of hesed, ultimately allowed Jeremiah to maintain hope even amid unimaginable tragedy. Though he wept bitterly over Jerusalem's destruction, the prophet never lost sight of the fact that the Lord's compassions would not fail. His mercies would be renewed each morning, sustaining Jeremiah and his people through the darkest nights.

Indeed, this very truth lies at the heart of the gospel message. In Jesus Christ, we see the fullest expression of God's steadfast love and covenantal faithfulness. Though we, like Israel, have rebelled against the Lord and deserved only judgment, Christ has taken upon himself the punishment we rightly deserve. Through his death on the cross and his triumphant resurrection, the Son of God has secured eternal life and the promise of complete restoration.

Just as Jeremiah looked beyond the ruins of Jerusalem to a coming day of redemption, we can, too, fix our eyes on the horizon of God's coming kingdom. No matter how bleak the present may appear, we can hold fast to the confidence that the Lord's mercies will never cease. His love is steadfast, unwavering, and everlasting. Because of this, we can face even the darkest of nights with an unshakable hope.

As the apostle Paul declares, "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39). This is the truth that sustained Jeremiah in his darkest hour, and it is the truth that sustains us as well.

So let us, like Jeremiah, fix our eyes on the steadfast love of the Lord. Let us cling to the promise that his mercies are new every morning; great is his faithfulness. And let us, with unwavering hope, look forward to the day when the Lord will fully and finally restore all things, ushering in a kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy that will never end.