For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 NASB

We praise and honor You, Lord God Almighty, for Your mercy and hesed shown to us, Your people (Note 1). We bless You for the goodness that freely chose us to salvation before the world began.

We thank You for creating us after Your own image; for redeeming us when we were lost with the precious blood of Christ; for sanctifying us by Your Spirit in the revelation and knowledge of Your Word; for Your help and support in our necessities; for Your fatherly comfort in our tribulations; for saving us in the dangers of body and soul; and for giving us so long a time of repentance.

We acknowledge, most merciful Father, to have received these benefits from Your goodness alone, and we implore You to continue to be gracious to increase our thankfulness to You, kindling our hearts with pure and fervent love. Help us not to receive Your Word in vain, but graciously assist us always, in heart, word, and deed, to sanctify and worship Your holy name.
Illumine our minds by The Holy Spirit in the true understanding of Your Word. Give us grace to receive it with unfeigned reverence and humility. May it lead us to put our whole trust in You alone and so to serve and honor You, that we may glorify Your Name, and edify our neighbors by our godly example through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Adapted, A Book of Public Prayer

Note 1: Hesed (Hebrew) is an unconditional extravagant love; a steadfast commitment to give and to love without limit those who have no merit. Hesed is a defining attribute of God, who binds himself to His people and remains faithful even when they are not. It is manifest in His willingness to forgive wrongdoing and to take upon Himself the sin, rebellion, and transgressions of His people.

God’s hesed love is why He never gives up on His children, even though they repeatedly fall into idolatry and sin. Sending Jesus on a rescue mission was God’s ultimate hesed. As an expression of His lovingkindness, God allows His people to experience the consequence of their sin. Even this is an expression of His hesed.

Hesed is one of the Bible’s richest, most untranslatable words. No single English (or Greek) term fully conveys the nature, fullness, and magnitude of hesed. It is variously translated lovingkindness, mercy, unfailing love, steadfast love, faithful love. Where you see these words in translations, they are speaking of God’s hesed.