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Inexpressible: Hesed and the Mystery of God's Lovingkindness
God's identity is beyond what we could ever fully express in human words. But Scripture uses one particular word to describe the distinctiveness of God's character: the Hebrew word hesed.
Hesed is a concept so rich in meaning that it doesn't translate well into any single English word or phrase. Michael Card unpacks the many dimensions of hesed, often expressed as lovingkindness, covenant faithfulness, or steadfast love. He explores how hesed is used in the Old Testament to reveal God's character and how he relates to his people. Ultimately, the fullness of hesed is embodied in the incarnation of Jesus.
As we follow our God of hesed, we ourselves are transformed to live out the way of hesed, marked by compassion, mercy, and faithfulness. Discover what it means to be people of an everlasting love beyond words.
Hesed is a concept so rich in meaning that it doesn't translate well into any single English word or phrase. Michael Card unpacks the many dimensions of hesed, often expressed as lovingkindness, covenant faithfulness, or steadfast love. He explores how hesed is used in the Old Testament to reveal God's character and how he relates to his people. Ultimately, the fullness of hesed is embodied in the incarnation of Jesus.
As we follow our God of hesed, we ourselves are transformed to live out the way of hesed, marked by compassion, mercy, and faithfulness. Discover what it means to be people of an everlasting love beyond words.
176 pages, Paperback
Published December 18, 2018
169 people are currently reading
772 people want to read
About the author
Michael Card
114 books98 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Michael Card (born April 11, 1957) is an American Christian singer-songwriter, musician, author, and radio host from Franklin, Tennessee. He is best known for his contributions in contemporary Christian music, which couple folk-style melodies and instrumentation with lyrics that stem from intensive study of the Bible. Since his debut in 1981, he has sold more than 4 million albums and has written 19 No. 1 singles.He has also authored several books, including Gold Medallion Book Award winner A Sacred Sorrow.
http://www.michaelcard.com/#/about-mi...
Michael Card (born April 11, 1957) is an American Christian singer-songwriter, musician, author, and radio host from Franklin, Tennessee. He is best known for his contributions in contemporary Christian music, which couple folk-style melodies and instrumentation with lyrics that stem from intensive study of the Bible. Since his debut in 1981, he has sold more than 4 million albums and has written 19 No. 1 singles.He has also authored several books, including Gold Medallion Book Award winner A Sacred Sorrow.
http://www.michaelcard.com/#/about-mi...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
February 10, 2019
Summary: A study of the Hebrew word hesed, exploring what this says about God, about the objects of hesed, the incarnation of hesed in Jesus, and how then we should live.
"When the person from which I have a right to expect nothing gives me everything."
After studying all the uses of the Hebrew word hesed, this is how Michael Card ended up defining this word. This whole book is about one amazing word. Translators have groped for words to express in one or a few words the inexpressible wonder of this word, particularly because it most often is used to describe God in his action toward humanity. At the beginning of Card's book, Card lists over a hundred words or phrases the translators have come up with for this word. The King James Version came up with a compound word, loving-kindness, to try to capture its essence.
Card takes us through his own extensive study of every use of the word in the Hebrew Bible. He takes us through passages that have to do with the God of hesed, explores what it is like to be an object of hesed, considers how Jesus incarnates and teaches hesed, and what hesed meant for the Jews after the destruction of the second temple, and what this says for us. Appendices give us a list of every text with the word hesed, the words used in different translations, the words associated with hesed, and ideas for further study.
Card tells memorable stories to illustrate hesed such as that of Keshia Thomas, a black demonstrator at a Klan rally who saw a Klansman who had wandered mistakenly into her group of protesters, and was being attacked until she shielded him with her own body, possibly saving his life. Card speaks of his first visit to a black church, and a black woman, Dinah, who held his hand, and extended welcome. He develops the argument of Moses with God that he is slow to anger and abounding with hesed, a refrain recurring throughout scripture. God may deal with Israel's sin, but he never gives up on her.
One of his most striking reflections is on Jesus with the Roman centurion, who is described as deserving by the people, but describes himself as undeserving and yet, out of love for his servant, and faith, the like Jesus had not seen in Israel, asks for what he does not deserve. He found the hesed he believed in. Eventually, at the cross, Jesus would give to all humanity what we did not deserve, making peace between God and us.
His concluding reflections challenge us to live in this world. He begins with how the followers of Hillel in Judaism dealt with the fall of the temple, drawing on the statement of Hosea 6:6 which says, "For I desire hesed and not sacrifice." The doing and living of hesed, along with the idea of tikkun olam ("repairing the world") have become central to modern Judaism. Card invites us to live into that same reality:
"The final challenge to you and me is to take whatever understanding we have in our heads of hesed and allow the Spirit to move it into our hearts. We must enter into the world of the word hesed and then take that world into our world, back to our families, to our churches and towns--to our enemies. The Scriptures are offering us an unimaginable opportunity to make Jesus believable and beautiful by offering everything (even our lives) to those who have a right to expect nothing from us." (p. 135)
To read this book was to allow God to thaw my heart, reminding me of the everything I have so undeservingly received. To read this book was to clear the fog from my eyes, to give me at least a glimpse of the inexpressible beauty of the God of hesed. Finally, to read this book was to stir my will, my hands, my feet, to think about the places where I might repair the world through the loving-kindness of hesed.
_____________________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
"When the person from which I have a right to expect nothing gives me everything."
After studying all the uses of the Hebrew word hesed, this is how Michael Card ended up defining this word. This whole book is about one amazing word. Translators have groped for words to express in one or a few words the inexpressible wonder of this word, particularly because it most often is used to describe God in his action toward humanity. At the beginning of Card's book, Card lists over a hundred words or phrases the translators have come up with for this word. The King James Version came up with a compound word, loving-kindness, to try to capture its essence.
Card takes us through his own extensive study of every use of the word in the Hebrew Bible. He takes us through passages that have to do with the God of hesed, explores what it is like to be an object of hesed, considers how Jesus incarnates and teaches hesed, and what hesed meant for the Jews after the destruction of the second temple, and what this says for us. Appendices give us a list of every text with the word hesed, the words used in different translations, the words associated with hesed, and ideas for further study.
Card tells memorable stories to illustrate hesed such as that of Keshia Thomas, a black demonstrator at a Klan rally who saw a Klansman who had wandered mistakenly into her group of protesters, and was being attacked until she shielded him with her own body, possibly saving his life. Card speaks of his first visit to a black church, and a black woman, Dinah, who held his hand, and extended welcome. He develops the argument of Moses with God that he is slow to anger and abounding with hesed, a refrain recurring throughout scripture. God may deal with Israel's sin, but he never gives up on her.
One of his most striking reflections is on Jesus with the Roman centurion, who is described as deserving by the people, but describes himself as undeserving and yet, out of love for his servant, and faith, the like Jesus had not seen in Israel, asks for what he does not deserve. He found the hesed he believed in. Eventually, at the cross, Jesus would give to all humanity what we did not deserve, making peace between God and us.
His concluding reflections challenge us to live in this world. He begins with how the followers of Hillel in Judaism dealt with the fall of the temple, drawing on the statement of Hosea 6:6 which says, "For I desire hesed and not sacrifice." The doing and living of hesed, along with the idea of tikkun olam ("repairing the world") have become central to modern Judaism. Card invites us to live into that same reality:
"The final challenge to you and me is to take whatever understanding we have in our heads of hesed and allow the Spirit to move it into our hearts. We must enter into the world of the word hesed and then take that world into our world, back to our families, to our churches and towns--to our enemies. The Scriptures are offering us an unimaginable opportunity to make Jesus believable and beautiful by offering everything (even our lives) to those who have a right to expect nothing from us." (p. 135)
To read this book was to allow God to thaw my heart, reminding me of the everything I have so undeservingly received. To read this book was to clear the fog from my eyes, to give me at least a glimpse of the inexpressible beauty of the God of hesed. Finally, to read this book was to stir my will, my hands, my feet, to think about the places where I might repair the world through the loving-kindness of hesed.
_____________________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
January 31, 2025
UPDATED REVIEW:
This book has not aged well for me. Over the last five years I've come to better understand the word Hesed. And I am STUNNED that in a book-long dive into one word Card does not address the trans-generational aspect of Hesed. I find that to be almost the definition of Hesed: God's covenantal faithfulness to his people over generations.
Hesed has way less to do with faithfulness to one human but to his overall commitment to his chosen people over centuries.
Card individualizes Hesed to be primarily about me= "Hesed: When the person from whom I have a right to expect nothing gives me everything". I believe that is almost the opposite of what the word means. Hesed has very little to do with me and everything to do with God and his faithfulness to his people, over millennia.
Passages like Lamentations 3:21-27 only makes sense if you understand hesed as the transgenerational love of God:
21 But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
26 It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.
Everyone who heard those words from Jeremiah (including Jeremiah) did not live to see the end of exile. None of them saw the salvation of the Lord. Waiting quietly means faith that it may never come in your lifetime but it WILL come. Jeremiah's hope is that God's plans WILL come to pass, even if I never get to see them.
____________________________________________
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
Inexpressible is the kind of book where you get more than you bargained for. Michael Card is full of wisdom, and profoundly understands the Bible.
So you learn about Hesed, but in the process you learn to better read the Bible (which is my favorite kind of book). In off-handed comments throughout, Card illuminates dense scriptural ideas: manna, the role of parables, the pharisees, imprecatory psalms, the Shema, a land flowing with milk and honey (the role of abundance in demonstrating what God is like).
All the while explaining "the most important word in the Hebrew Scriptures… the mysterious and inexpressible word… hesed."
This book has not aged well for me. Over the last five years I've come to better understand the word Hesed. And I am STUNNED that in a book-long dive into one word Card does not address the trans-generational aspect of Hesed. I find that to be almost the definition of Hesed: God's covenantal faithfulness to his people over generations.
Hesed has way less to do with faithfulness to one human but to his overall commitment to his chosen people over centuries.
Card individualizes Hesed to be primarily about me= "Hesed: When the person from whom I have a right to expect nothing gives me everything". I believe that is almost the opposite of what the word means. Hesed has very little to do with me and everything to do with God and his faithfulness to his people, over millennia.
Passages like Lamentations 3:21-27 only makes sense if you understand hesed as the transgenerational love of God:
21 But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
26 It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.
Everyone who heard those words from Jeremiah (including Jeremiah) did not live to see the end of exile. None of them saw the salvation of the Lord. Waiting quietly means faith that it may never come in your lifetime but it WILL come. Jeremiah's hope is that God's plans WILL come to pass, even if I never get to see them.
____________________________________________
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
Inexpressible is the kind of book where you get more than you bargained for. Michael Card is full of wisdom, and profoundly understands the Bible.
So you learn about Hesed, but in the process you learn to better read the Bible (which is my favorite kind of book). In off-handed comments throughout, Card illuminates dense scriptural ideas: manna, the role of parables, the pharisees, imprecatory psalms, the Shema, a land flowing with milk and honey (the role of abundance in demonstrating what God is like).
All the while explaining "the most important word in the Hebrew Scriptures… the mysterious and inexpressible word… hesed."
January 16, 2022
A whole book based on one Hebrew word? Yes, but this one book could easily become ten or one hundred books, and still the meaning and implications of hesed would not be exhausted. Michael Card has done an exemplary job of guiding us through the Bible, both OT and NT, to explore the many facets of this diamond of a word. His book is a great example of an author who draws from scholarship, summarizes what he finds, and applies that to the life and confession of a believer. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
June 27, 2020
Phew, this book took me longer to read than expected. Mostly because the last part of the book was just a listing of every verse that contains the word 'hesed' and I felt I needed to go through them in my own Bible, because, well, the author is right, it's an interesting word.
This book basically goes through the difficulty of translating the word 'hesed' because we don't really have a concept for it in English. That is true, there are a bunch of words from a bunch of languages that don't really have translations into English, it's always interesting to learn them because it is learning a new concept, or perhaps putting a word to a concept that was vaguely felt before would be a better way of putting it.
This book doesn't really delve into the etymology of the word because no one seems to know what it is, but I kind of wished for more of the linguistic aspect. For instance, 'hesed' is often translated as 'love' 'loyal' 'kindness' 'lovingkindness' etc., well, what are those words in Hebrew? Are they related to 'hesed' at all? I don't speak or know Hebrew, so I have no idea but I wondered about it while I was reading it.
Honestly, I didn't particularly like most of this book, I was kind of reading it just to get through it, but there were a couple of chapters that were really good and just smacked you upside the head. Chapters 6, 7, 18 and 19 were that for me. I can't really even put into words why they affected me so except to say that they were about human interactions that I also fail at. He told this story of how he wanted to offer his seat to a rabbi, but was too busy figuring out the perfect way of doing it that he missed his chance of doing it at all. That is something that happens to me quite frequently. Or I talk myself out of doing something good because it is risky or because I won't get anything out of it in return or because it would inconvenience me too much. That attitude really goes against what 'hesed' is all about. The giving of oneself without stint even to those that do not deserve it.
I would say it's a good book in some ways, but it didn't really appeal to me for some reason. I didn't enjoy reading it, and, honestly, was glad when it was over. I did learn from it, for instance learning about the fact that Hasidic Jews take their name from this word and how they try and put it into practice. I even found several other books that I want to read from reading this one...books that sound far more interesting, frankly, about Jewish philosophy and how it has changed and developed over the centuries.
I was kind of surprised that I didn't like this book, it's about languages and it's by Michael Card whose music I quite enjoy. But, I didn't like it. I don't even know why I didn't like it. It just didn't impinge on me very much.
I guess one reason was he talks about the eight words that this word draws to itself, and it does often show up in conjunction with those eight words but then he ignored others that it occurs with far more often like 'Your' in reference to God and 'everlasting'. To me that was one of the most interesting things that never got mentioned in the book, when referring to the hesed of God it is almost always followed by 'everlasting' 'Your hesed is everlasting' or 'endures forever'. When it is talking about that of man it disappears as the morning dew. It's like humans are only capable of attaining this in short amounts for a short period of time. That would make sense, if it is truly a defining characteristic of God as he says (and which I agree with), then we as imperfect mirrors of the divine would only be capable of showing it imperfectly, but that aspect was never really talked about and I thought that was a lack.
Anyway, I don't really know how to respond to this book. I should have liked it, but I didn't. It should have gone by quickly but it didn't. I should have been touched by it, but honestly I don't really remember much of it even though I just finished it. It's not that I didn't understand it, it's not even that there wasn't a lot to chew on and think about. I just don't want to. I can't wait to go on to read something else. I wonder why?
This book basically goes through the difficulty of translating the word 'hesed' because we don't really have a concept for it in English. That is true, there are a bunch of words from a bunch of languages that don't really have translations into English, it's always interesting to learn them because it is learning a new concept, or perhaps putting a word to a concept that was vaguely felt before would be a better way of putting it.
This book doesn't really delve into the etymology of the word because no one seems to know what it is, but I kind of wished for more of the linguistic aspect. For instance, 'hesed' is often translated as 'love' 'loyal' 'kindness' 'lovingkindness' etc., well, what are those words in Hebrew? Are they related to 'hesed' at all? I don't speak or know Hebrew, so I have no idea but I wondered about it while I was reading it.
Honestly, I didn't particularly like most of this book, I was kind of reading it just to get through it, but there were a couple of chapters that were really good and just smacked you upside the head. Chapters 6, 7, 18 and 19 were that for me. I can't really even put into words why they affected me so except to say that they were about human interactions that I also fail at. He told this story of how he wanted to offer his seat to a rabbi, but was too busy figuring out the perfect way of doing it that he missed his chance of doing it at all. That is something that happens to me quite frequently. Or I talk myself out of doing something good because it is risky or because I won't get anything out of it in return or because it would inconvenience me too much. That attitude really goes against what 'hesed' is all about. The giving of oneself without stint even to those that do not deserve it.
I would say it's a good book in some ways, but it didn't really appeal to me for some reason. I didn't enjoy reading it, and, honestly, was glad when it was over. I did learn from it, for instance learning about the fact that Hasidic Jews take their name from this word and how they try and put it into practice. I even found several other books that I want to read from reading this one...books that sound far more interesting, frankly, about Jewish philosophy and how it has changed and developed over the centuries.
I was kind of surprised that I didn't like this book, it's about languages and it's by Michael Card whose music I quite enjoy. But, I didn't like it. I don't even know why I didn't like it. It just didn't impinge on me very much.
I guess one reason was he talks about the eight words that this word draws to itself, and it does often show up in conjunction with those eight words but then he ignored others that it occurs with far more often like 'Your' in reference to God and 'everlasting'. To me that was one of the most interesting things that never got mentioned in the book, when referring to the hesed of God it is almost always followed by 'everlasting' 'Your hesed is everlasting' or 'endures forever'. When it is talking about that of man it disappears as the morning dew. It's like humans are only capable of attaining this in short amounts for a short period of time. That would make sense, if it is truly a defining characteristic of God as he says (and which I agree with), then we as imperfect mirrors of the divine would only be capable of showing it imperfectly, but that aspect was never really talked about and I thought that was a lack.
Anyway, I don't really know how to respond to this book. I should have liked it, but I didn't. It should have gone by quickly but it didn't. I should have been touched by it, but honestly I don't really remember much of it even though I just finished it. It's not that I didn't understand it, it's not even that there wasn't a lot to chew on and think about. I just don't want to. I can't wait to go on to read something else. I wonder why?
December 21, 2018
It is a great joy for me to be able to review this book -- as it has now become the best book I've read in the past 5 years. Michael Card is the Christian song writer and singer (you may be familiar with many of his great songs that he has written and sung over the years), who several years ago—out of his love for the Scriptures—earned his Master’s degree in Biblical Studies so he could better dig into the text of the Bible. He has written several excellent books on various themes of Scripture — and his newest book entitled "Inexpressible: Hesed and the Mystery of God’s Lovingkindness" — is absolutely superb!!
He shows how the Hebrew concept of 'hesed' is one of the most crucial terms to grasp in order to understand the character and nature of God. I finished reading the book yesterday, and as I have been reading it I have been simply amazed at what a treasure it is. I appreciate how Michael Card has laid it out. It has superb content … and is made up of chapters of about 6 or 7 pages each (very easy to read and follow) — and yet, although they are brief chapters, they each get the reader into the amazing richness of the various facets of the meaning of God’s hesed-love.
As I read each chapter, I found myself saying over and over again: "This book just continues to be fantastic ... in every single chapter!" The author is now a seasoned writer who has refined his craft so that even when he is making reference to a word study out of the Old or New Testament, he makes his point in a way that is both engaging and memorable.
The book is filled with solid Biblical content -- and is one which will lay a vital foundation for understanding every book of the Bible. I really think readers will greatly enjoy this book — and it is written for people who are hungry to grow in their grasp of the Bible -- and even more so, in their relationship with God. It flows like only great books do as you read it -- and is simply a FANTASTIC new book by Michael Card.
He shows how the Hebrew concept of 'hesed' is one of the most crucial terms to grasp in order to understand the character and nature of God. I finished reading the book yesterday, and as I have been reading it I have been simply amazed at what a treasure it is. I appreciate how Michael Card has laid it out. It has superb content … and is made up of chapters of about 6 or 7 pages each (very easy to read and follow) — and yet, although they are brief chapters, they each get the reader into the amazing richness of the various facets of the meaning of God’s hesed-love.
As I read each chapter, I found myself saying over and over again: "This book just continues to be fantastic ... in every single chapter!" The author is now a seasoned writer who has refined his craft so that even when he is making reference to a word study out of the Old or New Testament, he makes his point in a way that is both engaging and memorable.
The book is filled with solid Biblical content -- and is one which will lay a vital foundation for understanding every book of the Bible. I really think readers will greatly enjoy this book — and it is written for people who are hungry to grow in their grasp of the Bible -- and even more so, in their relationship with God. It flows like only great books do as you read it -- and is simply a FANTASTIC new book by Michael Card.
December 27, 2018
As a lover of words, philology, etymology, and theology, I'm especially enamored by Inexpressible by Michael Card, which serves as an extended word study on one of the most important words in Scripture. A word that has no equivalent in the English language; a word that has incredible weight and importance as to how we view God.
•
"It is not dear that drives us to him, but rather his unexpected and extraordinary kindness that provides a pathway along which we are drawn to him."
•
Michael Card walks the reader through the the scriptures with exegetical precision and contextual sensitivity. He wades through the technical decisions involved in translation of a word that is seemingly inexpressible, requiring multiple words and ideas to come together to define. Card has illuminated passages of scripture in both testaments with commentary on how the hesed of God in Jesus Christ transforms the way we see God, interpret mercy, and live our lives.
•
"This small three letter word, hesed, seems to always be there when the door is open from one life to another, when the unexpected and undeserved gift of one's life is offered with no strings attached, when inexpressible acts of adoption, forgiveness, and courage occur that leave us speechless.
•
About halfway through this book I became so overwhelmed with worship and gratefulness for the God who, in his hesed, pursued me despite my sin, who loves me despite my frailty, and who is the person I have no right to expect anything from, yet he gives me everything; I put down the book and picked up my Bible, to spend time with such an inexpressibly wonderful God.
•
"It is not dear that drives us to him, but rather his unexpected and extraordinary kindness that provides a pathway along which we are drawn to him."
•
Michael Card walks the reader through the the scriptures with exegetical precision and contextual sensitivity. He wades through the technical decisions involved in translation of a word that is seemingly inexpressible, requiring multiple words and ideas to come together to define. Card has illuminated passages of scripture in both testaments with commentary on how the hesed of God in Jesus Christ transforms the way we see God, interpret mercy, and live our lives.
•
"This small three letter word, hesed, seems to always be there when the door is open from one life to another, when the unexpected and undeserved gift of one's life is offered with no strings attached, when inexpressible acts of adoption, forgiveness, and courage occur that leave us speechless.
•
About halfway through this book I became so overwhelmed with worship and gratefulness for the God who, in his hesed, pursued me despite my sin, who loves me despite my frailty, and who is the person I have no right to expect anything from, yet he gives me everything; I put down the book and picked up my Bible, to spend time with such an inexpressibly wonderful God.
June 14, 2023
Really interesting book. I'm still trying to let the concept of hesed and its multifaceted meanings sink into my mind.
I did enjoy the book; although there were times I wasn't quite sure I was grasping everything. But, maybe that's the point. God's hesed is so special that much of its true meaning is beyond our comprehension.
I did enjoy the book; although there were times I wasn't quite sure I was grasping everything. But, maybe that's the point. God's hesed is so special that much of its true meaning is beyond our comprehension.
July 19, 2024
This was a great overview of hesed, and will, Im sure, provide the basis for further meditation!
November 15, 2021
Love. Mercy. Loyalty. Faithfulness. Goodness. Favor. Kindness. These are but a few English words chosen to translate the Hebrew word hesed, God's trademark attribute. The chapters are very short, making it easy to read a little bit at a time. Since most of Inexpressible concerns the Old Testament, it is also a refreshing take on the "angry Old Testament god," showing how God's hesed steered his actions, and how remarkably kind the biblical God is compared to other deities in the Ancient Near East. To me, Hosea 2:16-23 expresses this difference best. While other deities capriciously bargained with their constituency through sacrifices, God promises providence of his own accord, inviting his people to not call him "master" (ba'al) but "husband" (dependable provider). (Yes, sacrifices were part of Hebrew temple worship, but they were sacrifices for sin, not to bargain with God for rain, a fruitful harvest, healthy offspring, and so forth. Prayer is where such things were requested in ancient Hebrew religion.)
Card makes frequent use of the Talmud and Jewish scholarship, not just in relation to the Old Testament, but also in Judaism after Christ. In this way, Inexpressible felt more well-rounded than similar Christian living books I've read. Personally, I know Card is a gentle and respectful man, and this aspect of his character came through in his treatment of Judaism in the text. He is a model for those who want to find a balance between feverish pro-Israel action and detached proselytism.
Following the conclusion and afterword, a set of appendices supplement the material in the book. A list of all uses of hesed in Scripture is as lengthy as you can imagine, and this list mentions the Greek words used to translate hesed in the Septuagint. A comparison of 7 Bible translations (KJV, NIV, ASV, ESV, HCSB, NLT, and The Message) reveals the breadth of words used to translate hesed into English. A list of words associated with hesed (truth, compassion, justice, et c.) and their references is provided, along with a list of passages for further study where hesed is a major part of the narrative.
Card makes frequent use of the Talmud and Jewish scholarship, not just in relation to the Old Testament, but also in Judaism after Christ. In this way, Inexpressible felt more well-rounded than similar Christian living books I've read. Personally, I know Card is a gentle and respectful man, and this aspect of his character came through in his treatment of Judaism in the text. He is a model for those who want to find a balance between feverish pro-Israel action and detached proselytism.
Following the conclusion and afterword, a set of appendices supplement the material in the book. A list of all uses of hesed in Scripture is as lengthy as you can imagine, and this list mentions the Greek words used to translate hesed in the Septuagint. A comparison of 7 Bible translations (KJV, NIV, ASV, ESV, HCSB, NLT, and The Message) reveals the breadth of words used to translate hesed into English. A list of words associated with hesed (truth, compassion, justice, et c.) and their references is provided, along with a list of passages for further study where hesed is a major part of the narrative.
September 10, 2020
Inexpressible is Michael Card’s exploration of the meaning of the Hebrew word hesed. The title comes from his assertion that no single word in the English language can fully capture its meaning. This book is aimed at a layman audience rather than an academic one and so favours readability over complexity. In his introduction, Card states that hesed is the defining characteristic of God and provides a working definition of, essentially, “grace”. From there, Card explores key passages that use this word to either reinforce or expand his definition. He then tracks the concept into the New Testament and into contemporary Orthodox Judaism. He finally concludes that hesed includes aspects of grace, mercy, loving kindness and loyalty. While he is correct in this, his final application seems to be that Christians ought to practice hesed in place of obeying any of God’s commands. This position contradicts the plain teaching of the New Testament and lacks the subtlety that the term hesed captures and that Card took such pains to describe.
While it is interesting to look at various uses hesed in the Bible, Card never really gives an in-depth analysis of the word. Instead, there are many personal anecdotes, appeals to the emotions of the reader and conjecture to the feelings of Bible characters, including God Himself. Furthermore, the passages chosen for discussion are generally the ones that fit into Card’s narrative for the word’s meaning rather than a representative analysis of its biblical usage (although it must be admitted that Card does include a comprehensive list of the usage of hesed in an appendix). In short, Card takes 177 pages to produce a definition that could be condensed into an entry of a good lexicon.
While it is interesting to look at various uses hesed in the Bible, Card never really gives an in-depth analysis of the word. Instead, there are many personal anecdotes, appeals to the emotions of the reader and conjecture to the feelings of Bible characters, including God Himself. Furthermore, the passages chosen for discussion are generally the ones that fit into Card’s narrative for the word’s meaning rather than a representative analysis of its biblical usage (although it must be admitted that Card does include a comprehensive list of the usage of hesed in an appendix). In short, Card takes 177 pages to produce a definition that could be condensed into an entry of a good lexicon.
November 30, 2020
I really appreciated reading this book leading up to Advent. It did a great job looking deep into the character of God through the Hebrew word hesed, which has no english translation. A few chapters were harder to follow (with a lot of Hebrew and Greek references), but the conclusion was so helpful, giving clear goals of moving forward with knowledge of God's hesed (loving-kindness).
May 31, 2024
"In the Hebrew mind hesed is always something you do. It is a verb. It is loading wounded people on donkeys, running to greet runaway children, forgiving enormous debts, paying someone who worked an hour as much as the ones who worked all day, giving a party to those who can’t pay you back. It is a resonant response to the overwhelming kindness of the God of Exodus 34, who is full of hesed."
A beautiful dive into God's incredible love, so far beyond us that we can spend our entire lives living and speaking hesed and still have barely expressed it. I had to go through this book twice back to back, and even though it's devoted to hesed it still just scratches the surface of God's love. Highly recommend.
A beautiful dive into God's incredible love, so far beyond us that we can spend our entire lives living and speaking hesed and still have barely expressed it. I had to go through this book twice back to back, and even though it's devoted to hesed it still just scratches the surface of God's love. Highly recommend.
August 10, 2025
This felt like a fairly simple read, yet has given me much food for thought and practical application. I’ve never done much study on the word Hesed before, but it’s given me a fresh view of the heart of God and His mercy and goodness—will be doing more digging. :)
December 31, 2022
read this
May 30, 2022
Card’s exploration of this unfathomable Hebrew word could have been much much deeper (and less sentimentally self-aware), but I am profoundly grateful for the few powerful observations he did offer.
October 12, 2018
"Inexpressible" examines the use of the Hebrew word "hesed" throughout Scripture. God uses this word to describe Himself, so it's important to understand what it means. However, hesed doesn't translate well into any single English word.
The author started by explaining what hesed means and how he came to explore the depths of its meaning. He then went through the Old Testament and looked at the different uses of hesed to help the reader to better understand God's character. He also looked at the New Testament, searching for words commonly combined with hesed in the Old Testament to identify where the concept of hesed is being referred to. He ended by talking about showing hesed to others. Overall, I'd highly recommend this excellent study for the insights it provides about God's character and how understanding hesed changes our relationship with Him.
I received an e-book review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
The author started by explaining what hesed means and how he came to explore the depths of its meaning. He then went through the Old Testament and looked at the different uses of hesed to help the reader to better understand God's character. He also looked at the New Testament, searching for words commonly combined with hesed in the Old Testament to identify where the concept of hesed is being referred to. He ended by talking about showing hesed to others. Overall, I'd highly recommend this excellent study for the insights it provides about God's character and how understanding hesed changes our relationship with Him.
I received an e-book review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
July 20, 2018
In-depth and enjoyable look at the mysterious word, hesed. Since it is a rich word used to describe God, it's a worthy study. Card breaks down the concepts and makes it interesting and practical (ie, why should we care what this word means?).
Favorite quote: "We need to establish in our own minds, for our own sake, what the implications of being in relationship with the God who is slow to anger but rich in hesed."
Favorite quote: "We need to establish in our own minds, for our own sake, what the implications of being in relationship with the God who is slow to anger but rich in hesed."
September 13, 2019
This author has always been one of my favorites and this book is not a disappointment. Card has launched a study of the Hebrew word hessed which is loosely translated to the word lovingkindness in English. Card elaborates with this word study communicating the lovely message of the hessed of God. This book is a communication of the amazing love and kindness of God. If this interests the reader, I highly recommend reading this book.
May 2, 2023
This book is so aptly named Inexpressible. Along the journey it can begin to feel almost aimless, almost abstract, for better or worse on the reader. This is a book about one word, and after all, doesn’t this mirror the idea of the word Michael Card writes about? HESED, is that word, and it’s worthy of this book and the many others that have been written about it. While I don’t think this is a must-read, I do love hesed, linguistically and as an action.
March 15, 2019
Really quite good. I didn’t know what to expect as I’ve never read the author before and learned after purchasing the book that he is also a folk singer. It was perfect though, and provides one with a new vocabulary to speak of the goodness of God and the responsibility that goodness placed on us.
August 22, 2020
A very good book. It isn't exhustive, but it's wonderful
March 14, 2025
Although I wanted some more examples of tangible personal application and deeper exploration on how to balance hesed with some of God’s other attributes, this book definitely gave me a greater understanding of God’s character and love for us. I feel like I’m able to identify insights from this book pretty consistently in my day-to-day life.
September 6, 2020
A short discussion of God’s inexpressible love as captured in the Hebrew word hesed.
February 15, 2019
Scripture uses one particular word to describe the distinctiveness of God’s character: the Hebrew word hesed; a concept so rich in meaning that it doesn’t translate well into any single English word or phrase. The many dimensions of hesed are often expressed as lovingkindness, covenant faithfulness, steadfast love; an everlasting love beyond words.
Bible Gateway interviewed Michael Card (@Michael_Card) about his book, Inexpressible: Hesed and the Mystery of God’s Lovingkindness (IVP Books, 2018). Read Bible Gateway's interview with Michael Card here- https://bit.ly/2SViepZ
Bible Gateway interviewed Michael Card (@Michael_Card) about his book, Inexpressible: Hesed and the Mystery of God’s Lovingkindness (IVP Books, 2018). Read Bible Gateway's interview with Michael Card here- https://bit.ly/2SViepZ
January 3, 2019
June 2012, Biblical Imagination conference in Lafayette, NY—Michael Card introduced me to this glorious word, hesed. I was captivated and have been ever since. Suffice it to say, it was a pleasure to finally read his book on hesed, a book that's been years in the making. How fitting that this remarkable word that reveals the heart of God and the essence of His character cannot be put into a linguistic box, just as our glorious God cannot be put into a box. Michael Card spent ten years writing this book and still only scratched the surface (just look at the 'For Further Study' appendix as an example - I'm looking forward to digging into those passages on my own Bible study time!). Admittedly, the first half of the book is better than the second, but I am immensely thankful to have read the whole thing. Hesed is great, the God it points us to greater. Come and worship.
January 31, 2024
I had no clue that Michael Card, prolific song writer, was also an accomplished author of books; I’m glad I found out! This beautiful study on the Hebrew word “hesed” is as thoughtful and it is devotional. The word has so much more depth to it than I had realized. There were moments in the book where my head jerked back with a sudden ah-ha! And other times when I would get weepy over how much we truly don’t get. I think the fact that this book was written by an artist really shines through, not in the poetic verse sort of way, but in the care of story-telling that comes with someone who has written songs for years and years.
December 22, 2025
Simply amazing. One of the best commentaries on the nature of God using what we can glean from His Word. I will definitely be getting this in print form so I can take notes and read it again. A definite listen for anyone needing a refresher (or an introduction) to our God of love.
2025: Still one of the best books I've read. Timely for where we find ourselves now. A great primer on the need to lift our eyes and look up and remember it's what we choose to do that will determine much of what happens around us.
2025: Still one of the best books I've read. Timely for where we find ourselves now. A great primer on the need to lift our eyes and look up and remember it's what we choose to do that will determine much of what happens around us.
June 30, 2020
Super solid book! I wanted to give this five stars but I was really hoping for a more in-depth and scholarly treatment of this theme. But such an important word how about I give it 4.5 stars! If anyone knows of any scholarly books on the same topic send me some recommendations
March 21, 2019
There’s an old hymn that we don’t sing much any more, but it’s worth re-visiting because the final verse puts words around the futility of language in expressing the inexpressible:
“Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.”
(Frederich M. Lehman, The Love of God)
Singer, songwriter, and author Michael Card describes words (somewhat less poetically) as “clumsy bricks” we attempt to employ in defining concepts. While they enable us to have thoughts and conversations about God and about intangibles such as hope and love, ultimately, meaning cannot always be contained within syllables. In his biblical study, Card has found this to be particularly evident with the Hebrew word hesed.
The Struggle to Translate Hesed
Inexpressible: Hesed and the Mystery of God’s Lovingkindness is founded on the mystery of this unique word. With no clear path to the English language, hesed has appeared in various versions of the Bible under a number of different labels. In fact, in 1535, Miles Coverdale jerry-rigged the term “lovingkindness” in an attempt to translate hesed, and it is still in use in the American Standard Version. More recently, the English Standard Version has employed the phrase “steadfast love,” and the New Living favors “unfailing love,” but, in reality, the struggle with translation is only a pale adumbration of the true challenge–that of wrapping our minds around a God who hands out second chances to the guilty and opens the door of His life to welcome frail humanity.
Michael Card’s definition of hesed is simple and direct:
“When the person from whom I have a right to expect nothing gives me everything.” (5)
Hesed is put on display richly in God’s Old Testament dealings with the nation Israel, for He met their faithless betrayal with forgiveness and restoration. Then, Solomon stepped into the unbroken stream of hesed when he ascended to the throne of David:
“LORD God of Israel,
there is no God like you
in heaven or on earth,
who keeps his covenant and hesed
with your servants who walk before you
with all their heart.” (II Chronicles 6:14)
The temple musicians set to music their wonder at hesed in abundance:
“Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; his hesed endures forever.” (I Chronicles 16:34)
And the psalmists vented their outrage over its lack:
“God of my praise, do not be silent, for wicked and deceitful mouths open against me . . .Let no one show him hesed . . . for he did not think to show hesed.” (Psalm 109:1, 2, 12, 16)
The Struggle to Embody Hesed
The prophet Hosea was assigned the task of putting God’s hesed on display in his calling to love and marry a prostitute, in spite of her ongoing unfaithfulness. “Though she has no right to expect anything from Hosea, he will lavish everything on her. Their relationship will incarnate the meaning of hesed.” (89)
The Apostle John picks up the theme in the New Testament with his description of Jesus, the Word, who came to us “from the Father, full of hesed and truth.” In eight of Jesus’s thirty parables, he defines hesed either by its lack (the unforgiving servant) or by its rich exemplification (the Good Samaritan).
Card warns readers who seek to embody hesed that our own experience will be like Jesus’s: misunderstanding and rejection. While we are often unclear about God’s expectations for us, the example of Jesus bore out the truth that “hesed is always something you do.” (116) This has vast implications in a world where “doing justly, loving mercy (hesed), and walking humbly with God” may be subject to wildly disparate interpretations.
And since hesed is something we do, what are the implications of such a counter-cultural doing?
How faithfully is my “doing” flowing from my “loving?” Is my “love” in keeping with the love of God toward the undeserving?
How would my actions and motives be different if I understood–and trusted–God’s deep and never failing love, mercy, and kindness toward me?
Can 21st century believers find the sweet spot where our compassionate outrage over injustice is both offered to God with trust and paired with action on behalf of the oppressed?
Many thanks to InterVarsity Press for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which, of course, is offered freely and with honesty.
“Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.”
(Frederich M. Lehman, The Love of God)
Singer, songwriter, and author Michael Card describes words (somewhat less poetically) as “clumsy bricks” we attempt to employ in defining concepts. While they enable us to have thoughts and conversations about God and about intangibles such as hope and love, ultimately, meaning cannot always be contained within syllables. In his biblical study, Card has found this to be particularly evident with the Hebrew word hesed.
The Struggle to Translate Hesed
Inexpressible: Hesed and the Mystery of God’s Lovingkindness is founded on the mystery of this unique word. With no clear path to the English language, hesed has appeared in various versions of the Bible under a number of different labels. In fact, in 1535, Miles Coverdale jerry-rigged the term “lovingkindness” in an attempt to translate hesed, and it is still in use in the American Standard Version. More recently, the English Standard Version has employed the phrase “steadfast love,” and the New Living favors “unfailing love,” but, in reality, the struggle with translation is only a pale adumbration of the true challenge–that of wrapping our minds around a God who hands out second chances to the guilty and opens the door of His life to welcome frail humanity.
Michael Card’s definition of hesed is simple and direct:
“When the person from whom I have a right to expect nothing gives me everything.” (5)
Hesed is put on display richly in God’s Old Testament dealings with the nation Israel, for He met their faithless betrayal with forgiveness and restoration. Then, Solomon stepped into the unbroken stream of hesed when he ascended to the throne of David:
“LORD God of Israel,
there is no God like you
in heaven or on earth,
who keeps his covenant and hesed
with your servants who walk before you
with all their heart.” (II Chronicles 6:14)
The temple musicians set to music their wonder at hesed in abundance:
“Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; his hesed endures forever.” (I Chronicles 16:34)
And the psalmists vented their outrage over its lack:
“God of my praise, do not be silent, for wicked and deceitful mouths open against me . . .Let no one show him hesed . . . for he did not think to show hesed.” (Psalm 109:1, 2, 12, 16)
The Struggle to Embody Hesed
The prophet Hosea was assigned the task of putting God’s hesed on display in his calling to love and marry a prostitute, in spite of her ongoing unfaithfulness. “Though she has no right to expect anything from Hosea, he will lavish everything on her. Their relationship will incarnate the meaning of hesed.” (89)
The Apostle John picks up the theme in the New Testament with his description of Jesus, the Word, who came to us “from the Father, full of hesed and truth.” In eight of Jesus’s thirty parables, he defines hesed either by its lack (the unforgiving servant) or by its rich exemplification (the Good Samaritan).
Card warns readers who seek to embody hesed that our own experience will be like Jesus’s: misunderstanding and rejection. While we are often unclear about God’s expectations for us, the example of Jesus bore out the truth that “hesed is always something you do.” (116) This has vast implications in a world where “doing justly, loving mercy (hesed), and walking humbly with God” may be subject to wildly disparate interpretations.
And since hesed is something we do, what are the implications of such a counter-cultural doing?
How faithfully is my “doing” flowing from my “loving?” Is my “love” in keeping with the love of God toward the undeserving?
How would my actions and motives be different if I understood–and trusted–God’s deep and never failing love, mercy, and kindness toward me?
Can 21st century believers find the sweet spot where our compassionate outrage over injustice is both offered to God with trust and paired with action on behalf of the oppressed?
Many thanks to InterVarsity Press for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which, of course, is offered freely and with honesty.
February 24, 2023
I read this book for a keynote on God's love for creation that I am doing in a couple months at a conference about the hesed of God. This book has immense depth and is highly accessible and pleasant to read. Here are a few of the quotes I pulled out that were especially helpful to my sermon:
“Hesed: When the person from whom I have a right to expect nothing gives me everything.” (5)
“Let's let go of the illusion that hesed can be reduced to one English ‘literal’ word and instead see it as a key that can open a door into an entire world — the world of God's own heart, the world of loving our neighbor and perhaps even our enemies.” (13)
“The Bible reveals the God of hesed, who has opened the door of his life to you and me. Though we are responsible for the death of his only Son and have, in effect, cursed him, he covered us with his body, his blood, and saved us long before we might have accepted him. We have no right to expect anything from him, the Holy One. Yet he has extended himself to us, has invited us to enter his world, has made our story a part of his story, has opened his life to the inevitable possibility of being hurt, disappointed, and wounded by you and me.” (19)
“The gift of the land was an act of hesed in and of itself.” (30)
“Make no mistake, our world today is as full of idols, of false gods, as the world of the Hebrew Bible ever was. And they are worshiped and sacrificed to with as much zeal as ever Baal or Molech was. Fortunes are still poured out at their feet. The blood of innocent children is still offered up to them in quantities that would make an ancient pagan’s head spin. But what set the God of Israel apart then, what made him completely unique to the point that the other gods were no gods at all, is what still sets him apart today. He is the God who delights in being kind, in loving his creation, and in offering forgiveness and salvation to those who have no right to expect anything from him.” (43)
“Ethan was created in the image of the God of hesed (like you and me). Whenever his heart was struck or plucked or hammered by the thought of hesed, it resonated precisely at that pitch because it had been pre-tuned (created) to do so. When we see an act of hesed, an act where someone who has a right to expect nothing is nevertheless given everything, all of the sudden there are tears in our eyes, some sort of inexplicable resonance in our hearts, maybe even the beginnings of a song. Despite the overwhelming evidence all around us that kindness, love, mercy, and grace are a fragile tissue, a delusion, when we see one of those rare evidences of hesed, something, everything, within us resonates.” (74)
“If you truly love hesed as Micah 6:8 says, you should love having it shown to you as much as showing it to others. As Paul says, it's a pathway, and it can be traveled in more than one way. Perhaps something like this is in view when Paul asks why we sometimes despise the riches of God's kindness. Why would we question him in the garden? Why would we refuse to enter the Promised Land? Why would we say no to his extravagant offer of loving us through his Son? His kindness is a path that leads us to repentance, that leads us to Jesus.” (119)
“Hesed: When the person from whom I have a right to expect nothing gives me everything.” (5)
“Let's let go of the illusion that hesed can be reduced to one English ‘literal’ word and instead see it as a key that can open a door into an entire world — the world of God's own heart, the world of loving our neighbor and perhaps even our enemies.” (13)
“The Bible reveals the God of hesed, who has opened the door of his life to you and me. Though we are responsible for the death of his only Son and have, in effect, cursed him, he covered us with his body, his blood, and saved us long before we might have accepted him. We have no right to expect anything from him, the Holy One. Yet he has extended himself to us, has invited us to enter his world, has made our story a part of his story, has opened his life to the inevitable possibility of being hurt, disappointed, and wounded by you and me.” (19)
“The gift of the land was an act of hesed in and of itself.” (30)
“Make no mistake, our world today is as full of idols, of false gods, as the world of the Hebrew Bible ever was. And they are worshiped and sacrificed to with as much zeal as ever Baal or Molech was. Fortunes are still poured out at their feet. The blood of innocent children is still offered up to them in quantities that would make an ancient pagan’s head spin. But what set the God of Israel apart then, what made him completely unique to the point that the other gods were no gods at all, is what still sets him apart today. He is the God who delights in being kind, in loving his creation, and in offering forgiveness and salvation to those who have no right to expect anything from him.” (43)
“Ethan was created in the image of the God of hesed (like you and me). Whenever his heart was struck or plucked or hammered by the thought of hesed, it resonated precisely at that pitch because it had been pre-tuned (created) to do so. When we see an act of hesed, an act where someone who has a right to expect nothing is nevertheless given everything, all of the sudden there are tears in our eyes, some sort of inexplicable resonance in our hearts, maybe even the beginnings of a song. Despite the overwhelming evidence all around us that kindness, love, mercy, and grace are a fragile tissue, a delusion, when we see one of those rare evidences of hesed, something, everything, within us resonates.” (74)
“If you truly love hesed as Micah 6:8 says, you should love having it shown to you as much as showing it to others. As Paul says, it's a pathway, and it can be traveled in more than one way. Perhaps something like this is in view when Paul asks why we sometimes despise the riches of God's kindness. Why would we question him in the garden? Why would we refuse to enter the Promised Land? Why would we say no to his extravagant offer of loving us through his Son? His kindness is a path that leads us to repentance, that leads us to Jesus.” (119)
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