For the mountains shall depart
And the hills be removed,
But My kindness shall not depart from you,
Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,”
Says the LORD, who has mercy on you.
Isaiah 54:10

Mercy. Compassion. Love.
Together the Hebrew is rehem.
The first time it is used in Scripture is in Genesis 20:18
Where it means womb.

So think of the tender love of a mother for her child.
It is gentle.
Sheltering.
Protecting.
Comforting.

But it’s more unshakeable than the mountains.
More unmovable than the hills.

Lovingkindness.
A promise of peace.
And His unending mercy.
Guaranteed by His name and reputation.

Why?
Well, this is Isaiah 54.
In Isaiah 53, He explains how it’s possible.

But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Psalm 103:1

O my soul.
We think soul, as opposed to body.
The intangible and the tangible.
We’re Greek that way.

The Hebrews had a different idea.
Soul is nephesh.
It is the essence of life.
But it is more.

Hebrews believed we have a self that others know–
This includes the body–
And a true self, an inner self
A nephesh.

It is David’s inner self, his true self
That he calls to worship.

We can be seen when we worship.
Other may believe that we worship based on their observations.
But the nephesh tells the truth about it.

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10

Know is the Hebrew word, yada.
Vine’s dictionary says yada means
To know by observing and reflecting
And to know by experiencing.

We can read
And know that God is good.
He is loving.
He is powerful.

We can observe and reflect
When God moves in history
Or in the lives of those around us.

But God invites us to live with Him
To actively experience His presence and His hand.

The Israelites knew.
From the plagues, to the Exodus, to the Law.

The armies of Israel knew.
On the battlefield against the Philitines, the Midianites, the Syrians, the Assyrians.

The patriarchs knew.
The prophets knew.

Hannah and Hagar
Sarah and Eve
Josheba and Esther knew.

Now the question is
Do you know the Lord of hosts?
Have you observed and considered?
Do you know the Holy One of Israel?
Have you experienced His peace?

If not, the invitation stands.

“Remember what Moses the LORD’s servant commanded you when he said, ‘The LORD your God will give you rest, and he will give you this land.'” Joshua 1:13

Rest.
The Hebrew is nuah.

It is physical.
We need strength and energy.

It is mental.
We need to think clearly.

It is emotional.
We need a break from worry and stress.

It is vocational.
We need release from trying to provide for ourselves and our families.

It is ministerial.
We need replenished when we give of ourselves.

It is spiritual.
We need release from the burden of trying to earn our salvation and God’s favor.

It is eternal.
We will achieve perfect rest in His presence.

It is His gift to us.
We simply have to receive it.

Forever, O LORD, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens. Psalm 119:89

His word, his dabar.
His thoughts.
His will.
His revelation.

His commandments.
His statutes.
His law.

His promises.
His pronouncements.
His precepts.

Forever.
God’s word is eternal.
Not hastily spoken
Or carelessly remarked.

Firmly fixed.
God’s word is immutable.
It does not change or expire.
It stable and sure.

And we have it freely available to us.
For guidance and comfort.
For conviction and forgiveness.
For redemption and instruction.

Read it. Absorb it. Treasure it.
The word of the Lord.