Psalm 85 - Four Words

There aren’t too many verses in the Bible like Psalm 85:10. Here’s what it says:

Steadfast love (hesed) and faithfulness (emeth) will meet;
righteousness (sedeq) and peace (shalom) will kiss each other.

Note those four Hebrew words used in the verse - Hesed, emeth, sedeq, shalom. Each are among the most beautiful words in Hebrew and each has a depth far beyond the ways that they are translated into English as steadfast love, faithfulness, righteousness, and peace.

They come towards the end of another Psalm of renewal and lead into how faithfulness (emeth) and righteousness (sedeq) will grow like plants starting to emerge in the Spring and providing food and oxygen. But they are also like the light that shines down. Here’s how the Psalm concludes.

Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,
and righteousness will look down from the sky.
The LORD will give what is good,
and our land will yield its increase.
Righteousness will go before him,
and will make a path for his steps.

I love the way that this Psalm animates these four words/concepts. They aren’t just ideas or virtues but they are given life. They are in relationship with each other and meet with each other and come to know each other. Their connection isn’t distant but intimate and deeply rooted in the others. They meet, they kiss, they connect. They grow and they reproduce. It is gorgeous.

I was looking for something to speak to this over the last few days but I remembered a photo from our time in Granada, Spain in March

This Psalm brings these four things into relationship with one another and this piece of street art does the same in showing the relationship between a dog and their human. There’s a beautiful depth in the relationship between humans and dogs that is definitely not a one-sided relationship but instead one that benefits both. So, soak in the beauty of this Psalm and also soak in some more of the street art of the painter who made this beautiful piece.

He is known as El niño de las pinturas and he has created stunning street art not only in Granada, Spain but in many different countries as well. In his website bio, he shares this quote that helps guide his work... “El mundo está oscuro, ilumina tu parte” which means “the world is dark, illuminate your part.” I love this statement and El Niño definitely has brought a lot of illumination to the world. Similarly, when we bring hesed, emeth, sedeq, and shalom together, it brings a lot of illumination to the world. Here’s some more of El Niño’s art:

Grace, Peace, Love, and Joy,
Ed

PS - Scout enjoying her church dog day naptime on Thursday