Priceless

“How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.” Psalm 36:7

There is a popular credit card commercial that flashes items across the screen with the price tag alongside. “New leather luggage: $200” And another. “Two Tickets to Tahiti: $1200” But the final scene would be something like “Time away from the kids: Priceless”. Then the commercial, admitting some things are indeed priceless, suggests we use their credit card for everything else.

It’s a great campaign, seeing how long it has lasted. Perhaps part of the appeal is the ideal we want to believe: some things in this world are truly priceless. If I were to try to sell my granddaughter’s toddling squeal: “I love my Papa Mark”, how would I ever decide what that was worth. Or the way I felt when Patti, over 35 years ago said, yes, she would be willing to spend the rest of her life as my wife. The ring I gave her is not even a fraction of the worth those words, or the subsequent years together.

The credit card commercial wasn’t around when King David wrote this psalm, but there was something he could not put a price on either. There was no way in heaven or earth He could attach any kind of finite worth to God’s lovingkindness. This isn’t the simple affection of a grandfatherly God waiting to rock us to sleep. Nor is it the Mighty King love that will be sure to overthrow every enemy just because we are His friend. It is not best friend love, nor is it “I owe you a favor” loyalty. It is parts of those and none of those.

It is God’s “hesed” love which David calls invaluable. This Hebrew word has no English equivalent. That is why every translation falls short. Word like “loyal”, “lovingkindness”, “faithful”, “covenant love” and “kindness” have all been used. Every word contains an aspect of the meaning, but none of them communicates the full, robust and powerful word with clarity.

Two individuals always make up “hesed” in one way or another. There is the party who is desperate need, and the other one who has the power and resources to make a difference. This word describes the ideal lifestyle of God’s people; the “love your neighbor as yourself” sort of living. It is selfless and sacrificial, and always giving. “Hesed” is driven not by duty or obligation, but by bone-deep commitment. It is always voluntary and is most fully expressed in the life of Jesus.

This is what David cannot put a price tag on. How could he? How can we? When we are the ones in desperate need who have received “hesed” from God Himself, how can we measure it? When God, without obligation, voluntarily showers us with His goodness, what is left but to stop in our tracks and wonder? And, when Jesus suffers for the sins of the entire world, sent because God “chesed”s that world so much that He gave His only Son…how can we refrain from singing freely before Him.

David understands “hesed” only too well when he says that both “high and low” have found refuge under God’s wings. We would do well to remember exactly what David observes: everyone, no matter their station in life, has found shelter under God’s wings.

Take a look around you at the company squeezed up close to you under those protective pinions? Are there any you think shouldn’t have the pleasure of this protection? A politician that voted oh-so “un”Christian? Another whose past is riddled with mistake after mistake? How about the person who teaches in your town that people are always talking about. You know what I mean, every town has one. And if they don’t, they will invent one sooner or later.

Are you willing to make room next to yourself under His wings? Or, would you rather scoot back out into the open that share “hesed” with someone who doesn’t deserve it. Oh, that’s right, none of us deserve it, do we? We might as well settle in and enjoy the company.