Psalm 136

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures for ever.
O give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures for ever.
O give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures for ever;

הוֹדוּ לַיהוָה כִּי-טוֹב: כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ.

The Hebrew חַסְדּ or chesed can be translated as love, mercy, compassion, faithfulness, kindness, and lovingkindness.

The English suffix -ness is applied to adjectives, such as kindly, to produce what is called an abstract noun. This implies a general quality or state.

In Hebrew the word is earthy, complicated, and action-oriented. It is derived from a verb to love, to be kind, to be empathetic.

Somehow in English the word becomes philosophically pristine and distant, still complicated, but as an intellectual problem rather than as perpetual action-in-relationship.

Psalm 136

The image is Landscape of Chesed, the artist is unknown.