Nehemiah 1:5
And I said, “O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Nehemiah's prayer highlights a beautiful balance: God is called "great and awesome," emphasizing His immense power, yet He also "keeps covenant and steadfast love," revealing His deep faithfulness. This isn't just about God's strength; it's about His unwavering commitment to those who are committed to Him.
Nehemiah has just heard devastating news about the broken walls and burned gates of Jerusalem. Overwhelmed, he mourns, fasts, and prays, acknowledging God's greatness and faithfulness to those who love Him and obey His commands. This heartfelt prayer is the beginning of Nehemiah's plea to God, setting the stage for his courageous request to the king.
How can a God described as 'terrible' also be the one who keeps 'steadfast love'? Nehemiah's prayer reveals a profound truth about God's character.
Nehemiah opens his prayer by calling God 'the great and awesome God'. This isn't just about power; 'awesome' here carries a sense of dread and reverence due to God's immense holiness and might. He is 'terrible' in the sense that He is utterly unapproachable in His perfection and His judgment against sin is absolute.
Yet, immediately after this awe-inspiring description, Nehemiah declares that this same God 'keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him'. This is the incredible paradox of God: His greatness means He demands respect and judgment for sin, but His covenant faithfulness means He also offers mercy and lasting love to those who turn to Him.
Nehemiah links God's faithfulness directly to human response. What does it mean to 'keep' God's commandments in a covenant relationship?
The phrase 'keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments' isn't a one-way street. The original language actually uses the same word for 'keeps' when describing God's covenant and His people's commandments. This emphasizes a beautiful reciprocity!
God keeps His promises, His covenant, and His mercy because we respond by keeping His commandments out of love. This isn't about earning God's favor through perfect law-keeping, but about a loving obedience that flows from a heart devoted to Him. It's an invitation to a relationship where faithfulness is met with faithfulness.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Noun
The personal name of the self-existent, covenant-keeping God of Israel (Yahweh), who revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush.
nora' · Hebrew Adjective
An attribute denoting God's sovereignty, holiness, and majesty, often evoking fear or reverence in human beings due to His absolute power and divine nature.
berit · Hebrew Noun
A formal, binding agreement between God and His people, initiated by Him, defining their relationship and mutual obligations based on His grace.
chesed · Hebrew Noun
Often translated as 'lovingkindness' or 'mercy,' it refers to God's faithful, loyal, and persistent love for His people, rooted in His covenant promises despite their unworthiness.
Nehemiah's prayer is deeply rooted in the trauma of Jerusalem's destruction and exile, but also in the enduring promises of God's covenant. He invokes God's faithfulness amidst national disaster, drawing strength from past revivals initiated by Cyrus and Ezra.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Destruction of the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Jerusalem, destroys the First Temple, and exiles much of the population. This event marks a devastating low point for Judah.
539 BC
Cyrus the Great Conquers Babylon
The Persian Empire, under Cyrus, overthrows the Babylonian Empire. This political shift creates an opportunity for Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem.
538 BC
Cyrus's Decree Allowing Return
Cyrus issues a decree permitting the exiled Jews to return to their homeland and rebuild the Temple. This sparks the first wave of returnees led by Zerubbabel.
c. 458 BC
Ezra's Return to Jerusalem
The priest and scribe Ezra leads a significant group of exiles back to Jerusalem, focusing on religious reform and the restoration of the Law.
This passage is the direct source for Nehemiah's language, establishing the foundational concept of God's faithfulness to those who love Him and keep His commands.
Daniel 9:4This prayer echoes Nehemiah's nearly word-for-word, showing this confession and appeal to God's character was a recognized pattern for prayer, especially in times of national distress.
Psalm 89:34This Psalm speaks to the same theme of God's covenant faithfulness, even when His people falter, reinforcing the understanding that God's promises are steadfast.
John 14:15Jesus connects love for Him with obedience to His commands, echoing the Old Testament principle Nehemiah invokes and showing its continuity in the New Covenant.
clarkeNehemiah 1:5: "And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:"
Lord God of heaven - What was, before the captivity, Jehovah, God of hosts or armies. Great - Able to do mighty things. Terrible - able to inflict the heaviest judgments.
gillNehemiah 1:5: "And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:"
And said, I beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven,.... He prayed not to the host of heaven, the sun in it, as the Persians, but to the God of it, in an humble supplicant manner: the great and terrible God; who is to be feared, and had in reverence of all his creatures, because of his greatness and glory, being God over all,…
Nehemiah's prayer highlights a beautiful balance: God is called "great and awesome," emphasizing His immense power, yet He also "keeps covenant and steadfast love," revealing His deep faithfulness. This isn't just about God's strength; it's about His unwavering commitment to those who are committed to Him.
Nehemiah has just heard devastating news about the broken walls and burned gates of Jerusalem. Overwhelmed, he mourns, fasts, and prays, acknowledging God's greatness and faithfulness to those who love Him and obey His commands. This heartfelt prayer is the beginning of Nehemiah's plea to God, setting the stage for his courageous request to the king.
Nehemiah has just heard devastating news about the broken walls and burned gates of Jerusalem. Overwhelmed, he mourns, fasts, and prays, acknowledging God's greatness and faithfulness to those who love Him and obey His commands. This heartfelt prayer is the beginning of Nehemiah's plea to God, setting the stage for his courageous request to the king.
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mitsvah · Hebrew Noun
Divine instructions, precepts, or requirements given by God to His people to guide them in righteous living and reflect His own holy character.
c. 445 BC— this verse
Nehemiah Appointed Governor
Nehemiah, cupbearer to King Artaxerxes I, receives permission to return to Jerusalem and rebuild its walls, facing significant opposition.
"And I said, “O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments," — Nehemiah's prayer highlights a beautiful balance: God is called "great and awesome," emphasizing His immense power, yet He also "keeps covenant and steadfast love," revealing His deep faithfulness. T…
