HESED IS MY FAVORITE WORD in the Bible. I prefer it over every Hebrew or Greek word in the Scriptures. Hesed isn't more important or more inspired than other words. I just like the word. I like the way it sounds, and I like what it means.

I like the sound of hesed. The opening consonant is like the English "h," with its smoothness enhanced by a delicate guttural. Unlike like some gutturals that sound as if you're hacking up phlegm, hesed's guttural is more like the sound of distant, rushing water. To pronounce hesed, the tongue constricts a little to the back of the throat, adding some friction to the airy "h" sound. The sound moves forward over the tip of the tongue, which arches up just behind the teeth to form the "s" sound, stopping briefly as the tongue quickly touches the top of the mouth to create the "d." The word proceeds easily with a nice rhythm.

They say that colors are hot or cold; words can be hot or cold too: Hesed is a cool word. It sounds refreshing, and it is about the ...