“Arise for our help, And redeem us for Your mercies’ sake” (Psalm 44:26 NKJV).

After offering many reasons why the Lord should help, the Psalmist ultimately based his appeal on the Lord’s own “mercy.” The word in the Hebrew is “chesed,” which may also refer to God’s loving-kindness, his covenantal and unfailing love. In the New Testament this most closely matches the word “agape” love, as found in John 3:16, “For God so loved.” The Psalmist was praying, “Rise up our Help and redeem us according to the quality of Your covenantal love and not according to our own desert.”