What does Nehemiah 1:5 mean?

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. — Nehemiah 1:5 KJV

Read Full Chapter

Then I said: “Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments. — Nehemiah 1:5 NIV

Read Full Chapter

Reflection on Verse for Today

The first thing that comes to mind when reading this verse is Nehemiah’s profound recognition of God’s nature. His acknowledgment of God as the “LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God” demonstrates a heartfelt awe and reverence. It is a model for us to emulate: recognizing God’s holiness, power, and sovereignty in our lives.

Nehemiah also highlights God as the one who “keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments.” This statement holds a profound promise and a clear expectation. The promise is of God’s enduring fidelity and unconditional love; the expectation is our love for God expressed through obedience to His commandments.

In our contemporary life, we sometimes struggle with the concept of obedience. We often view it as something constraining, limiting our freedom. However, in the biblical context, obedience to God’s commandments is not a burden, but a pathway to a life that’s full, meaningful, and deeply satisfying. It’s the way we express our love for God, just as a child expresses love through obedience to a loving parent. It is through this obedience that we come to know God more intimately, understanding His will, His heart, and His plans for us.

God’s covenant, as mentioned by Nehemiah, is a profound manifestation of His steadfast love, not a contractual obligation that He is bound to. His love isn’t fickle or capricious; it’s steadfast, unwavering, and dependable. This love is not earned by our good works but is freely given because of His grace.

In this verse, Nehemiah models a prayer that affirms who God is and acknowledges our role in relation to Him. It’s a beautiful reminder for us to approach God with awe and reverence, acknowledging His greatness and our dependence on His steadfast love. Let’s not forget to affirm His promises, to love Him, and to demonstrate our love through obedience.

In reflecting on Nehemiah 1:5, we are called to reassess our own perception of God, our response to His love, and our commitment to obeying His commandments. This reflection should lead us to a deeper, more reverent, and more loving relationship with God, the great and awesome One, who keeps His covenant of love with us.

My Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, the great and awesome God, Your majesty is beyond our understanding, and Your power stretches beyond the heavens. We bow before You, acknowledging Your sovereignty over our lives and over all creation. We come before You with awe and reverence, filled with gratitude for Your immeasurable love and faithfulness.

Your Word in Nehemiah 1:5 reminds us that You are a covenant-keeping God, always faithful to Your promises. It is in this promise, Lord, that we find comfort and assurance, knowing that Your love for us is steadfast and unwavering, not based on our worthiness, but on Your infinite grace.

Father, we confess that there are times when we struggle to keep Your commandments, times when we allow the world to distract us from Your divine path. We ask for Your forgiveness, Lord, and we pray for Your Spirit to guide us, to give us strength and wisdom to walk in Your ways and to keep Your commandments.

Help us to love You more deeply, Lord, and to express this love through our obedience to Your Word. May our lives reflect Your love and mercy, and may we serve as Your instruments in this world, spreading Your love and grace to all we meet.

Thank you, Father, for Your steadfast love that endures forever. As Nehemiah recognized Your unchanging nature, may we also remember and cling to the truth of who You are – the great and awesome God, who loves us beyond measure and who remains faithful to us through all seasons of life.

We pray all these things in the precious name of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.