What does it mean to praise the name of the LORD? Part of prayer is praise but how exactly do we do that? I don’t want it to just be empty lip service. I want it to be the real deal. When Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them to pray, in Luke 11:1, he gave them a model prayer. Not to pray those exact words over and over, but to learn to pray by using it as a template. Not just how to pray, but to actually pray.
In my post, Lord, teach us to pray (Part 1), we looked at the importance of the use of the word “Father” in that model prayer and how it shows the need for a relationship with God before we can pray. We also looked at how when we pray “our Father,” that father is not God’s name. It is one of his titles. The word “hallowed” in the model prayer shows that we are to set His name apart as holy and worthy of devotion. But what name are we praising?
God's personal name
God’s personal name in Hebrew is not pronounceable. It has no vowels. You’ll see it referred to as the Tetragrammaton, and in the Old Testament, you’ll see it written in all caps as LORD. When it comes to praising God, His name is much more than unpronounceable. First of all, His name is a verb. That means it describes an action, state, or occurrence. Keep that in mind as you pray.
God’s name YHWH or JHVH (today articulated as Yahweh or Jehovah) is the Hebrew name revealed to Moses in the book of Exodus at the burning bush. It means “the becoming one” or “I am.” It is a name by which God reveals his desired relationship with you. He is willing to become to you what your need is. Throughout Scripture, God reveals Himself to us through His names. The meanings behind His names teach us more about who God is to us. For instance, his name, El Shaddai, means Lord God Almighty. He is the All-Sufficient One, our Lord God With this deeper understanding, it becomes more natural to praise God.
List of the names of God and their meanings
Use this list of the names of God to practice praising Him.
- Adonai (Lord, Master)
- Elohim (God) God, Judge, Creator
- El Olam (The Everlasting God) The God of Eternity, The God of the Universe, The God of Ancient Days
- El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty) All-Sufficient One, Lord God
- El Elyon (The Most High God)
- Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide)
- Jehovah Nissi (The Lord My Banner) The Lord My Miracle
- Jehovah-Raah (The Lord My Shepherd)
- Jehovah Rophe (Rapha) (The Lord Who Heals)
- Jehovah Sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts) The Lord of Powers
- Jehovah Shalom (The Lord Is Peace)
- Jehovah Shammah (The Lord Is There)
- Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness)
- Jehovah Mekoddishkem (The Lord Who Sanctifies You)
- El Qanna (Jealous God) Zealous
- Yahweh (Lord, Jehovah)
You can use this list to praise the Lord for who He is becoming in your life as you grow into the person He wants you to be. As the Lord leads, I’ll post more about these names and their meanings individually in the future along with Scripture references.
Photo credits: Sapphire Dream Photography
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The Inheritance by Donna Sundblad
Written within the allegorical tradition of classics like Pilgrim's Progress, The Inheritance offers a symbolic fantasy adventure with a Christian message. Ideal discussion starter for youth groups, homeschoolers, and families.