Israel’s Relationship with their God distinguished them from every other nation on earth. Theirs was the only true God, and He was manifested to His people as real and ever present among them. He was not an inanimate tribal deity like the gods of the Gentiles. His revelation of Himself to Abraham and Moses had left an indelible imprint upon the minds and hearts of those men which they imparted to their people.
The God of David
David had some illustrious forebears who faithfully served the living God. Moreover he had been influenced by his acquaintance with the great prophet Samuel. We know that from his earliest years David had a deep and abiding love for Israel’s God. That love continued, and, as he matured, so did his knowledge of his Creator. Our own understanding of the Lord would not be the same without the Psalms.
The Psalmist had a very personal relationship with the Lord. God was his mainstay, a constant companion. There were only a few times in his life that David acted without consulting his Heavenly Father. Nor was his relationship with the Lord a meditative one only. David was ever mindful that, as a servant of God, uprightness was required of him.
“0 LORD my God…if there be iniquity in my hands; if I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (Yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:) Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust” (Psa. 7:4-5).
David spent many hours in contemplation of his God and in the study of His word. “0 how I love thy law! it is my meditation all the day…How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!…Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psa. 119). It is from the word of God that all spiritual men and women must draw their strength.
Praising God
In the Psalms, there are examples of general praise to the Lord, suitable for congregational worship. There are also many examples of praise that are intensely personal. These are sometimes abundantly joyful; other times they are in the form of appeal and supplication. Always such praise is expressed from deep emotional response to the Deity. “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, 0 God…Why art thou cast down, 0 my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God” (Psa. 42:1,11).
God in the Psalms
David’s affinity with his God is revealed in the way he appeals to Him and in his use of the various names and titles of Deity. The Psalms are all masterpieces of thought and composition, and what is more important, they teach us a sensitive reverence for our Heavenly Father.
“The heavens declare the glory of God (El, the Mighty One), and the firmament sheweth His handiwork” –but — “The law of the LORD (Yahweh, God of the covenant) is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple…the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether” (Psa. 19:1,7,9).
Metonyms for God are often employed in the Psalms. One of the most common is “rock” from two words, sela, “cliff” and tzur, “stone.” Another is “tower,” migdal. “My God, my strength (rock– tzur), in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower” (Psa. 18:2). God is the source of our strength; He is our defense against all adversity.
The name of God
In many of the Psalms Yahweh is used alone, illustrating the very personal feeling of David toward his Maker. The first Psalm is an example. In others the alternative titles appear incidentally. “Give ear to my words, 0 Yahweh, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my Elohim…Lead me, 0 Yahweh, in Thy righteousness” (Psa. 5:1,2,8).
We believe that in David’s frequent appeals to Yahweh there is acknowledgment of the national covenant which existed between Israel and the Lord. This recognition extended in a very personal sense to David himself; he had a covenant relationship with the God of his fathers based on a faith that was counted to him for righteousness.
The Elohim
The two most frequently employed terms for God in the Psalms are Yahweh (679) and Elohim (365). Most often Elohim is applied to God Himself, though it is a plural word. The use of the plural in this case may be a Hebrew idiom indicating the greatness of the one true God. It also indicates that the LORD is revealed through hosts of mighty ones. The word applies in some instances to the angels of God. (It is translated “angels” in Psa. 8:5.) In a sense, like the name Yahweh, the title speaks of God manifestation, and it often appears as a compound — Yahweh Elohim.
The word Elohim is also used for the gods of the nations (86:8) and for men in authority, as the elders of Israel (82:6). In these instances the plural sense is intended.
Titles of Deity
The Hebrew names or titles for God as they appear in the Psalms are these:
El — strength, mighty one,
“The heavens declare the glory of God” (19:1).
Eloah — God,
“For who is God save the LORD?” (18:31).
Elohim — mighty ones,
“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of Yahweh our Elohim” (20:7).
Adon, Adonai —Lord, lords, master, “The Lord of the whole earth” (97:5). Adon is also used of human masters, as in Psa. 105:21 and 123:2.
Yahweh — the covenant name, “In Thee, 0 Yahweh do I put my trust” (71:1). This word is used by the psalmist as the covenant name for Israel’s God.
Yah — a contraction of Yahweh, “Praise ye the LORD (Hallelujah)” (135:1,3). This form of the word appears a number of times in the Psalms. Elsewhere it occurs only in Exodus, Isaiah and Revelation 19.
Use of God’s titles
The heart of the Hebrew faith was belief in one God. Why did they refer to Him by so many different names? The Hebrew language was very expressive, and the various titles of Deity would speak of the many aspects of His divine attributes. The reasons for the use of various names is not always clear, but their use in the Psalms reveals some patterns.
Sometimes a given circumstance or perspective seems to call for a particular title. A penitent David in Psalm 51 cries to Elohim for mercy, not deigning to use the more personal name of God. In contrast, Psalm 96, a great song of praise, employs the covenant name repeatedly. “Sing unto the LORD…the LORD is great…O Worship the LORD…the LORD reigneth.”
Such exultant praise is related to Israel’s true hope, the promise of the future Messianic reign which has always filled the hearts of godly men and women with overflowing joy. In such praise, the name Yahweh is most appropriate.
Considerations for today
Since we do not speak Hebrew, we do not have to determine when or how to use the various titles of Deity. A study of them is helpful in that it gives insight into the passages where they occur. Christadelphians should be aware of the doctrine of God manifestation as revealed in the names and titles of Deity. We should also remember that the name of God must be used reverently. We are His name-bearers in this generation, and we should honor that name both in word and in deed.
Prayer and praise
Prayer is essential in the believer’s life. We cannot exist spiritually unless we have communication with our Heavenly Father. The study of the scriptures must be balanced with prayer. Prayer includes praise– spontaneous adulation of the Creator — as well as petitions for help and forgiveness.
Praise is pleasing to God and is very helpful to those who exercise it. Praise lifts the spirit, helps us to love and appreciate the God we worship. It puts us in His presence and that of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Praise to God is an active force; it provides strength and help in the warfare against sin. A striking example of this truth is to be found in 2 Chronicles 20:20-22. “Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, 0 Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth forever. And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set amusements against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.”
So let us praise the Lord now, in word and in deed, and we will praise Him ceaselessly in His kingdom.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One