Most often, when we come before God, we call Him “Lord” or “Heavenly Father,” but God has a name! The Bible mentions multiple names of God, and you need to know them because names are important and meaningful.
In biblical times, names were considered to reveal a person’s character or trait and were chosen with great care. For example, if parents named their child Joy, they expected their child to be joyful. We can see this in (Genesis 17:5) when God renamed Abram to Abraham, which means “Father of many” after God told Abram would father many nations.
Some names were also chosen due to circumstances surrounding the child’s birth. Such as Abraham and Sarah, who named their son Isaac (to laugh) because they both laughed when God said they would have a child in Genesis 17:17, Genesis 18:12 respectively.
Also, Eli’s daughter-in-law named her son Ichabod which means “no glory” for the Philistines had captured the Ark of God, and Eli and her husband had been killed (1 Samuel 4:21). But names also had simple meanings. For example, Isaac and Rebekah named their first-born Esau (hairy) because he was born hairy (Genesis 25:25).
Likewise, the names of God reveal His character and nature. When we pray His different names, we meditate on Who He is and see Him in a more personal way. It deepens our relationship with Him and enhances our prayer life.
I once did a study on the different names of God to write a poem and then learned how to pray them. It was refreshing, powerful, and I experienced greater intimacy with God. Here are ten of His names and how you can pray them to fire up your prayer life.
It is the name God gave Himself when Moses asked for His name in Exodus 3:14. It is translated in English Bibles as “LORD” all caps, not to be confused with Adonai which means Lord.
Yahweh means “I Am who I Am,” or “He Will Be,” and it’s the only proper name of the God of Israel. It indicates God’s transcendent and self-existent nature. He was, is and will be. Almost all the names of God on this list is an extension of Yahweh.
Ancient Israelites had a high reverence for God’s name and never said it aloud. When reading scriptures, they would say Adonai instead of Yahweh. Later, Jewish scribes created a hybrid name by combining the consonants of Yahweh with the vowels of Adonai to create Yahovah. It served as a reminder to say Adonai and to prevent an accidental pronunciation of Yahweh.
However, many years later, Christians scribes who didn’t know Hebrew thought Yahovah was God’s divine name. They began to pronounce it and translate it. As a result, it entered Christianity and became Jehovah. Many people still use it today and believe it’s God’s name.
Elohim means God, Creator, and Mighty Strong. It is one of the most common names of God and appears about 2600 times in the Old Testament. Its first appearance is in Genesis 1:1. Elohim indicates God’s strength, sovereignty, and creative power.
Elohim is often shortened to El and used as part of other names such as El Shaddai (el-shah-dahy) which means God Almighty; and Eloah (el-oh-ah) which means mighty, strong, prominent.
Pray this name to fall in reverence before God. Exalt His name, His awesome power, and His majesty — Marvel at the work of His hands and His creation.
It means “The LORD Will Provide” and occurs only once in Genesis 22:14, when Abram was about to sacrifice his son Isaac, but God provided a ram for the sacrifice instead. Yahweh Yireh indicates God’s provision and care for His people.
Pray this name to call upon God’s supernatural provision. Praise Him for caring for you and supplying for all your needs. Ask Him for anything you may lack and trust that He will provide.
It means the “LORD Who Heals” and it occurs in Exodus 15:26. God called Himself Yahweh Rapha after He healed the bitter waters of Marah so the Israelites could drink from it. He declared He was their healer and would spare them from the diseases He put on the Egyptians. This name indicates God as the source of all healing: body, mind, and soul.
Pray this name by acknowledging God alone, heals you, and praise Him for your health. Ask Him to heal and restore you from any illness, scar, or pain in your life, to repair the broken parts of you and make you whole again.
It means “The LORD Our Banner.” It only appears in Exodus 17:15. God had just delivered the children of Israel from the Amalekites, so Moses built an altar and called it “The-LORD-is-my-banner.” Banner or Nissi means a rallying point, a sign, or a signal. This name indicates God’s willingness to fight our battles and bring us victory.
Pray this name to invite God into your battles and fight for you, and praise His willingness to defend you and deliver you. Call upon His mighty power to lead you to victory, and have confidence that He will intercede for you.
It means “The LORD Our Peace” and only occurs in Judges 6:24. The Angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and told Him to have peace and not to fear, for he would not die for seeing the Angel face to face. So, Gideon built an altar and called it “The-Lord-Is-Peace.” This name indicates God’s gentle and peaceable nature.
Pray this name to invite God’s supernatural peace in your life. Praise Him for carrying your burdens and worries. Ask Him to fill you with His peace that surpasses understanding and ask Him to give you rest.
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It means “The LORD Our Shepherd” and was penned by David in Psalm 23:1. This name shows that God cares for us as a shepherd cares for his sheep. A shepherd guide feeds and protects his sheep. God is the good shepherd that lay down His life for His sheep.
Pray this name to ask God for His guidance, leadership, and protection. Praise Him for caring for you and giving up His life for you. Ask Him to prepare the way ahead of you while walking beside you.
It means “The LORD Our Righteousness.” It appears in Jeremiah 23:6 and Jeremiah 33:16. This name shows that only God can save us from our sins and make us right. He made us right by sending Jesus to bear our sins and cloaked us in His righteousness instead (2 Corinthians 5:2).
Call upon this name of God to be saved. Repent from your sins and ask God to forgive you, and give you a new life. Praise God for His grace and faithfulness to cleanse you from all unrighteousness.
It means the “Lord Who Sanctifies You” or “The Lord Who Makes Holy.” It occurs in Exodus 31:13, 20:8, and Ezekiel 37:28. This name indicates that God is the only one that can make us holy. To be holy means to be set apart from the world. It means to live by following God’s principles, not the world’s.
Pray this name by asking God to transform you from the inside out. Praise Him for giving you the power to overcome sin, and to live a righteous life. Ask Him to purify you and make you holy and sin no more.
This name means the “LORD of Hosts” or “The LORD of Armies.” It first occurs in 1 Samuel 1:3 and appears over 285 times in the OT in verses such as Isaiah 1:24, Psalm 46:7. Hosts or armies refer to both angels and men; God is Lord over all creations in heaven and on earth. This name indicates God’s sovereignty, power, and authority over the world.
Pray this name to engage in spiritual warfare. Praise God for giving you the authority over all the power of the enemy. Call upon the name of the Lord of the armies of heaven to deliver you from the evil one and give you victory.
It means “The Lord Is There” and occurs only in Ezekiel 48:35. Jerusalem was given this name as an indication that God had not abandoned Jerusalem. This name shows God’s omnipresent attribute; He is always present and accessible for His children.
Pray this name to enter God’s presence. Thank God for always being there with you, on the hills and valleys alike. Ask Him to manifest Himself to you, and to experience Him like never before.
I hope you will try praying these names of God and that the experience will be enriching. Let me know in the comments if you do! And if you want to memorize them or have a copy handy, make sure to grab this with God’s names and how to pray them.
Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness)
Use in the Bible: In the Old Testament Jehovah Tsidkenu occurs 2 times. Jehovah Tsidkenu is first used in Jer 23:6.
Variant spellings: Jehovah Tzidkaynu; Jehovah Tsidqenuw
TWOT Reference: None
Jehovah Tsidkenu in the Septuagint: kuriou tou theou hêmôn elalêsen pros hêmas – the Lord our God spoke to us
Meaning and Derivation: Jehovah is translated as “The Existing One” or “Lord.” The chief meaning of Jehovah is derived from the Hebrew word Havah meaning “to be” or “to exist.” It also suggests “to become” or specifically “to become known” – this denotes a God who reveals Himself unceasingly. Tsedek (tseh-dek), from which Tsidkenu derived, means “to be stiff,” “to be straight,” or “righteous” in Hebrew. When the two words are combined – Jehovah Tsidkenu – it can be translated as “The Lord Who is our Righteousness.”
Further references of the name Jehovah Tsidkenu in the Old Testament: Jer 23:6; Jer 33:16
Jehovah Rapha (The Lord Who Heals)
Use in the Bible: In the Old Testament Jehovah-Rapha (The Lord that Heals) is used in Exd 15:26.
Variant spellings: Jehovah-Rophe; Jehovah Rophecha; Jehovah Raphah
TWOT Reference: 2196
Jehovah Rapha in the Septuagint: kurios ho iômenos se – the Lord your healer
Meaning and Derivation: Jehovah is translated as “The Existing One” or “Lord.” The chief meaning of Jehovah is derived from the Hebrew word Havah meaning “to be” or “to exist.” It also suggests “to become” or specifically “to become known” – this denotes a God who reveals Himself unceasingly. Rapha (râpâ) means “to restore”, “to heal” or “to make healthful” in Hebrew. When the two words are combined – Jehovah Rapha – it can be translated as “Jehovah Who Heals.” (cf. Jer 30:17; Jer 3:22; Isa 30:26; Isa 61:1; Psa 103:3). Jehovah is the Great Physician who heals the physical and emotional needs of His people.
Further references of the name Jehovah Rapha in the Old Testament: Exd 15:26
One day God shows up to Moses in the form of a burning bush and tells him about all of these miracles He’s going to perform through Moses. And Moses asks Him, “Who should I say sent me?” And God said to tell them my name is “Yahweh” in Hebrew, which is translated as “I Am Who I am.” So he essentially said, “Tell them that ‘I Am’ sent you.”
FAQ
What are the 16 names of God in Hebrew?
What is the meaning of Elohim Adonai?
- El Shaddai el shad-di’ Lord God Almighty.
- El Elyon el el-yone’ The Most High God.
- Adonai ad-o-noy’ Lord, Master.
- Yahweh yah-weh Lord, Jehovah.
- Jehovah Nissi yeh-ho-vaw’ nis-see’ The Lord My Banner.
