YHWH, Our Adonai

O LORD, our Lord

How majestic is Your name in all the earth.

Psalm 8:1 and 9

 

O YHWH our Adonai

 

The Hebrew nation believed the name YHWH to be so holy that they would not write it out or speak it. Therefore, we have lost the pronunciation of this name and the spelling which would include the vowels. Some believe יהוה translates to the word Hiph (הוה) which means:

The one bringing into being;

Life-giver;

Giver of existence, creator;

He who brings to pass;

Performer of his promises;

He who causes to fall (rain or lightning).

 

But most translate it as Qal (הוה):

The one who is;

The absolute and unchangeable one;

The existing, ever-living;

The one ever coming into manifestation

He will be;

He will approve himself (give evidence of being, assert his being).³

 

Both translations give us a picture of a God that encompasses all of nature and all that was before and all that will be. Jesus calls Himself the “Alpha and Omega” three times in the book of Revelation. In Revelation 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” And in Revelation 21:6 and Revelation 22:13, He declares Himself, “The Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”

Alpha is the first letter of the Hebraic alphabet; omega is the last letter. From the alphabet came all the words known to Jesus’ listeners. Jesus is declaring that He was the beginning of all things and the end of all things; the one who created all things. So all that they could comprehend was included in this description as well as all things eternal – before and after. Jesus/God the Father is.

 

Adonai is the personal God. It is a plural word which ascribes it to all three heads of the trinity – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Adonai is the One high and above all things; the Owner of all there is; Lord and Master. It is a relationship name. By stating that He is Lord and Master, He is deducing that He is in relationship over someone who worships Him as such.

 

So, “O YWHW, our Adonai” would be translated “O YWHW (the Great I Am, Creator, Giver of all life, God of all history, the Absolute and Unchangeable One; the existing, ever-living; the one ever coming into manifestation; He will be; He who will approve himself ; Performer of His promises), our Adonai (the Owner of all there is and our Master and Lord.)”

 

May you worship YWHY your Adonai this day,