What are the different names of God, and what do they mean?

I would add that we have in this psalm nearly all the different names of God: El, Elohim (God); Shaddai (Almighty); Jehovah, Adonai, Jah (Lord). Elohim is the name of God in creation (Gen. 1); Shaddai and Jehovah, the names under which God revealed Himself respectively to Abraham and Israel. Adonai, as here described, is the One who has ascended up on high; but if ascended, He descended first into the lower parts of the earth. Yet He is Jehovah. (Ps. 68:20.) "To Jehovah Adonai belong the goings out to death." Jah is first met with in Exodus 15:2, after the deliverance of the people from Pharaoh at the Red Sea. Often met with in the Psalms in the well-known compound, Hallelujah; it occurs also in Exodus 17:16; twice in this Psalm 4, 18; also in Ps. 77:11; Ps. 89:8; Ps. 94:7, 12; Ps. 102:18; Ps. 115:17-18; Ps. 118:5, 14, 17-19; Ps. 122:4; Ps. 130:3; Ps. 135:4; Ps. 150:6; and in Isaiah 12:2; Isa. 26:4; Isa. 38:11. If we examine the context of most of the places where it occurs, I think we shall be persuaded it is not a mere abbreviation of Jehovah, but has a significance of its own, reminding His people that He has, and will, interpose in power on their behalf. So Jehovah characterizes God as the one true and self-existing Being (in opposition to the false gods of the heathen) who has made a covenant with Israel. Jah characterizes Him specially as the Deliverer of His people from Egypt in time past, who will deliver them from all their enemies again.

The Spirit's use of divine names and titles in the Scriptures is most instructive, and should be observed carefully by all who seek to understand the ways of God throughout the ages with men, and especially with Israel. Unfortunately our generally excellent Authorised Version does not help us in this as it should. The words "God" and "the Lord" (the latter sometimes in capitals and sometimes in small letters) really hide important truths. In the book of Jonah we read of "God" and "the Lord." "God" stands for the Hebrew "Elohim," and occurs 15 times; "the Lord" stands for "Jehovah," and occurs 26 times. Divine names are abundant throughout the sacred Word, each having its own meaning; each therefore having its own sweet message to the heart. Psalm 68 is particularly rich in divine names and titles. At least twelve will be found there. The latest and fullest revelation of God is the name "Father," brought down to us by the Son of His love, and it is under this name the saints of this era are in relationship with Him His children, sons, and heirs.

We have spoken of the two great names for God. We now append a few names used to designate God in the Old Testament, without much comment, but taken all together they fill out our knowledge of God.

Not only in Genesis, but in the whole Old Testament occur mainly two names of God: God (Hebrew: Elohim) and Jehovah (Hebrew JHWH: The Eternal One, probably to be pronounced Yahweh). These two names do not however, as many critics think, point to different authors or reports, which would have been compiled by later "editors", but are a proof for the divine inspiration of Scripture. Everywhere, where the omnipotence of the creator should be emphasised, we read God. But when He turns in grace to man He is called Jehovah. For example we read in Genesis 7:16, after Noah entered the ark: ".. As God had commanded him. And Jehovah shut him in."

These are often expressive of character or of relationship. God was revealed to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as GOD ALMIGHTY, which indicates the character in which God was pleased to be known by them: He was not known to them as JEHOVAH. Ex. 6:3. This does not mean that they had not heard of the name, but that it did not express the character of His relationship with them. To Moses He said, "I am JEHOVAH," and by this name He was known to Israel: it formed the basis of their relationship with God. When power was committed to the Gentiles under the headship of Nebuchadnezzar it was said, "THE GOD OF HEAVEN hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory." Dan. 2:37. In Christianity God is made known under the name of FATHER. John 20:17. Much is involved in the various names by which God has been pleased to make Himself known. So the Lord Jesus has various names: Son of God, Immanuel, Son of man, etc.: they all designate one Person, but each has its own import. Throughout the N.T. HIS NAME is the centre of all blessing. Isa. 9:6; Phil. 2:9-11.

They called on the Name of the Lord. God's Name indicates who He is and what we can know about Him. It reveals His relationship with men. The patriarchs knew Him especially as the Almighty, and Israel knew Him as Yahweh, the great I AM. Believers in the church period, the dispensation of God's grace, know Him as their Father in Christ. In the future dispensation of the Kingdom of peace He will be known and honoured more especially as the Most High who possesses heaven and earth.

But how does Scripture present the subject? God is God, but God has entered into relationship with men. These relationships are fourfold in Scripture, all referring to God abstractedly as such: El Shaddai (God Almighty); Jehovah (unhappily translated in English LORD in capitals, as a rule; better in French, l'Eternel); Father, which, save in mere figures, is entirely a New Testament name; and Elion, Most High, which, while revealed in promise is God's millennial name, — and will be displayed as possessor of heaven and earth, all antagonistic power being set aside. And these are clearly thus set forth in Scripture, though the last be less clearly, as being yet future.

The two first are expressly distinguished. Thus Exodus 6:2-3: "And Elohim said to Moses, I am Jehovah; and I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob by the name of El Shaddai, but by my name Jehovah was I not known to them." Not that He was not Jehovah, but He did not give Himself this name in His ways with them. (See Genesis 17, 28 and 32.) With Israel He was then Jehovah, as the great question was settled on Mount Carmel; "Jehovah, he is Elohim.

In the chapters that follow it was enough in general to use one or other name alone; and they are invariably employed with purpose, not only throughout Genesis and the rest of the Pentateuch, but in the later historical books, in the Psalms, and in the Prophets. In no instance can they be shown to be confounded; in every case where the generic "God" is not used, special motive calls for "Jehovah"; yet these two by no means exhaust the designations we find. In Gen. 14 El-Elyon (the Most High God) dawns on us, reappearing also in the Psalms and the Prophets wherever it was most appropriate. It is that name of God which upholds His title as "possessor of heavens and earth," to put down all rivals above or below, when the true Melchisedec appears in the exercise of His royal priesthood on the final defeat of the enemy, even before the last and eternal judgment. See Psalm 92:1, as well as Num. 24 and Dan. 4.

*There is no real difficulty in understanding the propriety of the various divine names in these chapters according to the motive which governs. Thus El-Shaddai is the peculiar patriarchal name of guaranteed protector; Jehovah of special relationship for covenant blessings of Israel according to promise; but then Jehovah is Elohim in His own majesty, or He would be a merely national deity. Compare Gen. 17, where it is expressly Jehovah that appears and calls Himself El-Shaddai, yet immediately after talks as Elohim with Abram. See also Gen. 22:1, 8, 9, 12, and 11, 14, 15, 16, where the various document-system is manifestly disproved. Esau in Gen. 27, has neither covenant nor divine name of any sort.

6, 7. Adon and Adonai, and the plural Adonim, are all translated 'Lord'; they occur frequently, and are found in some of the following compounds:- Adon Jehovah, Ex. 23:17, the Lord GOD. Adon Jehovah Elohim, Isa. 51:22, thy Lord, the LORD, and thy God. Adon Jehovah Sabaoth, Isa. 19:4, the Lord, the LORD OF HOSTS. Adonai Elohim, Ps. 86:12, O Lord my God: cf. Dan. 9:3, 9, 15. Adona Jehovah, Deut. 9:26, O Lord GOD (occurs frequently). Adonai Jehovah Sabaoth, Jer. 2:19, the Lord GOD of hosts. El Elohim, Gen. 33:20, El-elohe [Israel]; Gen. 46:3, God, the God [of thy father]. El Elohim Jehovah, Joshua 22:22, the LORD God of gods. El Shaddai, Gen. 28:3, etc., God Almighty. Jah Jehovah, Isa. 26:4, the LORD JEHOVAH. Jehovah Adon, Neh. 10:29, the LORD our Lord. Jehovah Adonai, Ps. 68:20, GOD the Lord. Jehovah El, Ps. 31:5, O LORD God. Jehovah Elohim, Gen. 9:26, etc., the LORD God. Jehovah Elohim Sabaoth Adonai, Amos 5:16, the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord. Jehovah Jehovah El, Ex. 34:6, the LORD, the LORD God. Jehovah Sabaoth, Jer. 46:18, the LORD of hosts. Jehovah Sabaoth Elohim, Jer. 27:4, etc., the LORD of hosts, the God [of Israel].