Yahweh, the Lord (Psalm 145)
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“My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
and let all flesh bless His holy name forever and ever.” - Psalm 145:21
Oh how good it is for us to magnify the name of the Lord! Over and over again in the Psalms – especially in Psalm 145 (a Psalm of praise) – we are encouraged to bless Him, praise Him, extol Him, and give thanks to Him because He is great and worthy of it all!
This God has a personal, covenant name, revealed to His people in the Old Testament: Yahweh. In ancient Hebrew, a name was more than just what you called someone; it said something about that person’s character. A name indicated the nature of that person. In Psalm 145, Yahweh is referenced nine times (see v 3, 8, 9, 10, 14, 17, 18, 20, 21). Psalm 145:8-9 says:
“[Yahweh] is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. [Yahweh] is good to all, and His mercy is over all that he has made.”
This is a direct reference to Exodus 34, where God reveals Himself to Moses, describing His character for the first time in Scripture:
“[Yawheh, Yahweh, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin…” - Exodus 34:6-7
God’s name is so much more than a name; it is His character, His nature, His heart. When we praise His name, we are exalting His very nature.
The song, “Yahweh the Lord,” invites us to recount aspects of God’s character, blessing His name. We sing that He is “slow to anger and rich in love;” we declare back to Him in gratitude, “Your mercies are new, steadfast, and true;” we proclaim to the ends of the earth, “Your faithfulness covers thousands, age to age the same. How great is Your name, Yahweh, the Lord!” This is a meditation on who our God is, a proclamation of His greatness, and a profession of love for Him.
Beautiful and Kind
Each verse highlights a different aspect of who God is, starting with His beauty and kindness. We can find satisfaction and contentment in Him when we come to Him; oh how kind, for us who are so often discontent, searching for something to satisfy! Yahweh is the fountain of life, breathing life into dead things; oh how beautiful, for us who are dead in sin without His salvation!
Abounding in Grace
Our merciful God abounds in His graciousness towards us. His Word recounts that His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22); He never stops offering us this grace. He forgives all our sins, healing us at the heart level, unwilling to leave us broken; oh how gracious, for us sinners who fail time and again, who are made of dust, who have no good thing in and of ourselves.
Goodness and Love
The Lord is good to all of His children. He is full of lovingkindness in His ways towards us. He extends His hands towards us and satisfies our desires and cares for us in our deepest need; oh how good, for us who long, without hope of satisfaction in this life. He is slow to grow angry with us and near when we call. In steadfastness, He holds to His covenant with us; oh how loving, for us who strive after affection, yearning to be loved and known.
Righteous and Just
God is righteous in all His works. In His holiness, He rules and reigns perfectly over creation. His faithfulness and integrity are unmatchable and unshakeable. Oh how righteous, for us who see corruption all around us. He holds those who are falling, and preserves them. He does not allow evil to go unpunished and repays what the oppressed have endured. Oh how just, for us who suffer the oppression of the enemy.
When we meditate on the character of God – this beautiful, kind, gracious, good, loving, righteous, just King, how can we not bless such a name? Our hearts overflow with thankfulness and joy as we celebrate who He is. “Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever” (Ps 73:2). As you sing this song to Him, may your heart’s response be a deliberate and joyful choice to bless Him, to make His name great, to “pour forth the fame of [His] abundant goodness” (v 7). To declare the name of Yahweh, the Lord, to the ends of the earth.
