Extol Him by His Name Yah

The Psalms are full of praise to the name of God. They reflect the hearts of the writers in extolling his name and giving glory to the Creator of this universe. It is essential to appreciate the magnificence of an omniscient, omnipresent and intelligent first cause before conceiving the necessity for all flesh to bow before the Lord of all creation. With this reverent approach we attempt to understand the significance of the words forming the title of this article, and which are often quoted in our circles.

Some perhaps use the Name with a feeling of familiarity rather than reverence; with pride of accomplishment in the knowledge of an alleged higher understanding rather than with the simplicity and praise from the heart; with a sense of exclusiveness instead of having an urge to bring others in to join us. The name of Deity should draw out praises in chorus and unity from the heart, however simply and earnestly expressed in spontaneous worship. Yet it is often, sad to say, used to exclude rather than include many of those who have sincerely answered the call from Gentile extraction for his name, being baptised into the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Is it not a fact that if in very truth a believer has been baptised into the name, that the name is worn by him? Has hc not been adopted into the divine family of God through an intelligent understanding of the saving truth of the Bible and compliance therewith in baptism? Does he not then qualify for inclusion in the description of James, “the residue of men that seek after the Lord?” Is he not “one of the Gentiles upon whom my (God’s) name is called”? (Acts 15:17). Is it not a fact that God knows all his works from the beginning of the world? If this is so, we quote the words of James that follow, “Wherefore my sentence is that we trouble not them which from among the Gentiles are turned unto God” (Acts 15:18-19). Surely the argument is obvious. It is not so much that we pronounce the name of God in calling upon him, rather that God himself calls it over us. Upon this very basis James pronounced the sentence that Gentile believers be not troubled. The matter under dispute in New Testament times was different, but the principle that we cease from trouble must still be the same, otherwise James’ reasoning went wrong under divine guidance.

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Author: H. J. Finch

Keywords: Yah, Jah, Yahweh, YHWH, Jahweh, Jehovah, name of God, God's name

Bible reference(s): Psalms 68:4

Source: The Believer, No. 4, 1971.

Page indexed by: inWORD Bible Software.