How can we know God more? Learning about the different names of God is a great place to start. God is our Lord, our Shepherd, our Helper, he is God Almighty and so much more! There are so many powerful names of God that can helps us grow closer to Him in new ways if we take the time to learn them.

In different seasons of trial or joy the names of God ring true to us in unique ways. An understanding of who God is, is essential to growing closer to Him.

We hope these biblical names of God and their meanings from the 100 Names of God Daily Devotional help you draw nearer to God in whatever season you face.

1. Adonai – Lord

God is our sovereign ruler and He is worthy of all honor.

Ancient Hebrews considered the divine name YHWH (Yahweh) too holy to pronounce, they substituted Adonai instead, which is translated “Lord.” Inherent in the title or name Adonai are the ideas of sovereignty, rulership, and honor.

As our sovereign Creator who both made and sustains us, He has full authority and control over our lives. God rules over our lives but He is a loving Father who uses His lordship over us to bring out His glory and our good. 

2. Jehovah-Ra’ah – The Lord is my Shepherd

God faithfully tends to all our needs as a shepherd cares for his flock.

The primary meaning of shepherd (Ra’ah) is to feed, to tend, to lead to pasture. To do all this, a shepherd has to be up close and personal, intimately aware of the needs of his sheep. Also, a shepherd is the protector of his flock. This is why he carries a rod—to fight off predators that would harm even one of his rams, ewes, or lambs.

If all that is what a shepherd does, what’s the job description of sheep? Easy. A sheep trusts its shepherd.

As sheep, we follow. We go where our Shepherd leads. We do what He tells us to do. We look to Him to supply all our needs.

3. Jehovah Ezrah – My Helper

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.” –Hebrews 13:6

When there is a problem, a helper comes alongside and serves (and sometimes even saves). When there is a need, a helper is quick to show up and supply what’s lacking.

As the Bible declares, and as history reveals, God helps His children like this. When we don’t know what to do, when we are weak or discouraged, sick or scared, He comes alongside. He provides fresh insights, encouragement, and renewed strength.

4. Yahweh-Channun – God of Grace

He is gracious to us.

God showed grace to Joseph’s brothers when He allowed Joseph to rescue them years after they mistreated him and sold him into slavery (Genesis 50:19-21). God poured out grace on the Israelites when He gave them a second set of tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments after they destroyed and disappointed Him (Genesis 32, 34). God’s grace rested on King David when he received forgiveness after arrogantly committing adultery and murder (2 Samuel 12:13).

Because God is essentially gracious (and because He never changes), guess what? He’s gracious to us too. He does not treat us as our sins deserve.

5. El Tsuri – The Rock

He is the Rock of the universe. The foundation of creation.

In the Bible, two different Hebrew words are used to call God “the Rock”: El Sela (translated “my Rock”) and El Tsuri (translated “the Rock”). Both names point to God’s unshakable character, but here’s how they differ: As my Rock, God reveals Himself as the personal foundation upon whom we can build our lives.

In calling upon my Rock, you are saying, “God is my refuge, my shelter from the storms of life. Since my God, my Rock, cannot be shaken, my position in Him cannot be shaken and mu ultimate well-being can never be threatened.”

He is also the Rock of the universe. He is the foundation of creation. Everything—from laws of physics to the unchanging laws of morality—is unshakeable because God is the permanent, changeless foundation of reality.

6. El Nathan Neqamah – The God Who Avenges Me

“He is the God who avenges me, who puts the nations under me.” –2 Samuel 22:48

Only God can see people’s hearts, and He sees them objectively. Furthermore, He has promised to reward each person accordingly. Nothing is hidden from God, and we can put our trust in this truth. No one is ever going to “get away with” anything, especially hurting God’s children.

When we seek to exact our own revenge, we are basically saying we can do it better than God. But of course, we can’t. We’re not perfectly wise, utterly just, and totally pure. Any type of revenge we might come up with might feel good momentarily, but it won’t be good eternally.

7. Jehovah-Shammah – The Lord is There

“God, where are You?”

The prophet Ezekiel has a good answer for us. He was once gifted with a remarkable vision of the end of time. He saw heavenly city, the new Jerusalem. And he heard God give the city the name Jehovah-Shammah, “The Lord is There.”

Technically, Jehovah-Shammah is less a title of God and more the name of a place. But since heaven and God are so closely connected, Shammah can be applied to God Himself: God is indeed there. Momentary experiences of God’s presence should whet our appetites for the unending day when we will see Him face-to-face.

8. El Haggadol – The Great God

“For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.” –Deuteronomy 10:17

Moses argued that God deserved the Hebrews’ full devotion because He is “the great God.” The Hebrew word for great is gadol. It means distinguished, important, large, grand, magnificent.

And why is God uniquely deserving of this title? Because, Moses said, He’s mighty. He’s powerful and awesome. There’s nothing too hard for Him. 

Deuteronomy 10:14-22 attests God’s greatness. He’s great because He graciously “set his affection” on the Hebrew people. He’s great because He cares about the helpless. He alone does “awesome wonders” and blesses undeserving people.

9. Sar-Shalon – Prince of Peace

God himself is peace and also the giver of peace.

Real life, rich life, abundant life—the life we want—is found only in Him. On the cross, Jesus made it possible for sinners to have peace with God. Overcoming death, Jesus now lives and reigns in the hearts of millions, affording us the capacity to experience the peace of God. He gave us peace in the ultimate sense.

All our temporal experiences of peace give us a glimpse of ultimate and eternal peace we will have at last in heaven. Peace may something we chase after, but true peace can only come as a gift from God.

10. Qadosh Yisrael – The Holy One of Israel

To be set apart.

The word holy is found 625 times in the New International Version of the Bible. It means literally “to cut” or “to separate.” The idea, then, is that holy things are separated from all unclean, impure, sinful things.

To be holy is to be set apart. It means to be distinct.

In calling Himself “the Holy One,” God is letting us know He isn’t like other so-called gods; He’s in a class by Himself. Furthermore, the kingdom He is building requires subjects who are set apart and who operate according to standards that are dissimilar from the common standards all around them.

Did these excerpts from the 100 Names of God Daily Devotional help you know God more? Check out the full product here and learn more about the names of God! Its full of so many different names of God that highlight specific aspects of His character to help you grow closer to Him in new ways.