Ligonier Ministries Blog

1. Study Bible and Commentary Sale: Save up to 50%

   This week only, save up to 50% on select editions of the Reformation Study Bible and a variety of expositional commentaries by Dr. R.C. Sproul. Explore the collection today to find trusted Bible study resources for everyone on your Christmas list. Each edition of the Reformation Study Bible provides trustworthy and accessible notes to help you study God’s Word in depth. Dr. Sproul’s expository commentaries can also hone your study even further on individual books of the Bible. Explore this collection of resources before the sale ends on Saturday, December 7 at 11:59 p.m. ET. While supplies last.

2. What “Elohim” Means in the Bible

   Names in the Bible have significance, often providing crucial information about the character or actions of people in a given narrative. God’s names have particular significance in revealing who He is and how He relates to His people. One of the more frequent names for God in the Old Testament is Elohim, with the translation simply being “God.” But what exactly does the name Elohim tell us about who God is? Three comments aid us in understanding this name of God. 1. This divine name carries the connotation of the power and majesty of God, who is to be feared. While the etymology of Elohim is a topic of debate, most discussions center around two similar verbs that mean “to be strong” or “to dread.” Possible conceptions of the name are therefore “one who is strong” or “one who is to be feared.” While there may be debate as to etymology, both ideas would be true conceptually. For God to be the “mighty One” entails that He ought to be feared; for Him to be feared entails that He is mighty. Psalm 77 reflects both ideas. The psalmist, speaking from hardship and suffering, turns his eyes to God and exclaims in Psalm 77:13–14: > Your way, O God, is holy.    What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders,    you have made known your might among the peoples. In comparing Elohim to false gods, the psalmist proclaims God’s greatness expressed in His might. As the psalmist continues, the mighty deeds of God also strike fear in the created order (Ps. 77:16–20). To confess God as Elohim is to see Him as the “mighty One” who is to be feared. This name draws our attention to the reality that God is the great God, and there is none like Him. It calls us to >    “Behold your God!” > Behold, the Lord God comes with might, >    and his arm rules for him. (Isa. 40:9–10) This God who works in the “greatness of his might” as One “strong in power” cannot be compared to any false god or creature (Isa. 40:18, 25–26). 2. Elohim  is the plural form of the name El or Eloha, both of which have the same translation of “God.” Occasionally, the plural form Elohim denotes a plurality of gods when used to refer to false gods or idols (see Deut. 29:18; Isa. 42:17). However, when applied to the God of Israel, it never has the connotation of there being more gods than the one true God. It is not a true plural, but a plural of majesty that often occurs in conjunction with the divine name Yahweh in the phrase “The Lord God” (Yahweh Elohim). A plural of majesty occurs when someone in high authority (a monarch, for example) uses the plural to speak in their official, authoritative capacity. The use of the plural draws attention to the royal and majestic nature of the person. So also with the name Elohim. This regular use of the plural form as a divine name is an expression of His exclusive royal majesty, that “the Lord is God; there is no other besides him” (Deut. 4:35). 3. Sometimes a biblical author purposefully uses one divine name over another. When this is done with the name Elohim, it often communicates God’s royal majesty over all creation and nations. While more examples could be given, one must suffice for such a short article. In Genesis 1, the creative work is attributed to Elohim, while Genesis 2 continues to use the name Yahweh. This choice of Elohim in Genesis 1 was likely purposeful, to show that this “mighty One” is the Ruler of all creation. Isaiah 45:18 makes a similar statement where the prophet essentially says, “The One who made the heavens and the earth, He is God (Elohim).” Because He is the Maker of all things, He is the “God (Elohim) of the whole earth” (Isa. 54:5). As creator-God, He is the One “enthroned above the cherubim” who is God (Elohim) “alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth” (Isa. 37:16). What does this name mean for God’s people? It calls us to confess, as the prophet Isaiah does, that God is God and there is no other (see Isa. 44:8). All idols and all other gods are nothing and have no profit for the life of man (Isa. 44:9–10). God alone has divine royal majesty and is to be worshiped and adored exclusively. As Elohim, we must listen to and obey His Word. As Ecclesiastes 12:13 tells us, “Fear God (Elohim) and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” Moreover, God, the mighty One, is the One who works in the strength of His might for His people. The mighty and majestic One to be feared is the “God of my salvation” (Ps. 18:46), the living God who works mightily for the salvation of His people. In fact, one of the most common uses of Elohim is in phraseology relating to His being the “God of” His people: “I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God” (Ex. 6:7). The wonderful works of salvation and the reality of God’s claiming a people as His own are outworkings of His own power and royal majesty as Elohim. Therefore, what have we to fear? If Elohim is for us, who can be against us? Who else is the rock and fortress of His people but Elohim? Who else provides the necessary power and strength to live and persevere in this life but Elohim? As the psalmist declares: > Who is God but the Lord?    And who is a rock, except our God?— the God who equipped me with strength    and made my way blameless. (Ps. 18:31–32) Elohim is the one and true mighty God, the God of His people—their strength, refuge, and Savior.

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4. How to Read the Psalms of Lament

   Laments are painful prayers poured out to God by troubled souls. They can be individual (Ps. 3, 5–7, 17, 26, 35, 38, 41, 56–57, 59, 69, 88, 109) or collective (Ps. 44, 74, 79, 83, 85, 89, 137). The mood of laments is obvious. Their meaning is opaque. These hints on how to read the psalms of lament can help us make sense of them and use them ourselves. 1. Build the background. Books 1 to 3 of the Psalter are like a warzone in which the kingdom, Messiah, and church are endangered, established, expanded, or exiled. Rebel plots cannot defeat God’s purpose. World dominion and success are promised to His Christ by solemn oath (2 Sam. 7:12–16; Ps. 2:1–8; 72:8–11). Sobs and pleas of David are uttered on the run while fleeing persecution, facing exile, or as fallout from his sin (Ps. 3:1; 38:3, 18; 57:1). Battle cries of Israel’s peaceful prince are used to courageously navigate the stresses and strains linked with Israelite kingship. The Messiah appeals to the Lord as head of state for the defense of the realm, the security of the church, and the glory of God. All national hope rests on royal deliverance (Ps. 3:7–8). Even where David is not the author, “state of the nation,” kingship, and covenant are all addressed, especially when these are cast off or at risk (Ps. 89:19–52). Singers such as Korah, Asaph, Heman, and Ethan share similar court concerns (see, for example, Ps. 44:7–22). 2. Follow the flow. As in the rest of the Psalter, the direction of travel in laments is from heartbreak to hallelujah. If the kingdom comes with grief, it concludes with glory. This flow from exhausted pain to exuberant praise shapes laments: Prayer is uttered (Ps. 6:1–3). Problems are explained (Ps. 6:6–7). Petitions are made (Ps. 6:4, 8). Guilt is confessed or innocence protested (Ps. 7:3–5). Praise is offered for expected help (Ps. 6:9–10), plus or minus vows (Ps. 7:17). Parts of this flexible outline may be repeated, removed, or reversed to fit particular needs. It is important to find out the reasons for each prayer. Focus your attention on the “problem explained” section. Look for causes. Identify the stressors. Note how God’s character and covenant become grounds for an appeal. If you bring these pleas, fall on your knees, shed your tears, cast cares on God, and make your case to be heard, you will see that your sighs morph into song. 3. Connect to Christ. No one ever sang laments as sorrowfully as Christ. Verbatim quotes suggest that Jesus memorized laments (see Ps. 6:3 in John 12:27; Ps. 22:1 in Matt. 27:46; Ps. 35:19 in John 15:25; Ps. 69:9 in John 2:17). In His darkest hours, His loud cries and tears were heard (Heb. 5:7–8). Particularly on the cross, keenest sorrows were expressed (Ps. 69:19–21 in John 19:28–29). Scripture shows that our Lord wept using David’s words. Our Lord stamped His passion on the son of Jesse’s heart. The career of David was a flawed, real-life prophecy of a pure, perfect, suffering Messiah. The gasps of Gethsemane and cries of Calvary are echoed in David’s dire straits. As His Spirit laments through our mouth, Jesus’ sadness and sympathy both humble and comfort us. When you look at how Jesus prayed laments, it can lead your mind to blaze with light and your heart to flood with peace. 4. Pray these prayers. Use of lament has spiritual benefit. Laments help moderate and sanctify grief. Laments transform boring “shopping list” prayers into detailed, specific, animated cries that stand upon God’s Word. Laments outline the anatomy of distress and provide vital antidotes to ailments of our hearts. Neglect of laments is damaging to the saints. Without lament, open wounds can fester. Without lament, evil often remains unleashed and God’s enemies go unchecked. Without lament, rage, resentment, and revenge can build up and eat up. Without lament, we sometimes fail to obtain rescue, redress, and relief. 5. Overcome the objections. Jesus’ teaching on “turning the other cheek” should not be taken to imply that calls for “broken teeth” to disarm snarling beasts are ever out-of-date or sub-Christian (Ps. 3:7). David never wounded Saul, but rather eulogized his death. When the rebel Absalom was killed, his father was distraught (2 Sam. 18:33). If at fault, the psalmists readily admit their guilt. Personal hostility, slanderous talk, nursing grudges, settling scores, or sinful angry outbursts have no place in laments (Ps. 35:11–16). Cries to vindicate truth are not vengeful fits that arise from petty hurts. They are prayers of Spirit-filled saints who speak the mind of Christ. While they are on their knees, kingdom concerns are uppermost. Clearly, there is much more to be said about this delicate subject. Yet, it is important to consider the following facts: Elijah called down drought (James 5:17–18); Jesus withered a fig tree (Mark 11:12–14, 20–25); Paul condemned gospel-distorting heretics (Gal. 1:6–9); a persistent widow trained disciples in prayer appeals against injustice (Luke 18:1–8). If covenants work to bless or curse (as we receive or reject Christ), then the church can still use these petitions from the Psalms both to long for blessed conversion and to lament cursed rebellion. This article is part of the Hermeneutics collection.

5. The Christian Virtue of Thanksgiving

   Gratitude is the heart’s response to grace, or at least it should be. Take Psalm 117, the shortest psalm in the Psalter and thereby the shortest chapter in Christian Scripture. It reads: “Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!” The psalmist cannot help but be overcome by gratitude and praise. And this is for a single reason only: God’s never-ending, covenant love which endures toward His people forever. Two elements of this petite psalm should jump right off the page at us. First is the scope of those who should be grateful. Does the psalmist believe that Israel alone should shout in acclamation? Is it limited to those who have Hebrew blood coursing through their veins? No. It is all the nations! All peoples! The psalmist in a moment of jubilant thanks seems to peer from the old covenant into the eschaton, presaging the words of John in Revelation 7:9–12, which read: > After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen. (Emphasis added). As the plan of salvation comes to fruition, all, including the heavenly host, cannot help but fall down in praise and thanks to almighty God. It is the instinct of redeemed creatures when they receive blessing without merit. And that is the second element which is apparent in Psalm 117: That for which the psalmist is so grateful is not something which he earns or deserves. It’s not something he believes he is owed. In fact, it has nothing to do with him, other than the reality that he is a recipient of this matchless gift. It is God and what He has done, without reference to our worthiness, which elicits such incredible and intense proclamations of thanks. More than that, expressions of genuine heartfelt thanks seem to point others in a palpable way to grace. For instance, take the following description of gratitude published not by evangelicals, but by the American Psychological Association in a book titled, Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification: “What marks gratitude is the psychological response to the gift, whatever its nature, and the experience, however briefly, of the transcendent emotion of grace—the sense that we have benefited from the actions of another.” It appears that even those writing in the purely secular sphere recognize that grace is the central feature of the experience of gratitude, though they fail to apprehend the One whose gracious nature stands behind such experiences (Eph. 2:8). Furthermore, gratitude is not merely passive and reflexive. It is also active and willful. For example, Paul, when he writes famously to the Philippians (4:4–7), states: > Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. According to Paul, when we willingly choose to focus on those things for which we are thankful in the Lord, it has a heart-shaping effect. Even when our hearts and minds would rather be focused on the negative. And what is that effect? When we steward our minds to meditate on the gracious gifts of God, then peace from God, which surpasses all ability to cognitively work out, seems to rule in our hearts. I often tell my counselees that “Help!” is a perfectly acceptable one-word prayer. So too is the twice as long “Thank you!” The former is for the languishing soul, the latter for the exultant. One begs for grace, the other acknowledges grace already received. One last point on the virtue of gratitude for this Thanksgiving: thanks is one of the major tributaries which finds itself terminating in that beautifully deep and wide river we know as awe. As we become those who intentionally transform our lives to recognize the nearly innumerable gifts given to us by God, our hearts are taken by the currents of gratitude and become those which so easily and often find themselves in awe and wonder simply worshiping at the throne of the King of kings and Lord of lords. This Thanksgiving as we sit around with our families celebrating and rehearsing the gifts for which we should be thankful, may our praise not be platitudinous, dim, and drowsy, but rather earnest, vivid, and energetic. Coming, as for the believer they do, from grace-inundated lives, pointing toward a generous and gracious Giver, with the hope of the glorious grace we will have in its fullness one day when Christ returns and our feast of thanks finds its richest fulfillment (Isa. 25). Editor’s Note: This article was originally published November 21, 2022.