Blessed Be The Name
Blessed Be the Name
All praise to Him who reigns above
In majesty supreme,
Who gave His Son for man to die,
That He might man redeem!
Blessed be the name! blessed be the name!
Blessed be the name of the Lord!
Blessed be the name! blessed be the name!
Blessed be the name of the Lord!
His name above all names shall stand,
Exalted more and more,
At God the Father’s own right hand,
Where angel hosts adore.
Redeemer, Savior, Friend of man
Once ruined by the fall,
Thou hast devised salvation’s plan,
For Thou hast died for all.
His name shall be the Counselor,
The mighty Prince of Peace,
Of all earth’s kingdoms Conqueror,
Whose reign shall never cease.
Refrain by Ralph E. Hudson (1843–1901)
IN ANCIENT TIMES, names were sacred. Names expressed character. Often we find Old Testament characters changing their names to reflect changes in their lives. Jacob (“the grabber”) became Israel (“God’s prince”) after a divine encounter.
God’s name is especially sacred. Ancient Israelite scribes revered the name of God, Yahweh, so much that they would not write it. One of the Ten Commandments was that people should not take the Lord’s name in vain. Jesus echoed the idea in the Lord’s Prayer, “Hallowed be your name.” That is, your name is holy; we acknowledge that you are, by nature, holy.
When Isaiah predicts that the coming Redeemer “will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6), he is saying that this will be Messiah’s nature. When we bless God’s name, we praise God for who He is.
The Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names.
Hebrews 1:4
From the book
