Jehovah Heleyon – The Lord Most High

‘In the year that King Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up’, Isa. 6. 1. When we stop and think, the vision that Isaiah saw in the opening of the sixth chapter of his prophecy, is almost beyond human comprehension. Here was One greater and higher than any mortal king of this world. Here was One who was the centre of the seraphim’s song - ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory’, v. 3. Little wonder that Isaiah’s response is, ‘Woe is me!’ v. 5. Although the title of the Lord in this passage is the ‘Lord of Hosts’, this scene also reveals the One who is known as the ‘Lord Most High’.

Jehovah Heleyon¹ first appears at the end of Psalm 7, ‘I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high’, v. 17. The specific title only occurs three times, and all within the Psalms, the other two being Psalm 47 verse 2 and Psalm 97 verse 9.² However, ‘Heleyon’ is a multifaceted title, not only linked with the name Jehovah, but with ‘God’, El, and on many occasions simply used alone as ‘the Most High’.³ There is also one occasion where He is spoken of as ‘the Lord, God Most High’, Gen. 14. 22 NKJV. The title ‘Heleyon’ is a metonym, where the description of one of the Lord’s attributes becomes a title - He is the highest, there is nothing and no one greater or more glorious than Him. He is above and over all things - so He has the title: Lord Most High.⁴

So, the title is an indication of His supremacy; however, as we shall see, it is also used particularly as an indication of His relationship with nations outside of His covenant people, or those who are the enemies of God’s people. He is the God of all nations, even those who fail to recognize Him as such, so it is a title that speaks of His sovereignty. This means that the title is often pointing forward ultimately to the Lord Jesus Christ’s return and reign in the millennium.

The Most High

The first time ‘most high’ appears is in the interaction of Abram and Melchizedek in Genesis chapter 14 verses 17 to 20. Melchizedek, Salem’s king, is identified as ‘priest of the most high God’, v. 18; this is El Heleyon. It is then repeated in verses 19 and 20, when Melchizedek himself speaks of God as he blesses both Abram and the Lord. The Gentile priest-king knows Him as ‘the most high God’; however, when Abram speaks, the title on his lips is ‘the Lord, the most high God’, v. 22. This is a fascinating difference in how these two men speak of the Lord. Particularly, it is the one to whom promises were given, in chapters 12 and 13, and with whom later the covenant was made in chapter 15 that speaks of Him as the Lord. Indeed, He will reveal Himself by this name to Abram, ‘I am the Lord’, Gen. 15. 7. The one that the nations may know as ‘God most high’, is the one His people know by name, Jehovah.

That it is a name that seems uniquely linked to how the Lord is known to the nations is further seen in the other two times the title is used in the Pentateuch. Balaam was a disobedient man, yet he spoke of knowing ‘the knowledge of the most High’, Num. 24. 16. Also, Moses in Deuteronomy chapter 32 says that ‘the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance… [and] fixed the borders of the peoples’, v. 8 ESV. Even though on the tongue of His servant, the title is used in describing the Lord’s action towards the nations in general.

The Lord most high

So, what is the distinct meaning of Jehovah Heleyon? In many ways, Abraham’s words above open this up for us. The one who is the Most High, is the Lord of His people in a distinct way. So, when we come to the Psalms, this title is full of comfort for us - as well as wonderful expectation of a future day. Psalm 7 is a cry to the Lord who is the righteous Judge. In verses 1 and 2, David cries out for relief and deliverance from ‘those who persecute’ him, v. 1 NKJV. The superscription of the Psalm gives an indication of the specific circumstances, ‘concerning the words of Cush, a Benjamite’. The identity of this Cush is something of a mystery. Whoever it is that verbally assails David, his cry is to the Lord as judge. His enemy is lion-like in his attack, v. 2, and we can know something of this when others speak against us. Peter also tells us of ‘your adversary the devil … a roaring lion’, 1 Pet. 5. 8, who accuses the brethren, Rev. 12. 10. In Psalm 7, verses 3 to 5 are a plea of innocence; whatever the charge was levelled at David, he believed he was clear of it for he says ‘if I have done this’, v. 3. If he was guilty, he would be willing to take the consequence, vv. 4, 5, but as far as he is aware it is a false charge, so verses 6 and 7 are a cry for the Lord to ‘arise … in thine anger’, v. 6. He is calling for the Judge to stand up for him; after all there is ‘none to deliver’, v. 2, no one else is any help. Through verses 8 to 11, three times the Lord is identified as the Judge -beginning with the statement, ‘the Lord shall judge the people’, and followed by the request ‘judge me, O Lord’, v. 8. All this leads to the statement that ‘God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day’, v. 11 NKJV, before going on to list the sins and the Lord’s judgement on them, vv. 12-16. It is then at the end of the Psalm, that David says he ‘will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high’, v. 17. What a comfort for us to know, like David, that despite all of the evil words and actions of men, even levelled at us, there is a righteous judge, supreme above it all.

Not a cry for justice, Psalm 47 is an exaltation of the One who is the ruler over all. The superscription here is a ‘Psalm for the sons of Korah’, an interesting group who are associated with eleven psalms.⁵These men were linked to worship in the temple, 2 Chr. 20. 19, and this psalm is a song of unbridled worship to God. Verse 1 is a call to praise - instructing all peoples to ‘clap your hands’, and to ‘shout unto God’. Why? Because ‘the Lord most high is to be feared … a great King over all the earth’, v. 2 Newberry margin. All people should praise Him because He is over all. Notice again, the title ‘Heleyon’ is linked to the nations. However, although the call goes out to all peoples, in the present tense in verse 1, there is future emphasis for Israel when ‘He shall subdue the people under us’, v. 3, those who are the ‘excellency of Jacob whom he loved’, v. 4. Verses 7 to 9 indicate that this reign covers ‘all the earth’, v. 7, and is ‘over the heathen’, v. 8. While there is no doubt of His eternal reign, when will it be that ‘the princes of the peoples gather … [and] the shields of the earth belong to God’, v. 9 ESV? It will be in the millennium. In that day, the Lord Most High who is the eternal King, will be King on the earth as well as over it.

Psalm 97 verse 9 contains the last reference to this title, though various translations have different renderings.⁶ The NASB rendering is, ‘for You are the Lord Most High over all the earth’. In any case, ‘Jehovah’ and ‘heleyon’ are in verse 9, so the thought comes through despite translator choices. We know no author or context for this psalm, but ‘the Lord reigns’, v. 1 NJKV, is the triumphant opening statement. Indeed, verse 5 declares that He is ‘the Lord of the whole earth’. But, as well as the reign of the Lord, there is emphasis on His battles against His enemies, vv. 2-5, and particularly against their idolatry, vv. 7-9. The idols are nothing, for He is the Lord most high who is ‘exalted far above all gods’, v. 9. They are the ones who should bow to Him - ‘worship him, all ye gods’, v. 7. In many ways, the judge and king themes of Psalms 7 and 47 find their culmination here, and this psalm seems to point distinctly to Christ’s return. With phrases like ‘fire goeth before him’, v. 3, and ‘the hills melted like wax’, v. 5, and ‘all the peoples see His glory’, v. 6 NKJV, it is plain to see ‘the consummation to come at Messiah’s second appearing’.⁷ When Gabriel spoke to Mary concerning her child, he said, ‘He shall be great^,and shall be called the Son of the Highest’, Luke 1. 32.⁸ The Most High came in lowliness then, but He will return with ‘clouds and darkness . . . righteousness and judgment’, Ps. 97. 2.What a sight that will be!

Verses 10 to 12 seem an appropriate way for us to end our meditation on the Lord Most High. For we who love the Lord should ‘hate evil’, v. 10, for the righteous Judge hates evil. There is comfort too, for He ‘preserves’ and ‘delivers’ His people, v. 10 NKJV. Wonderfully, in following the Lord there is ‘gladness for the upright in heart’, v. 11. So, we ‘rejoice’ in the Lord Most High, ‘and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness’, v. 12.