Elohim and the Nature of God in Prayer and Worship

The Hebrew term Elohim is one of the primary names used for God in the Old Testament, commonly translated as "God" ^[1]. It is the plural form of Eloah, though the singular Eloah is primarily found in poetic texts ^[2]. While its etymology is debated, the core idea conveyed by Elohim is strength and power ^[1]. This name is frequently used throughout the Bible ^[2].

The use of a plural form (Elohim) for a singular divine being has been a point of theological discussion. Some interpretations suggest it signifies the fullness or intensity of God's power ^[9]. For instance, Rabbi Berekhya, in the Midrash Rabbah, notes that while the creation account predominantly uses Elohim, the creation of humanity introduces "Hashem Elohim," suggesting an appending of the attribute of mercy at that point ^[5]. John Calvin, in his commentary on Genesis, suggests that the plural number expresses the various powers God exercised in creation ^[9]. He also notes that the term Elohim can refer to the persons of the Godhead, though he cautions against interpretations that would obscure the distinctions between them ^[9].

In prayer and worship, the understanding of God as Elohim underscores His might and sovereignty. Prayer is defined as converse with God, an intercourse of the soul with God through direct address ^[3]. It involves expressing reverence, love, gratitude, penitence, and desires to God ^[10]. The act of prayer presupposes a belief in God's personality, His ability, and His willingness to interact with humanity ^[3]. The Psalmist expresses this deep longing for God, saying, "O God, my GOD, thou art, Earnestly do I desire thee" (Psalm 63:1) ^[4]. The name Elohim emphasizes God's supreme authority, as seen in interpretations that call Him "the God of gods" or "Judge of judges" ^[11].

The nature of God, as revealed through names like Elohim, is described as ineffable and indescribable, beyond human comprehension in glory, greatness, and power ^{[6, 8]}. This understanding of God's immense nature informs the reverence and awe inherent in worship. The Eastern Orthodox tradition, for example, worships God in the person of Christ, recognizing the union of divine and human natures, not worshipping the created but the divine united with it ^[7]. This profound understanding of God's nature, as conveyed by Elohim, shapes the very essence of how believers approach Him in prayer and worship.

Sources

Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: God — (good). Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures two chief names are used for the one true divine Being--ELOHIM, commonly translated God in our version, and [566]Jehovah, translated Lord . Elohim is the plural of Eloah (in Arabic Allah); it is often used in the short form EL (a word signifying strength, as in EL-SHADDAI, God Almighty, the name by which God was specially known to the patriarchs. (Genesis 17:1; 28:3; Exodus 6:3) The etymology is uncertain, but it is generally agreed that the primary idea is that of strength, power of effect, and that it properly describes”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: God — (A.S. and Dutch God; Dan. Gud; Ger. Gott), the name of the Divine Being. It is the rendering (1) of the Hebrew 'El, from a word meaning to be strong; (2) of 'Eloah_, plural _'Elohim. The singular form, Eloah, is used only in poetry. The plural form is more commonly used in all parts of the Bible, The Hebrew word Jehovah (q.v.), the only other word generally employed to denote the Supreme Being, is uniformly rendered in the Authorized Version by "LORD," printed in small capitals. The existence of God is taken for granted in the Bible. There is nowhere any argume”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Prayer — Is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory or formal. It is a "beseeching the Lord" (Ex. 32:11); "pouring out the soul before the Lord" (1 Sam. 1:15); "praying and crying to heaven" (2 Chr. 32:20); "seeking unto God and making supplication" (Job 8:5); "drawing near to God" (Ps. 73:28); "bowing the knees" (Eph. 3:14). Prayer presupposes a belief in the personality of God, his ability and willingness to hold inter”
Psalms “Psalms 63:1 (Rotherham) — O God, my GOD, thou art, Earnestly do I desire thee,—My soul thirsteth for thee, My flesh fainteth for thee, In a land—dry, and weary for want of water,—”
Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Bereishit Rabbah 8:4: Rabbi Berekhya said: When the Holy One blessed be He came to create Adam the first man, He foresaw righteous and wicked people descending from him. He said: If I create him, wicked people will descend from him. But if I do not create him, how will righteous people ever descend from him? What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He distanced the way of the wicked from His attention, appended the attribute of mercy to Himself, 17 In most of the story of creation, only the name Elohim (God) is used, but at the point man is created He is described as Hashem Eloh”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 2: Hermas, Tatian, Theophilus, Athenagoras, Clement of Alexandria — CHAP. III.--NATURE OF GOD.: You will say, then, to me, "Do you, who see God, explain to me the appearance of God." Hear, O man. The appearance of God is ineffable and indescribable, and cannot be seen by eyes of flesh. For in glory He is incomprehensible, in greatness unfathomable, in height inconceivable, in power incomparable, in wisdom 90 unrivalled, in goodness inimitable, in kindness unutterable. For if I say He is Light, I name but His own work; if I call Him Word, I name but His sovereignty; if I call Him Mind, ”
CCEL (Eastern Orthodox) “John of Damascus, An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, section 54: man: and Him we worship along with the Father and the Spirit, with one obeisance, adoring even His immaculate flesh and not holding that the flesh is not meet for worship: for in fact it is worshipped in the one subsistence of the Word, which indeed became subsistence for it. But in this we do not do homage to that which is created. For we worship Him, not as mere flesh, but as flesh united with divinity, and because His two natures are brought under the one person and one subsistence of God the Word. I fear to touch coal”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 8: Twelve Patriarchs, Excerpts, Epistles, Apocrypha, Decretals — CHAP. XVII.--THE NATURE OF GOD.: "We call Him God whose peculiar attributes cannot belong to the nature of any other; for, as He is called the Unbounded because He is boundless on every side, it must of necessity be the case that it is no other one's peculiar attribute to be called unbounded, as another cannot in like manner be boundless. But if any one says that it is possible, he is wrong; for two things boundless on every side cannot co-exist, for the one is bounded by the other. Thus it is in the nature(5) of things t”
CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 5.7: himself; because he is one of the Persons of the Elohim by whom the Son is begotten. — Ed . because Moses afterwards subjoins that the Elohim had spoken, and that the Spirit of the Elohim rested upon the waters. If we suppose three persons to be here denoted, there will be no distinction between them. For it will follow, both that the Son is begotten by himself, and that the Spirit is not of the Father, but of himself. For me it is sufficient that the plural number expresses those powers which God exercised in creating the world. M”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 73: § 20. Prayer. Prayer is the converse of the soul with God. Therein we manifest or express to Him our reverence, and love for his divine perfection, our gratitude for all his mercies, our penitence for our sins, our hope in his forgiving love, our submission to his authority, our confidence in his care, our desires for his favour, and for the providential and spiritual blessings needed for ourselves and others. As religion, in the subjective sense of the word, is the state of mind induced by the due apprehension of the character of God and”
Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 50:1: The mighty God,.... In the Hebrew text it is "El", "Elohim", which Jarchi renders the "God of gods"; that is, of angels, who are so called, Psa 8:5; so Christ, who is God over all, is over them; he is their Creator, and the object of their worship, Heb 1:6; or of kings, princes, judges, and all civil magistrates, called gods, Psa 82:1; and so Kimchi interprets the phrase here "Judge of judges". Christ is King of kings, and Lord of lords, by whom they reign and judge, and to whom they are accountable. The Targum renders it "the mighty God"; as we do; which is the title”

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