Names of God that include both the English words “Lord” and “God” can be confusing. The confusion is made worse by the fact that different Bible versions have different ways of translating the names. The best way to distinguish them is by looking at the different Hebrew words that underlie the names.
Adonai Yahweh translated “Lord God” in the Hebrew text of Psalm 71:16
Hebrew Words for Lord GOD
’Adonai Yahweh or ’Adonai Jehovah
Strong’s Concordance numbers: 136, 3068
Bible references: Gen. 15:2; 1 Kings 2:26; Pss. 68:20; 71:5, 16; 73:28; Isa. 7:7; 25:8; 28:16; 30:15; Ezek. 2:4; Amos 7:1 and hundreds more.
For You are my hope;
O Lord God, You are my confidence from my youth. (Psalm 71:5)
In this combination of ’Adonai and Yahweh (Jehovah) the vowel points of ’Elohim were placed over the letters YHWH so that the reader knew to speak the name ’Elohim. Since ’Adonai means “Lord” and ’Elohim is translated “God” in English, the title became Lord GOD. The capital letters G-O-D are used to indicate that the letters of YHWH, the personal name of God, are in the Hebrew text.
This name is translated Sovereign LORD in the NIV. It is very common in the book of Ezekiel.
Yahweh Elohim (Jehovah Elohim) translated “LORD God” in the Hebrew text of Genesis 2:4.
Hebrew Words for LORD God:
Yahweh ’Elohim (or Jehovah ’Elohim)
Strong’s Concordance numbers: 3068, 430
Bible references: Gen. 2:4; 3:23
This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven. (Genesis 2:4)
In this Hebrew name for God, the word “lord” is capitalized because it stands for Yahweh. ’Elohim is the word for God. Hence “LORD God.”
