Names and Attributes of God
A Brief Guide for Understanding the Person of God
“God can be known by the soul while remaining a mystery to the mind.” (A.W. Tozer, Knowledge of the Holy)
Names
Father
“So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” (Matthew 7:11)
Song: “How Deep the Father’s Love”
Lord and King
“For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great God, the mighty and awesome God.” (Deuteronomy 10:17)
Song: “Revelation Song”, “Unstoppable God”
Healer
“Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well.” (James 5:14–15)
Song: “The Anthem”
Comforter
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” (Psalm 34:18)
Song: “I Will Exalt You”, “It Is Well”, “Yes and Amen”
Defender
“The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress.” (Psalm 46:11)
Song: “Mighty Fortress”, “Whom Shall I Fear”
Provider
“And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
Song: “Yes and Amen”
Savior
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16–17)
Song: “O Come to the Altar”, “Amazing Grace”, “I Stand Amazed”
Friend
“I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.” (John 15:15)
Song: “Friend of God”
Shepherd
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me — just as the Father knows me and I know the Father — and I lay down my life for the sheep.” (John 10:14–15)
Song: “Reckless Love”
Creator
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth…” (Genesis 1)
Song: “So Will I”
Priest
“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14–16)
Song: “Before the Throne”
Attributes
Self-Existence
“God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.” (Exodus 3:14)
Self-Sufficient
“The Father has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son.” (John 5:26)
Eternal
“I am the Alpha and the Omega — the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come — the Almighty One.” (Revelation 1:8)
Infinite
“But will God really live on earth? Why, even the highest heavens cannot contain you. How much less this Temple I have built!” (1 Kings 8:27)
Immutable (Unchanging)
“Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands. They will perish, but you remain forever; they will wear out like old clothing. You will change them like a garment and discard them. But you are always the same; you will live forever.” (Psalm 102:25–27)
Omniscient (All-Knowing)
“O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.” (Psalm 139:1–4)
Omnipotent (All-Powerful)
“Jesus looked at them intently and said, ‘Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.’” (Matthew 19:26)
Omnipresent (Ever-Present)
“‘Can anyone hide from me in a secret place? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth? says the Lord.” (Jeremiah 23:24)
Wise
“‘My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,’ says the Lord. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.’” (Isaiah 55:8–9)
Transcendent
“For you, O Lord, are supreme over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.” (Psalm 97:9)
Faithful
“The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” (Lamentations 3:22–23)
Good
“So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” (Matthew 7:11)
Just
“But the Lord reigns forever, executing judgment from his throne. He will judge the world with justice and rule the nations with fairness.” (Psalm 9:7–8)
Merciful
“When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:4–5)
Gracious
“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” (Ephesians 2:8–9)
Love
“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” (Romans 5:8)
Holy
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty — the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.” (Revelation 4:8)
Sovereign
“The Lord does whatever pleases him throughout all heaven and earth, and on the seas and in their depths.” (Psalm 135:6)
“As the knowledge of God becomes more wonderful, greater service to our fellow men will become for us imperative.” (A.W. Tozer)
