The Names of God: Yahweh Tsidkenu

This is the seventh post in a series on the names of God.

Last week’s post was a short study on the name Yahweh. This is God’s personal name. It speaks of God’s self-existence and independence, but it also speaks to His desire for relationship. The One who needs nothing and is dependent on no one has shown grace and mercy toward us and entered a relationship with us (Psalm 117; Exodus 34:6-7). He has made this relationship possible through coming as one of us and dying for our sins (Isaiah 45:23; Philippians 2:5-11).

This week we will meditate on the name Yahweh Tsidkenu. This is one of the most amazing names in the Bible. It is only found in Jeremiah 23:5-6: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days, Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’” Yahweh Tsidkenu means, “Jehovah our Righteousness.”[1]

In Jeremiah 23:5-6, God promised to set up a righteous King to rule over Judah and Israel. “People would refer to Him as ‘Yahweh our righteousness.’ This strongly indicates that this King would be Yahweh Himself ruling in righteousness (cf. 1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 5:21).”[2] In light of New Testament revelation, Jesus is the I AM (John 8:58). Jesus is this promised King who will rule the nations with justice (Matthew 16:16-17; Revelation 19:11-20:6).

Not only will Jesus rule in righteousness, but He will be Israel and Judah’s righteousness. Judah and Israel’s righteousness will not be earned through works of the Law; it will be found in Yahweh. This is true in every era. No one can earn a right standing with God. “None is righteous, no, not one” (Psalm 14:1; Romans 3:10). “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins” (Ecclesiastes 7:20). Righteousness is in Yahweh, alone, in Christ alone. As it says in Romans 3:21-23, “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Righteousness comes through trusting in Yahweh Tsidkenu, Jesus Christ.

Believers in Jesus Christ can confidently say we are righteous before God. This righteousness is not found in our goodness or works. This righteousness is found in Jesus who is Yahweh Tsidkenu, the LORD our righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21).

[1] Herbert Lockyer, All the Divine Names and Titles in the Bible: A Unique Classification of All Scripture Designations of the Three Persons of the Trinity (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1975), 53.

[2] Thomas Constable. “Notes on Jeremiah: 2016 Edition.” Sonic Light, 2016. Accessed July 27, 2016. http://www.soniclight.com/constable/notes/pdf/jeremiah.pdf, 124

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