Adonai

Adonai means “Lord” or “Master” — God as the one who rightfully rules. Where Yahweh is God's personal name, Adonai speaks of his authority and our glad submission to it.

A master in the ancient world was responsible for his household — to lead, provide for, and protect those under his care. To call God Adonai is to place yourself under that good authority, trusting the one who owns you to look after you.

The psalmist cries, “O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!” — pairing God's personal name with his lordship. He is both intimately ours and gloriously over us.

Calling God Adonai reorders our lives. It means his will comes first, and there is deep freedom in that — the freedom of belonging to a Master who is entirely good.