Lyrics
Verse 1
First and last
Very present help
God all by Yourself
When there's nothing left
You are holy
Chorus (Repeat x4)
Yahweh
You are so holy
You're holy
Verse 2
Adonai
You took our place
You have a name above every name
Jesus, You're holy
Jesus, so holy
Chorus (Repeat)
Bridge (Repeat x2)
Holy is the name
Yahweh, Yahweh
Holy is the name
Yahweh, Yahweh
We praise the name
Yahweh, Yahweh
We praise the name
Yahweh, Yahweh
Chorus (Repeat)
Video
Meaning & Inspiration
"Yahweh (So Holy)" opens with a list of titles describing God as first and last, a very present help, and sufficient even when everything else is gone, language drawn directly from biblical descriptions of God's eternal, self-sufficient nature. That accumulation of titles frames holiness as inseparable from God's unique, unaided existence.
Its chorus repeats the divine name Yahweh alongside the simple declaration of holiness, allowing that name itself to carry theological weight without extended explanation. A later verse shifts to addressing Jesus directly as Adonai, describing him as one who "took our place" and holds a name above every name, tying the earlier declarations of holiness to the specific act of substitutionary sacrifice.
Rooted in contemporary gospel worship's name-focused declaration style, the song functions as an extended act of adoration built around God's revealed names, its repeated chorus allowing corporate worship to dwell on holiness as a settled fact rather than an argument requiring justification.
Related Scripture
- Revelation 22:13 Describes God as the first and the last, directly echoed in the song's opening line.
- Philippians 2:9 Describes God giving Jesus a name above every name, directly echoed in the song's description of Jesus.