What Does the Name “Sovereign Lord” Mean?

Whenever Scripture repeats words in close proximity, we know to pay attention to them. Such is the case with 2 Samuel 7:18-22, 28, 29. Over and over, David uses the title Sovereign Lord as he prays to God.

Sovereign Lord x 7

¹⁸Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed,

‘Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? ¹⁹And now, Sovereign Lord, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving me a lasting dynasty! Do you deal with everyone this way, O Sovereign Lord?

²⁰What more can I say? You know what I am really like, Sovereign Lord. ²¹For the sake of your promise and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have shown them to me.

²²How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you – there is no other God…

²⁸For you are God, O Sovereign Lord. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to me, your servant. ²⁹And now, may it please you to bless me and my family so that our dynasty may continue forever before you. For when you grant a blessing to your servant, O Sovereign Lord, it is an eternal blessing.'”

David’s repetitions weren’t simply a careless use of the same word. Nor was he trying to fill in gaps between other words.

David addressed God as Sovereign Lord because he understood that aspect of His character. He used the title as a term of respect and honor.

Sovereign Lord defined

A dictionary defines sovereign as “king or queen; a supreme ruler; monarch; a person having supreme control; above all others.” When David called God by the title Sovereign Lord, he was acknowledging Him as King, supreme ruler, the One having complete control of his life. And he meant it.

Do we understand God’s sovereignty in our lives as David did? Do we give Him the rightful place as King? Do we allow Him to have complete control? When life takes a detour big or small, do we believe He’s in complete control?

Sovereign Lord – good words to ponder and assimilate into our spiritual life when our desire for control tempts us to yank the wheel from God’s hands or we want to rush ahead of His timing. If He’s truly our Sovereign Lord, then that makes Him the king of our hearts, the supreme ruler of our lives, and the One who has supreme control.