Tehillim/Psalms 145 known also as the Ashrei prayer opens up with a statement by King David, “I will exalt You, my G-d the King…”

In the Hebrew the word for “my G-d” is from the first Name of G-d that we are given in the opening passage in the Torah, Bereishis/Genesis 1:1 “E-l-o-h-i-m”

This Name also means Judge/Power, but in an esoteric sense it also denotes vastness as in how vast an ocean is or how vast outer space is. It denotes a Being that is without end and cannot be comprehended by the human mind.

This vast being is the Creator of all that is – we read in Isaiah 45:6 where He makes this statement about Himself, “Ani Hashem v’ein od” (I am G-d and there is no other.)
When one reads the creation account, one most often pictures in their mind, G-d speaking creation into being as if G-d is in one place then the creation appears in another as if G-d and the creation are two different entities. But when we dig deeper into Is. 45:6 we find that G-d says that there is no other – there is nothing but Him – there is no creation and G-d – there is only G-d an that’s it. There is only Him and this is what King David is saying that “He is my G-d”. There is only one Being and He encompasses all there is.

When one comes to this very deep realization of the never ending vastness of the Creator, it humbles you; all pride will fall to the wayside. We come to know that everything that happens in life is by the will of the Creator and that it is all for our best interest.

There is so much more to say on this one statement, “my G-d” that it would fill volumes of books.

The second part of the verse is, “The King”

Not only is He my G-d, He is also The King.

Living in a nation like the USA we have lost the meaning of kingship and we under the right of free speech we often speak ill of our leaders and feel free to bash authority at any time. Because of this we in the USA struggle in seeing and relating to G-d as The King.

The King has a kingdom and it is His creation – He chooses what happens and does not happen in His Kingdom. He rules it with laws that He established from the beginning, because one does not know the law of His kingdom does not exempt one from punishment from breaking them.

Once a year at Rosh Hashanah (Head of the year), The King judges all His kingdom and decides how the life of every creature will live for the next year. He determines their wealth, health, whether which ones will die or live that year. He is The King who owns it all – His Glory fills all His creation – King David asks in Tehillim/Psalms 139, “Where can I go from your presence?” “If I ascend to the heavens You are there, If I make my bed in the lowest pit, behold You are there.”

Because there is only G-d and He is The King, we cannot hide from Him. We cannot run from Him – in Ezekiel 18:4, G-d The King says, “Behold ALL souls are mine,” This is a Kings statement of ownership, He does and preforms His will with that which He owns.

The King gives His subjects free will to choose to obey or not obey The King. Life is a series of choices and in the end The King will judge us on the choices we have made throughout our lives as per His Name given to us in the first sentence of His Torah.
He is the Righteous Judge,  Tehillim 145:17 “Righteous is G-d in all His ways and magnanimous in all His deeds.”

We should strive to stand in awe and deep reverence of The King Whose Kingdom, Name and mighty deeds are without end. This should bring us to bow our heads an hearts to The King and accept His ruling in our lives for He knows what is best for us, for we all are His subjects.

I for one am trying to adapt in my prayers as I approach G-d in prayer to call out to Him in the same way King David did – “My G-d the King…..”. The more we internalize this recognition the deeper our relationship will grow with Him. Each point, “my G-d” and “The King” brings about a complete understanding as who we are and Who He is in our life. There are times we come before Him and He is our G-d, our Creator, our Healer, and our Savior – but then we also come before Him and recognize His Kingship that He is Master of all – Adon Olam and we must do and accept His will for our lives.

The next time you begin to pray approach your Creator in the words of King David, “I will exalt You, my G-d the King” and experience surge in your relationship with Him.

Terry W. Hayes
9/16/15