Michael Card lyrics annotations

Greg Plantamura's annotations of

Michael Card Songs

El Shaddai

Words and music by Michael Card and John Thompson
© 1981 Whole Armor Publishing Co./ASCAP
First released on the album AGE TO AGE (1982), sung by Amy Grant (her first Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Christian Album, cover shown at above left)

This song, called the best contemporary christian song of the 1980's, helped establish Amy Grant as the most popular christian singer of the era.

This song is also performed by Michael Card himself on the 2002 album, SCRIBBLING IN THE SAND (THE BEST OF MICHAEL CARD - LIVE). El Shaddai, El Shaddai
Erkamka Na Adonai
CHORUS:
El Shaddai, El Shaddai "El Shaddai" is the plural form in Hebrew for "God Almighty"

El-Elyon Na Adonai "El-Elyon" is Hebrew for "God Most High". "Na Adonai" means "O Lord".

Age to age you're still the same Amy Grant's album "Age to Age" takes its name from this line. The phrase "Age to age the same" appears in the classic hymn "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" written and composed by Martin Luther (1483-1546) as translated into English by Frederick H. Hedge (1805-1890).

By the power of the name The Israleites so revered the Name of God ("Yahweh") that they would not even spell it completely.
Jerimiah 10-6 "No one is like you, O LORD, great are you, great and mighty is your name."
Jews refer to the Name of God topically as "Ha-Shem".

"Erkamka" is a form of the Hebrew word "racham" which means "compassionate love". This line means "We love you compassionately, O Lord".

We will praise and lift you high, El Shaddai. -

Through your love and through the ram, you saved the son of Abraham God spared Abraham from having to sacrifice his own son Isaac by providing a ram to sacrifice instead. See Genesis 22:12-13.

Through the power of your hand, you turned the sea into dry land. Exodus 14:21-22 "Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD swept the sea with a strong east wind throughout the night and so turned it into dry land. When the water was thus divided, the Israelites marched into the midst of the sea on dry land, with the water like a wall to their right and to their left."

To the outcast on her knees, you were the God who really sees, Although many people assume this verse refers to Mary Magdalene, it is actually about Abraham's maidservant Hagar. (This song is in the context of the Books of Moses.) At the urging of his wife Sarah, Abraham got Hagar pregnant, and when Sarah became abusive towards her, Hagar ran away. God compassionately reassured Hagar, provided a well for her and sent her back.
Genesis 16:13-14 "She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: You are the God who sees me, for she said, I have now seen the One who sees me. That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; it is still there, between Kadesh and Bered."
This event is commemorated by Muslims as part of their pilgrimage to Mecca each year.

and by your might you set your children free. Exodus 13:14 If your son should ask you later on, 'What does this mean?' you shall tell him, 'With a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, that place of slavery"

Through the years you made it clear that the time of Christ was near, though the people couldn't see what Messiah ought to be. -

Though your Word contained the plan, they just could not understand, your most awesome work was done in the frailty of your Son. 2 Corinthians 13:4 For indeed he was crucified out of weakness, but he lives by the power of God. So also we are weak in him, but toward you we shall live with him by the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

CHORUS -

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CHORUS: El Shaddai, El Shaddai	"El Shaddai" is the plural form in Hebrew for "God Almighty"
El-Elyon Na Adonai	"El-Elyon" is Hebrew for "God Most High". "Na Adonai" means "O Lord".
Age to age you're still the same	Amy Grant's album "Age to Age" takes its name from this line. The phrase "Age to age the same" appears in the classic hymn "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" written and composed by Martin Luther (1483-1546) as translated into English by Frederick H. Hedge (1805-1890).
By the power of the name	The Israleites so revered the Name of God ("Yahweh") that they would not even spell it completely. Jerimiah 10-6 "No one is like you, O LORD, great are you, great and mighty is your name." Jews refer to the Name of God topically as "Ha-Shem".
"Erkamka" is a form of the Hebrew word "racham" which means "compassionate love". This line means "We love you compassionately, O Lord".
We will praise and lift you high, El Shaddai.	-
Through your love and through the ram, you saved the son of Abraham	God spared Abraham from having to sacrifice his own son Isaac by providing a ram to sacrifice instead. See Genesis 22:12-13.
Through the power of your hand, you turned the sea into dry land.	Exodus 14:21-22 "Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD swept the sea with a strong east wind throughout the night and so turned it into dry land. When the water was thus divided, the Israelites marched into the midst of the sea on dry land, with the water like a wall to their right and to their left."
To the outcast on her knees, you were the God who really sees,	Although many people assume this verse refers to Mary Magdalene, it is actually about Abraham's maidservant Hagar. (This song is in the context of the Books of Moses.) At the urging of his wife Sarah, Abraham got Hagar pregnant, and when Sarah became abusive towards her, Hagar ran away. God compassionately reassured Hagar, provided a well for her and sent her back. Genesis 16:13-14 "She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: You are the God who sees me, for she said, I have now seen the One who sees me. That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; it is still there, between Kadesh and Bered." This event is commemorated by Muslims as part of their pilgrimage to Mecca each year.
and by your might you set your children free.	Exodus 13:14 If your son should ask you later on, 'What does this mean?' you shall tell him, 'With a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, that place of slavery"
Through the years you made it clear that the time of Christ was near, though the people couldn't see what Messiah ought to be.	-
Though your Word contained the plan, they just could not understand, your most awesome work was done in the frailty of your Son.	2 Corinthians 13:4 For indeed he was crucified out of weakness, but he lives by the power of God. So also we are weak in him, but toward you we shall live with him by the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
CHORUS	-