One of my favorite songs is Michael Card and John Thompson’s El Shaddai. First recorded by Amy Grant in the early 1980s on Age to Age. It became the first Christian album by a solo artist to go platinum. Beyond its success, the song has a depth that continues to speak to us today.
El Shaddai reflects on God’s faithfulness throughout history—His sufficiency, His mercy, and His provision in impossible situations. The lyrics recall pivotal moments in Scripture where God stepped in and made a way: when Abraham was asked to sacrifice Isaac and God provided a ram; when the Israelites faced the Red Sea and God parted the waters; and when Hagar, cast out and alone in the wilderness, was met by the God who saw her pain and heard her cry.
The Hebrew words woven throughout the chorus of the song enrich its message:
- El Shaddai – God Almighty
- El Elyonna – The Most High God
- Adonai – O Lord
- Erkamka – We will love You
Chorus:
El Shaddai, El Shaddai, El Elyonna Adonai; Age to age You're still the same. By the power of the name El Shaddai, El Shaddai, Erkamkana Adonai; We will praise and lift You high, El Shaddai.
Verse 1:
Through Your love and through the ram, You saved the son of Abraham. Through the power of Your hand, You turned the sea into dry land. To the outcast on her knees, You were the God who really sees. And by Your might, You set Your children free.
Verse 2:
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.
(Lyrics by John W. Thompson & Michael Card)
Sometimes we need to be reminded that God still sees. He sees you when you feel invisible. He hears your cries when no one else is listening. He walks with you through deserts of loneliness, fear, and uncertainty. He provides—not always in the way we expect, but always in the way we need.
In the New Testament, God’s provision didn’t come the way people imagined. The long-awaited Messiah wasn’t a military leader or political hero. He came as a baby, born to an unwed teen mother from a humble village. He spent three years investing time in a group of twelve ordinary men. He ministered to the outcast and marginalized. He willingly gave His life to redeem the very people who rejected him.
Romans 5:8 NLT
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us
He changed everything—not by force, but through the power of sacrificial love.
El Shaddai means “God Almighty,” but it also carries the sense of a God who nurtures and sustains. He is not distant. He is near, compassionate, and faithful.
Whatever you’re facing today, take heart: God sees you. He knows your story. He is still El Shaddai—the God who is enough.
The Dee Zone 