Hebrew · EL sim-khat ghee-LEE
El-Simchath-Gili
אֵל שִׂמְחַת גִּילִי
God, My Exceeding Joy
Symbol: The harp lifted in the night — joy sung before the morning
“Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight.”
Psalm 43:4
Written while far from the temple and downcast of soul: God is not the giver of joy only — He is the joy itself.
What the name means
The psalmist preached to his own soul, 'Hope in God' — joy in God is a command you can obey by worship.
Gili means whirling delight — not a polite contentment but an ecstatic gladness in God alone.
Circumstances were exiles; God was the altar. Joy located in Him cannot be confiscated.
How to pray this name
- When joy is gone, pray toward the altar: 'God, my joy — I come anyway.'
- Sing before you feel it; praise is the plow that turns the soil of the heart.
El-Simchath-Gili, my exceeding joy, restore the music in me and be my delight above everything. In the Mighty Name of Jesus! Amen.
Declaration
God is my exceeding joy — my gladness does not depend on my circumstances.
Study further
Psalm 42:5 · Psalm 16:11 · Nehemiah 8:10 · John 15:11