‘El’, ‘Elohim’ and ‘Elyon’

‘El’, ‘Elohim’ and ‘Elyon’

The most simple name by which God is designated
in the Old Testament is ‘El’ or ‘Lord'. Most likely
derived from ‘alah’ (‘smitten with fear’), it points to the
God of Creation and nature as worthy of fear or
reverence because he is strong and mighty. ‘Elyon’,
a poetic form, further identifies God as the high and
exalted one. It should be noted that ‘el’ is not really a
proper name for God since it is also used of idols,
ordinary men and rulers.
However, in reference to God, this word is most often
found in the plural form, ‘Elohim’. In English Bibles
this is translated as ‘Lord’, and commentators take
great pains to explain why the one true God has a
plural name. Some allude to a ‘royal we’. Others
speak of the plural form as being ‘intensive’,
indicating a fullness of power. Some of us see in this
‘plural-singular’ an indicator of the Trinity: that God is
both one and three at the same time. “Then God
said, ‘Let us make human beings in our image, in our
likeness,…’”1
In any case, while very common, the word is a
perpetual reminder that God should provoke a
response of fear, deep respect or ‘numinous awe’ on
the part of human beings. His name should not be
used simply to emphasize strong feeling (as in ‘O my
God!’). He is Lord of all and therefore worthy of our
respect and reverence.
1 Genesis 1:26

http://www.kortrightchurch.org/pdf/DDD%20-%20Sept%2024-29,%202007.pdf