Psalm 83:18
That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth. (kjv)
This is one of the few verses that Jehovah’s Witnesses like to quote from versions other than their own slanted New World Translation. In particular, they like to quote Psalm 83:18 from the King James Version, because the name JEHOVAH appears there in all capital letters.
Many Witnesses have noted in the back of their Bibles a list of the four places where JEHOVAH can be found in the King James Version: Exodus 6:3, Psalm 83:18, Isaiah 12:2, and Isaiah 26:4. In their door-to-door preaching they will ask an unsuspecting householder, “Do you have your own Bible handy?” and then focus attention on one of those verses. Caught off guard by finding JEHOVAH in their own Bible where the Witnesses said it would be, some people become impressed with their knowledge and allow the Witnesses into the home to teach them more.
Of course, the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ use of the Bible in this way—to demonstrate their superior knowledge and their claim to “know God by name”—is just a clever trick. There are other cultic and occultic groups that use transliterations of Hebrew names for God, with similar effect on the uninitiated. But the fact of the matter is that using a name for God does not guarantee that the user knows God or is approved by him.
For example, when sinner Eve gave birth to her first son after being driven out from the Garden of Eden, she exclaimed, “I have produced a man with the aid of Jehovah” (Gen. 4:1, nwt). Her use of God’s name did not in any way prove that she had his approval.
To show Jehovah’s Witnesses that their use of the name Jehovah does not guarantee that they belong to him, you may wish to quote Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:22–23: “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (kjv, italics added).
See also the discussions on Exodus 3:15 and Isaiah 43:10.
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[1]Reed, D. A. (1997, c1986). Jehovah’s Witnesses : Answered verse by verse. Includes indexes. (electronic ed.) (34). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.