Yadah comes from two different root words. Yad, which means, with open hand. And AH, which refers to Jehovah. Yadah means hands to God. Or in other words lifting our hands to God in praise.
When we get beyond our circumstances, beyond ourselves, reaching hands to the Father with the attitude of love, and trust and awe, then we are giving Yadah to the Lord.
Psalm 134:2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the LORD.
I can remember growing up in church and rarely if ever seeing someone raise their hands during worship. In fact, when I did see someone do it I thought it was weird or that they were trying to bring attention to themselves. But we see time and time again, it not only talks about raising your hands in worship, but it commands it. We should be filled with such praise that we automatically lift our hands to our Father.
The first time this word appears in Scripture is in Gen. 29:35. Jacob is married to Leah and Rachel. When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren (verse 31).
The first child born, a son, was named Reuben, for she said, "'the Lord has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me" (verse 32). This blessing caused her to believe God saw her circumstances. She brought forth a second son naming him Simeon. "Because the Lord has heard that I am unloved" (verse 33). Evidently there was no change in her relationship to Jacob and she may have been praying. The Father blessed her again (verse 34) and she said, "Now this time my husband will become attached to me.Therefore his name was called Levi." These three blessings caused her to believe that God saw the circumstances, heard the prayers, and gave an expectation that all would be well.
A fourth time she conceived, bore a son and said, "Now I will YADAH the Lord. Therefore his name was called Judah - Praise - YADAH" (verse 35).
Our Heavenly Father has blessed us with His Holy Word. His Word reveals that He sees our circumstances and desires to show Himself strong on our behalf, and that He is watching and ready to perform His Word. We also know He hears our prayers when we pray according to His will. His Word is His will.
If we truly believe He sees and hears, we will have an expectation of victory. This expectation will cause us to get beyond our circumstances, and beyond ourselves, raising hands to the Father with an attitude of love proclaiming as Leah "Now I will YADAH the Lord".
If we think that it would be demeaning to praise by raising hands, or being fearful of what others may think, than either of these attitudes would be placing our love upon self and not God.
Our attitude of love is determined from the value we place upon who God is. That value comes from understanding His Word. As we grow in understanding so will our YADAH to the Father.
