Why do we not say the Name of God?

[lauren32]

Why do we not refer to God as Jehovah or Yahweh?

 

[Fr.Charles_Grondin]

We do not refer to God as Jehovah because that word/name is actually a mistranslation:

About the 13th century the term “Jehovah” appeared when Christian scholars took the consonants of “Yahweh” and pronounced it with the vowels of “Adonai.” This resulted in the sound “Yahowah,” which has a Latinized spelling of “Jehovah.” The first recorded use of this spelling was made by a Spanish Dominican monk, Raymundus Martini, in 1270.

There are two reasons that we do not refer to God as Yahweh:

1. Since the name/word was only pronounced once a year by the High Priest its true pronunciation has been lost to history.
2. Jewish tradition has avoided pronouncing or even writing the name of God out of holy respect and awe. Out of respect for that tradition the Church has avoided using the name in liturgy and has even asked that music not include it:
   No ‘Yahweh’ in songs, prayers at Catholic Masses, Vatican rules