More than saying a name
In Scripture, a name is bound up with a person’s character, authority and reputation. So calling on the Lord’s name means appealing to God as he has made himself known. You are not trying to get a result by repeating religious words. You are coming to the living God because you need him.
The phrase appears near the beginning of the Bible. During the days of Enos, people began to call upon the name of the LORD (Genesis 4:26). It points to worship and dependence. They recognised that life was not theirs to manage alone.
And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.
A real cry for help
Sometimes calling on the Lord is the prayer of someone in deep trouble. David described calling to the LORD and being saved from his enemies (Psalm 18:3). When fear, grief or confusion leaves you with few words, a simple, honest cry for help is still prayer.
Joel gave a broad promise that whoever calls on the name of the LORD will be delivered (Joel 2:32). The setting included people who needed to return to God. That matters. God’s welcome rests on his mercy, not on your ability to arrive with a tidy life.
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.
Calling on Jesus in faith
Peter used Joel’s promise when he preached about Jesus in Jerusalem (Acts 2:21). Paul explains what this response involves: confessing Jesus as Lord and believing that God raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9-10). Calling on the Lord is trust directed towards Jesus, not confidence in your own goodness, family background or religious effort.
Paul also says there is no difference in the Lord’s generosity towards those who call on him. His invitation reaches Jews and Gentiles alike (Romans 10:12-13). No one is too ordinary, too far away or too broken to turn to Christ.
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
How to begin
You can call on the Lord in your own words. Tell him you need his mercy. Bring your sin, questions, pain and hopes honestly to him. Ask him to forgive you, help you trust Jesus and lead your life. The power is not in getting every word right. It is in the Lord you are calling on.
This is also more than an emergency prayer. Christians continue to come to God with confession, gratitude, requests and worship. Jesus taught his followers to pray to their Father privately and sincerely, rather than trying to impress others with many words (Matthew 6:6-8). Read these passages for yourself, then speak to God plainly.