Hallelujah
By Lexi Ellis
"After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God."
Revelation 19:1 (NASB)
"After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God."
Revelation 19:1 (NASB)
For
as common of a word, it’s not an easy one. For simplicity’s sake, hallelujah,
sometimes spelled “alleluia,” typically means “praise ye Yah” or “praise the
Lord.” It pops up 24 times in the Hebrew Psalms and four times in one chapter
in Revelation. It was most likely chanted by Levite choirs in the Jewish tradition.
But it really shows up in the Christian faith: in Orthodox, Roman Catholic,
Anglican, Protestant liturgies, hymns and prayers. [1]
It’s commonly heard when proclaimed in Handel’s musical masterpiece, and is the
title of a popular song on the soundtrack for that cinematic masterpiece, Shrek.
Because
of our church’s sermon series on prayer and connecting with God, I’ve begun trying
to identify hallelujahs - - specific “praise the Lord’s” - - in my prayer life. Hallelujahs that go beyond
counting blessings or things to list at Thanksgiving, but hallelujahs for the
depths of God’s grace, the weight of His redemption, the intimacy of His love.
Hallelujah,
God, thank you for sending your Son to restore my broken relationship with You.
Hallelujah, God, thank you for creating me to long for community and for establishing
Your Church - - a community of believers who do life together. Hallelujah, God,
thank you for the gift of Your Word that You use to speak to us and give us
examples of Your faithfulness. Hallelujah, God, thank you for Your Spirit, your
very presence indwelling me when I accept Your gift of salvation.
What is your
Hallelujah?
A word so big they couldn’t translate it
But took the Hebrew and reshaped it
Hallelu - to joyously praise
Jah – Yahweh, Jehovah, God
A word so big they couldn’t translate it
But took the Hebrew and reshaped it
Hallelu - to joyously praise
Jah – Yahweh, Jehovah, God
Not a word but a
call:
Praise God, you peoples,
Praise God, all creation,
Praise God, O my soul
Praise God, you peoples,
Praise God, all creation,
Praise God, O my soul
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
What is your Hallelujah?
Sung with majesty in Handel’s chorus
Shouted in a passion of praise
Spoken with hope in a tricky situation
Whispered with relief when it all turns out OK
Sometimes it’s a cold and broken Hallelujah
Deliberately declared as an act of faith
Through doubt
Through tears
Through pain
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah
What is your Hallelujah?
Sung with majesty in Handel’s chorus
Shouted in a passion of praise
Spoken with hope in a tricky situation
Whispered with relief when it all turns out OK
Sometimes it’s a cold and broken Hallelujah
Deliberately declared as an act of faith
Through doubt
Through tears
Through pain
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah
Sometimes Hallelujah
is an attitude,
A deep breath taken,
A kindness given,
Precious time spent
Practical acts of praise
But it’s never just an expression,
A word to pad out worship songs,
A sarcastic utterance,
A Christian catchphrase
Praise God, you peoples
Praise God, all creation
Praise God, O my soul
A deep breath taken,
A kindness given,
Precious time spent
Practical acts of praise
But it’s never just an expression,
A word to pad out worship songs,
A sarcastic utterance,
A Christian catchphrase
Praise God, you peoples
Praise God, all creation
Praise God, O my soul
Down your tools,
Your lifestyle props,
Your tiredness, your frustrations
Your everyday distractions
And hold this word high:
“Stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on your tongue but Hallelujah”
Hallelujah Hallelujah
Give Him your Hallelujah. [2]
Your lifestyle props,
Your tiredness, your frustrations
Your everyday distractions
And hold this word high:
“Stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on your tongue but Hallelujah”
Hallelujah Hallelujah
Give Him your Hallelujah. [2]
GOING
DEEPER:
1. Make a list. What is your hallelujah?
FURTHER
READING:
[1] The New
SCM Dictionary of Liturgy and Worship by Paul F. Bradshaw, SCM Press, ©2002; http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/252791/hallelujah; “Hallelujah” entry in A Dictionary of the Bible by F.H. Woods, Charles Scribner’s Son
Publisher, ©1902
[2] What is your Hallelujah? By Chloe Axford
& Sam Hargreaves; http://engageworship.org/ideas/Hallelujah_reflection
Lexi recently married Andrew, serves with Oakwood’s Children’s Ministries, and is a fourth grade teacher at Lake Country Christian Academy.
