Have you ever thought about why we sing the word ‘hallelujah’ or why we end a prayer with ‘Amen’? What do these words mean?
In the christian world these words are extremely familiar, but are rarely explained. All of these words can be found in the bible and were left untranslated from their hebrew (or greek) origins. I believe that the words of our mouth are of consequence, so it is important to know what we’re saying. Our church forefathers intentionally left these words untranslated in our bibles, and I think that there is a beauty to the fact that to this day you will hear the words ‘Amen’, ‘Hallelujah’, and ‘Hosanna’ spoken the same way throughout the world by the saints. Below is a glossary of terms for a few of the most common words we use in our worship services.
Hallelujah
Hallelujah or Halleluyah is word that is found in the scriptures (mainly in the psalms) and in many of our worship songs, and liturgies. It is derived from the hebrew word ‘Halleluya’. In its simplest form it means ‘Praise God’. ‘Hallel’ is a hebrew word meaning – joyous praise in song, to boast in God. ‘Yah’ is the shortened form of ‘Yahweh’, the hebrew name for God. So in essence it is an exclamation of praise saying – we joyously praise and boast in God.
Hosanna
Hosanna (Greek) comes from the hebrew ‘Hoshana’ meaning ‘please save’ or ‘salvation has come’. The main new testament scripture that it comes from is Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The crowds cried out ‘Hosanna in the highest’. It is a cry for salvation, as well as a declaration of praise. The word is first found in the scriptures in Psalm 118:25 where it means ‘save, please’, but over the centuries, between this time and the time of Jesus, the word had taken on a slightly different meaning. It was no longer used as just a cry for help, but also a shout of hope and exultation. ‘Salvation! Salvation! Salvation has come!’. So when we are saying “Hosanna in the highest’, we are in fact saying ‘Let all the angels in heaven join the song of praise. Salvation! Salvation! Let the highest heaven sing the song!’
Amen
The hebrew word “Amen’ is a declaration of affirmation. It means ‘Yes, we agree and join in with your declaration’, or ‘True, and firm and reliable is what you have said’. It is a word found commonly in both the old and new testaments. It does not mean ‘prayer time is now over’, which seems to have become its common usage. ‘Amen’ can also mean ‘to confirm’. In 2 Corinthians 1:20 Paul refers to Jesus as the amen or yes to God’s promises. The promises of God find their fulfillment and confirmation in the person and life of Jesus. Jesus is God’s amen to the world.
