Everything about Hallelujah totally explained
Hallelujah,
Halleluyah, or
Alleluia, is a
transliteration of the
Hebrew word (
Standard Halləluya,
Tiberian Halləlûyāh) meaning "[Letus] praise Yah ." It is found mainly in the book of
Psalms and has a similar pronunciation in many, but not all, languages. The word is used in
Judaism as part of the
Hallel prayers, and in Christian praise. It has been accepted into the
English language, but its Latin form
Alleluia is used by many English-speaking Christians in preference to Hallelujah.
In the Bible
The term is used 24 times in the
Hebrew Bible (mainly in the book of
Psalms, for example,, where it starts and concludes a number of Psalms) and four times in
Greek transliteration in the Christian
Book of Revelation.
The word "hallelujah" mentioned in Psalms is the Hebrew word for requesting a congregation to join in praise. The best translation of hallelujah is "Praise Yah, you people", usually worded in English versions as "Praise ye the LORD" or "Praise the LORD".
In the
Hebrew Bible "hallelujah" is actually a two-word phrase, not one word. The first part,
hallelu, is the second person imperative masculine plural form of the Hebrew verb
hallal. However, "hallelujah" means more than simply "praise YHWH", as the word
hallel in Hebrew means a joyous praise, to boast in God, or to act madly or foolishly.
The second part,
Yah, is a shortened form of the name of God
YHWH, sometimes rendered in English as "
Yahweh" or "
Jehovah". In the Hebrew reads
kol han'shamah t'hallel yah; the final word
"yah" is translated as "
the LORD", or "YHWH". It appears in the Hebrew Bible as הללו~יה and הללו יה. In the Hebrew says "הללו יה
hallelu yah". It then says
"hallelu eth-YHWH" as if using
"yah" and "YHWH" interchangeably. The word
"yah" appears by itself as a divine name about 49 times in the Hebrew Bible (including
hallelu yah), such as in "who rides upon the heavens by his name
Yah" and
"Yah is my strength and song". It also often appears at the end of Israelite
theophoric names such as
Isaiah "yeshayah(u), Yahweh is salvation" and
Jeremiah "yirmeyah(u), Yahweh is exalted".
Usage by Christians
For most
Christians, "Hallelujah" is considered a joyful word of
praise to
God, rather than an injunction to praise Him. In many western denominations, the
Alleluia, along with the
Gloria in Excelsis Deo, isn't spoken or sung in
liturgy during the season of
Lent, instead being replaced by a Lenten acclamation, while in Eastern Churches, Alleluia is chanted throughout the lent in the beginning of the
Matins service, replacing the
Theos Kyrios, which is considered more joyful. At the Easter service and throughout the
Pentecostarion,
Christos anesti is used in the place where Hallelujah is chanted in the western rite.
Among many Christians, the expressions of
Hallelujah and
Praise the Lord are acceptable, spontaneous expressions of joy, thanksgiving and praise towards God, requiring no specific prompting or call or direction from those leading times of praise and singing.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Hallelujah'.
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