Conference yukon::christian_v7

190.0. "Allelujah!" by EVMS::PAULKM::WEISS (Trade freedom for security-lose both) Wed Jul 07 1993 09:56

It's amazing what a word study can do to make a word that you've used for years
come alive.  It was just this Easter that I learned that Hosanna means "Save 
us."  Today's word is Allelujah.

I've known for a long time that Allelujah means "Praise the Lord."  My wife was 
doing a word study of PRAISE yesterday, and using our Bible software (Logos), we
really fleshed out that definition.

The base word for praise is halal - which is a word commonly translated as 
'praise,' but which has several further connotations in the original Hebrew.
The original word also means to make foolish or make a fool of yourself - 
Strong's uses the word 'stultify' in the definition, which means to make to
appear foolish or stupid.  So the base word has the connotation of abandoning
yourself to praise, praising to the point of making yourself look foolish - the
image I have is of David dancing before the Ark.

Further, the stem of the verb is in the 'piel' form, which conotates intensive
or intentional action.  For example, a hebrew verb for "he broke," when used in
the piel form would mean "he smashed to pieces."

Lastly, the mood of the verb is the imperative: it is a command.

So putting it together, when we say Allelujah! we are issuing a command to
intentionally and intensively make complete fools of ourselves as we abandon
ourselves in praise of the Lord.

Wow!

Paul

Like it, Paul...  Thanks.

I've also been very interested to see that 'Hosanna' is *only* used when 
Jesus rode into Jerusalem in the week before He died to save us .... His 
response to the 'Hosanna' - 'Save us' - request.

							Andrew

    That's me Paul, Completely abandonment! :-) :-)
    
    I've been trying to wake up a few folks to Praise and Shout Aleluia in
    here over the last week... not too many takers :-(
    
    I know these are dismal times for many of our friends and even
    ourselves as jobs are constantly being eliminated... but God says to
    Praise even in the face of adversity... He is our Provider.  
    
    
    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
        LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
              EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
                  UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
                        IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!
    
    :-)
    
    		
              

    Thanks Nancy.  I needed that today.
    
    Allelujah !