In this series, I take a brief glance at some very modern worship songs. I have a deep love for Christian history and the older hymns. I also enjoy looking back at the contemporary hymns that spanned my own Christian life. I’ve been a Christian for 45 years now – and a nominal Christian for 63 years. It’s very easy to get irritated with all things modern. I saw a 1970s bus in a museum in Dublin some years ago, and I thought to myself “that’s what buses should look like”. I resent modern buses 😀. Whatever about my attitudes to buses, I shouldn’t resent people who worship God and what they write.
Today’s hymn slightly irritated me when I first heard it, because I don’t like the use of jargon in hymns. What’s meant by “Raise a Hallelujah”? To be positive, maybe it means raising your voice. Hallelujah isn’t something that should be said quietly. And maybe it means raising yourself out of your doubt and despair and looking to God.
What does the word “Hallelujah” mean? – it’s simple – Praise the Lord or Praise Yahweh. It’s one of several Hebrew words that were transliterated rather than translated. Clearly, the translators saw something very sacred or special about the word itself. Similar words include Abba, Amen, and Hosanna.
I quiet like it musically, and it has very uplifting lyrics. You can see the lyrics on the video and on the life1025.com site. I like the line “My weapon is a melody”. It reminds me of the singing revolution in the Baltic states.
The hymn was released in 2019, and written in response to the alleged miraculous healing of Jaxon Taylor, the young son of Bethel Music’s CEO, Joel Taylor. I’m always a little bit nervous of such claims, but if my son were ill, I’d pray and however the healing might be explained, I’d thank God for it. It seems that the healed child features at the close of this video:
Whatever our troubles, we reach out to God and leave it with God. God doesn’t always answer in the way that we would like. We rejoice when he does. And when he doesn’t, we trust that He knows what he’s doing. Even those believers who can’t celebrate God’s answers to prayer in this like will shout Hallelujah in heaven.
Roman 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
It’s interesting how the word Hallelujah has spilled into the secular world. Here are some examples of songs that contain the word Hallelujah:
- Hallelujah Freedom – Junior Campbell
- Michael Row the Boat Ashore – Lonnie Donegan
- Hallelujah I Love Her So – Eddie Cochran
- My Sweet Lord – George Harrison
- Hallelujah Day – Jackson 5
- Hallelujah – Milk and Honey
- Hallelujah – Leonard Cohen
- Wings of a Dove – Madness
- Change – Taylor Swift
And here are a few older Christian songs that feature the word prominently:
Rev 19:6-8
6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:
“Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
8 Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear.”
Hibernia Gospel 