LAKE JAMES

NORTH CAROLINA

ALLELUIA!

The Latin exclamation of joy and praise Alleluia! is derived from the Hebrew Hallelujah! and is best translated in English as Praise the Lord! It is an ancient liturgical shout of jubilation originally found in many of the Psalms. Through the years, its use spread from the chanting of the Psalms and popped up at other times during Jewish and later Christian worship. One scholar has pointed out that originally its inclusion was more spontaneous than liturgical, and that as its use became more common, it was often embellished musically so that the last syllable “Jah” (God) became a joyous chant almost as if the people were “speaking in tongues.” Among early Christians, the shout of Alleluia was understood to be not only an expression of praise to God, but also a foretaste of the eternal gladness of the Larger Life promised to humankind by Jesus.

The Western Church suppresses the use of Alleluia during the forty days of Lent, reflecting the solemn penitential nature of that season. The joy of the great fifty days of Eastertide is thus all the more emphasized by the restoration of Alleluia at the opening acclamation in celebrations of the Eucharist, at the Breaking of the Bread, and at the dismissal of the faithful at the end of the liturgy.

Alleluia!

Alleluia, alleluia! Give thanks to the risen Lord. Alleluia, alleluia! Give praise to his Name. Jesus is Lord of all the earth. He is the King of creation. Spread the good news o’er all the earth, Jesus has died and has risen. We have been crucified with Christ. Now we shall live for ever. Come, let us praise the living God, joyfully sing to our Savior. Alleluia, alleluia!

[Hymn 178 – words and music by Donald Fishel, b. 1950]

A. T. K. Z.+

This page last modified on Friday, April 11, 2008 09:40 PM