Title [Today’s Sermon] ‘Hallelujah’ The Power of One Word
Contents
Psalm 150:6
There are many people who wonder why I shout out loud “Hallelujah!” in every sermon, lecture, exhortation, or congratulatory message. A certain professor once raised an objection, saying, “How does the president of the seminary, who claims to be the highest peak of the ivory tower, imitate the revival temple?”
As someone who has been teaching the Old Testament and Hebrew for more than 20 years, how can I shout Hallelujah without meaning? First of all, I am shouting this out in order to correct the wrong pronunciation, and to teach you to properly pronounce the Hebrew language, which is the most used in the church.
Hallelu is the imperative form of ‘you praise,’ and ‘Jah’ is an abbreviation of ‘Yahweh’ (Jehovah), so it is correct to pronounce ‘Hallelujah’ with a space between the two words. If you pronounce ‘Halel’ and ‘Luya’ with a space, you should be careful as it may mean to the Jews to praise the foreign god ‘Luya’. Hebrew verbs have an accent on the tail, so it's also important to force the 'ru' to make it a little longer.
Another reason to shout Hallelujah is that from the perspective of creation theology, praising YHWH is the ultimate purpose and duty of life. This is because the original purpose of God creating human beings is to praise God the Creator (Isaiah 43:21). Furthermore, God prefers to stay in the presence of the praises of Israel more than any luxurious house or gathering (Ps.
God created humans on the last hour of the sixth day, Friday, and gave them the privilege and glory to rule over the sun, the moon, and all animals and plants. And the creation of the Sabbath (from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday) also reflects the disposition of God who delights in praise. The Sabbath is a day specially ordained by God to enjoy rest through the worship and praise of the saints, and it reflects God's disposition that He wants us to respond with praise and worship from the moment we are born.
Therefore, praise is the ultimate mission and duty that must be prioritized above all else for humans who possess the highest woodwind instrument, that is, the vocal cords, that is, all humans with breathing (Psalm 150:6). Just as no matter how good a person may be fined or sanctioned when they fail to fulfill the basic duties of the people, such as military service and tax payment, when we neglect our basic mission and duty, hymns, we may inflict our own punishment or even fail to fulfill our lifespan.
Because of this theological awareness and determination, the saints are willing to shout 'Hallelujah,' which is the conclusion and core theme of the Israeli hymn (Psalms), more than three times a day. These words also contain a confessional proclamation, "Let's praise YHWH (with me)," so it not only expels the evil forces that block the praise, but also invites and exhorts billions of souls oppressed by the devil to believe and praise Jesus. there is also
Today, before starting the day, I pray for a blessed day to achieve my purpose of existence and glorify God by shouting ‘Hallelujah’ and praising the greatness of the Lord.
Jang Young-il, President of Jangsin University