It Is Good to Be Thankful: Appreciation makes the world a better place…
While in high school, our choir director had us sing the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s Messiah at a concert. I think that’s when I fell in love with the word hallelujah.
In college, I auditioned for the choir who was planning to sing Handel’s Messiah in the spring. When asked if I had ever sung Handel’s Messiah I said, “Yes!” When asked how much of it I sang I said, “All of it!” Perhaps this was the catalyst that got me accepted into the choir. However, imagine my surprise when they handed me this big thick book full of musical compositions which compiled the complete Handel’s Messiah. What I had sung in high school was only one small portion of this tome. Fortunately, I was a fast learner.
The word hallelujah first appeared in the Book of Psalms which dates back to the 5th or 4th century B.C. It is a rare word that was preserved intact when nearly every other Hebrew word in the Bible was translated first into Greek and then into Latin. So in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin it actually means the same thing—praise the Lord.
The word hallelujah is used in scriptures at least twenty-eight times. Ancient choral groups using the Psalms sang it and the great multitude gathered around the throne will cry out, “Hallelujah!” (Revelation 19:1-8) It’s like an eternal hallelujah full of perpetual praise. But praising God should not be just reserved for heavenly realms, it should encompass our daily lives.
I’m thankful for a word like hallelujah. To me, it has a lilting, melodic sound. It’s a word full of joy, exaltation, and exuberance. I love to say it throughout the day—not in a flippant way, but as a form of rejoicing. It constantly reminds me that God is worthy of all my praise. Plus, it acknowledges what God is doing in my life. I like to stay in a “hallelujah frame of mind,” one that is grateful and thankful for God’s blessings!
Throughout the day we can praise God for His goodness, for His creation, for His mercy, for His love, for His protection, for His gift of salvation, for His wisdom, for His guidance, for His hope, for His promises, for His provision, for His joy, for His past deliverances, for His faithfulness—the list is endless.
Each day we have an opportunity to practice praising God. Each morning we can awake and praise God. Each night we can go to sleep praising God. A hallelujah frame of mind can brighten our day and bring peace to each night.
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“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord...” ~ Psalms 92:1 (KJV)
