Bible glossary
What Does ‘Hallelujah’ Mean in the Bible?
Hallelujah is a Hebrew word of praise meaning praise the LORD, a joyful call to give God glory.
In short
Hallelujah is a Hebrew word of praise meaning praise the LORD, a joyful call to give God glory.
Hallelujah comes from two Hebrew words, hallel meaning praise, and Yah, a short form of the LORD's name. Put together it means praise the LORD. It is both a command and an outburst, an invitation to lift up God and a joyful shout of doing so.
The word saturates the Psalms and rises again in the book of Revelation, where the redeemed cry it around God's throne. It belongs on the lips of all creation, a fitting response to a God worthy of endless praise.
Key verses
“Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.”
Psalm 150:6
“And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude... saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.”
Revelation 19:6
“Praise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD.”
Psalm 113:1
Hallelujah and Jesus
Every hallelujah finds its fullest reason in Jesus. Because He reigns, having conquered sin and death, the redeemed will one day sing this word forever. It is the sound of a people who have been rescued and cannot stop praising their Savior.