I am fifteen days into Musical Musings in March and have shared 14 (actually 15) songs with you that have made an impression on me through my life. I’ve used the passage from Ephesians 5:19-20 for this project and have been searching psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to share with you.

Today is no different. I have chosen the song “Hosanna” or “Praise is Rising.” It has become one of my favorites and it doesn’t matter when I hear it or sing it, I am moving with hands lifted. I love this song! I love this song because the message of this song covers it all.

Praise. Hope. Yearning. Strength. Fears washed away. Salvation. Hearts returning. Broken lives. Newness of life. Regardless of what is happening in life, this song seems to point us to the One who is able to help. Our great God.

And because of His great love for us, we in turn praise Him for all that He’s done. So, let’s read through these words and listen to another wonderful worship song. “Hosanna (Praise is Rising).”

Praise is rising, eyes are turning to You
We turn to You
Hope is stirring, hearts are yearning for You
We long for You

When we see You
We find strength to face the day
In Your presence all our fears
Are washed away, washed away

Hosanna, Hosanna
You are the God who saves us
Worthy of all our praises

Hosanna, Hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here, Lord Jesus

Hear the sound of hearts returning to You
We turn to You
In Your kingdom broken lives are made new
You make all things new

When we see You
We find strength to face the day
In Your presence all our fears
Are washed away, washed away

Hosanna, Hosanna
You are the God who saves us
Worthy of all our praises

Hosanna, Hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here, Lord Jesus[i]

Click here to listen.

As we lead up to Palm Sunday, this song is particularly relevant because of the words spoken as Jesus entered Jerusalem. The crowds placed palm branches on the ground. They danced in the streets. They shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9 – NIV)

I love that the crowd was so enthusiastic and that Matthew captured their enthusiasm by using exclamation points. They were in touch with their God. He was in their presence.

But a week later, all of that changed.

I wonder how often we are exclaiming God as the One who saves us when all is well within our lives, but falter in our exclaiming when our days are more difficult to get through?

Our praise mustn’t come and go with our moods or our situations in life. Praise must rise in all circumstances, because God is the only One who can save us.

King David wrote of such a God in Psalm 146:7-10 (NIV).

“He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous.

The Lord watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

The Lord reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations.

Praise the Lord.”

When we see God in this way, we are able to praise Him in all circumstances.

Perhaps today you are facing a day of hopelessness. If so, it would be the perfect time to meet God and find all that He is able to offer. Maybe you’re broken. In God’s presence, broken lives are made new. Are you living in fear? God will bring strength to your life as you’ve never known before.

Have you turned away from God? Why not return to Him? There’s no better time than the present. He’s standing there waiting for you.

Maybe you are a faithful servant of our Lord, but you’ve held on to some worldly ways. Today is the day to ask God to have His way with you. Welcome Him into your life and allow Him to sit on the throne of your heart.

I am praising God today. I pray that you will join me.

Hosanna!

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna

[i] Hosanna (Praise is Rising), Brenton Brown, 2006