Did you remember singing this song as a child?

“Hallelu, hallelu, hallelu, hallelujah! Praise Ye, the Lord!”

If you ever went to Sunday School, youth camp or vacation Bible school, I suspect you have. And if you remember with me, the goal was to see who could sing it the loudest. The boys or the girls. Or the right side or the left side. I guess there was just something about screaming these words at the top of our lungs that seemed worshipful. What do you think?

If those singing (or shouting) this song truly knew the meaning of these words, as well as understood praise and worship, then I suspect this song was worshipful.

However, I pray that our time of worship has evolved as we’ve grown older. Not necessarily dampened or stifled, but as we’ve grown in our relationship with Jesus, I pray that we have taken our worship to the next level (or the 50^th level).

Today when we sing “Hallelujah,” do you know what it means? The songwriters of that little ditty knew that hallelujah and praise the Lord are equivalent. So when you see “Hallelujah!” in Scripture, you’re really reading “Praise the Lord!”

Psalm 111 begins with these very words. “Praise the Lord.” (Psalm 111:1 – NIV) As do Psalm 103, 104, 106, 112, 113, 117, 134, 135, 146, 147, 148, 149 and 150. They all begin with “Praise the Lord.”

So what does that tell you? For me, it shows me how I am to worship. I am to begin worship with praise. Sometimes it can be big and loud, while other times it can be soft and gentle.

Today’s song I want to share with you is a song that helps us to remember why and how we should praise God. Let’s not let today get away from us without spending time in praise to our God and Father. “Praise ye, the Lord!”

“Hallelujah (Your Love Makes Me Sing)”[i]

Your love is amazing
Steady and unchanging
Your love is a mountain
Firm beneath my feet

Your love is a mystery
How You gently lift me
When I am surrounded
Your love carries me

Your love is surprising
I can feel it rising
All the joy that’s growing
Deep inside of me
And every time I see you
All your goodness shines through
And I can feel this God song rising up in me

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
Your love makes me sing
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
Your love makes me sing

Your love is surprising
I can feel it rising
All the joy that’s growing
Deep inside of me
And every time I see you
All your goodness shines through
And I can feel this God song rising up in me

Click here to listen to this fun song!

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna

[i] “Hallelujah (Your Love Makes Me Sing)”, words and music by Brenton Brown and Brian Doerksen, Vineyard Songs, 2000