Hallelujah
Hallelujah,
Halleluyah, or
Alleluia, is a
transliteration of the
Hebrew word
×"ַלְּלוּיָ×"Ö¼ (
Standard Hebrew Halləluya,
Tiberian Hebrew HallÉ™lûyÄh) meaning "[Let us] praise (×"ַלְּלוּ) Jah (Yah) (×™Ö¸×"Ö¼)" (Sometimes rendered as "Praise (×"ַלְּלוּ)
[the] LORD (×™Ö¸×"Ö¼)or God"). It is found mainly in the book of
Psalms. It has been accepted into the
English language. The word is used in
Judaism as part of the
Hallel prayers.
For most
Christians, "Hallelujah" is considered the most joyful word of
praise to
God, rather than an injuction to praise him. In many denominations, the Alleluia, along with the
Gloria in Excelsis Deo, is not spoken or sung during the season of
Lent, instead being replaced by a Lenten acclamation.
Halleluyah is a composite of
Hallelu and
Yah (
Jah). It literally translates from Hebrew as "Praise Yah, [you people!]" or simply "Praise
Yah!"
Yah is the shortened form of the name
YaHWeH (JeHoVaH), referred to as the
Tetragrammaton.
The term is used about 24 times in the
Hebrew Bible (mainly in the book of
Psalms (e.g. 113-118), where it starts and concludes a number of Psalms) and four times in
Greek transliteration in
Revelation.
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Hallel*
Takbir
