hosanna

This weekend is Palm Sunday. This is the time of year when we sing all the “Hosanna” songs. But so often, it’s just another one of those Christian words that we say, and we don’t know what it means.

Well, it comes originally from the ancient Hebrew and is a combination of 2 words: “HOSHEA' NA” (this is just a phonetic spelling). It means, “God save us, we pray.”

The only time it is used in the Old Testament is in Psalm 118:25. The passage is Messianic in it's hope of a deliverer who would come from God. Even in Jewish worship services today like the “Feast of Tabernacles” (aslo known as "Sukkot") synagogues still proclaim, “HOSHEA' NA”… “God please send your salvation”.

But the good news for the entire world is this. God has already sent his salvation. And so when WE sing “Hosanna”, instead of it being a word of desperation, of sorrow, of agony...for us, “Hosanna” is a word of praise. Of thanksgiving.

God has already answered the Jewish prayer of “HOSHEA' NA”. The Messiah has come! Our Salvation is here!