Transcendent Worship

I am very grateful to have come to understand one Hebrew word, “hallel.” It has redefined and revolutionized the concept of worship for me. Worship is a concept we casually, sometimes flippantly label as “praise” or “worship” that is so deep, and multi-dimensional that the Hebrew language employs seven distinct words to attempt to fully convey its meaning. These ancient terms, and I'm only addressing one word here, reveal something spectacular that our modern church culture is often oblivious to. Namely, that is worship was never meant to be confined to a weekly gathering, or measured by the profundity of the preacher, or gauged by the talent of the singers and musicians.

For a long time, I thought if we were going to sing a “praise” song, it was going to have a speedy tempo and some catchy words to it. Recently I’ve expanded my understanding to include special moments like spectacular sunrises, lunar eclipses, and personal victories. But alas, this Hebrew word (‘hallel”) teaches me a different story. I’m no grammarian and I’m not offering a class in Hebrew vocabulary, I’m seeking transformative truth, and worship that transcends the run of the mill worship experience.

“Hallel”; it's the word we get “hallelujah” from, and means “to boast, to celebrate, or to make a show of.” It’s an action word, a verb, not a genre of music or a particular style of preaching. What is communicated by this rich Hebrew word is that I’m praising God by serving someone in need, by showing heartfelt compassion to the hurting, by giving with generosity, by welcoming those different from me, and by acknowledging God as the source of it all.

Sunrises and blood moon eclipses might inspire awe in the moment, but I’m learning that true unadulterated praise unfolds in how I treat people, how I speak to others, and how I respond to those who disagree with me. Understanding better “hallel,” and the other six Hebrews words for worship has expanded my vision to encompass my whole life, transforming worship from a particular event to my 24/7/365 living.