Hosanna

The Five Words of Worship provides a filter to view worship songs through and aid you in preparing a balanced worship service. Here’s a helpful guide to assessing which word of worship best describes a song. (Of course there are many songs and psalms that include all of the words in varying combinations, but usually one is predominant.)

Does it declare or cry for triumphant deliverance? Hosanna

HOSANNA

Hosanna is a dynamic and powerful Hebrew word which, in its Old Testament context, expresses the pain and despair of a people crying out to God for deliverance. It is a prayer for help and a plea for salvation, perhaps best expressed as, simply, “Save Us!”

Yet, in the New Testament, Hosanna becomes a shout of praise, a declaration of the saving work of Jesus, the Messiah. Because He is Savior, Hosanna is no longer just a prayer but also an affirmation that God has acted, finally and decisively.

The word is an imperative form of the Hebrew “yasha,” which is the principal verb “to save,” in the Hebrew Bible and basically means “to make room,” or “to give breadth and depth.” The word “Savior” also derives from “yasha,” denoting “one who liberates or sets us free from all that presses in.”

This is the picture of Jesus as prefigured in the Old Testament by such passages as Isaiah 43:11: “I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from Me there is no savior,” and Isaiah 45:21: “There is no other God besides Me, a just God and a Savior; there is none besides me… Look to Me and be saved.” Similarly, the very name Jesus in Hebrew is “Y’shua,” also based on “yasha” and meaning “Yahweh saves.”

The classic Old Testament text of the salvation of God is the story of Israel’s escape from Egypt. When God’s people found themselves standing before the Red Sea with the Egyptian army behind them, they cried out to God for deliverance, and He made a way of escape. There is no clearer image for the implication of salvation than the word Hosanna.

The basis for the meaning of Hosanna in the New Testament is exemplified in Psalm 118, which was sung after the meal at the Passover feast and contains the prophetic declaration, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” (v.26). Some 800 years later, these same words rang out through the streets of Jerusalem as Jesus entered the city on Palm Sunday. In Matthew 21:9, Mark 11:9 and John 12:13, the people cried out “Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the Highest!”

When the city’s religious leaders heard this proclamation they were outraged, knowing that it could only be applied to the coming of the Messiah. “Do you not realize what they are saying?” they asked Jesus, who responded, “I tell you, if they should hold their peace, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:40) In other words, the cry of Hosanna from Psalm 118 was so crucial to God’s divine plan that it could never be silenced.

No longer echoing the plea of the Israelites at the Red Sea, but now a cry of praise and acclamation, Hosanna has become a constant reminder of the saving work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

ESSENTIALS OF A HOSANNA SONG

1) ACCLAMATION OF SALVATION

2) A CRY FOR GOD’S DELIVERANCE

3) A DECLARATION OF GOD’S DECISIVE ACTION

4) A REMINDER OF CHRIST’S SAVING WORK

5) PRAISE FOR THE MESSIAH

HOSANNA SONGS

1) A Mighty Fortress Is Our God Martin Luther SD54

2) Worthy You Are Worthy Matt Redman SD45

3) Hosanna Paul Baloche/Brenton Brown SD55

4) When the Tears Fall Tim Hughes SD46

5) I Am Free Jon Egan SD52

6) Bless the Lord Laura Story SD67

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Chuck Fromm

While at Maranatha! Music, Chuck Fromm met his wife Stephanie, who was finishing her degree in communications at CSUF; they married on August 19, 1983. Their family began with the birth of Nicole on January 2, 1986, followed by Wesley on June 5, 1987, Taylor on February 28, 1989, Alexandra on March 17, 1992, and Michaela on September 20, 1999. Family and friends were always at the center of Chuck’s universe. Despite his hard work, he loved celebrating life and enjoying God’s creation, especially on trips to Hawaii and Yosemite/Bass Lake, where he created lasting memories of water-skiing, bike rides, and star-filled nights with games and ice cream sundaes. Chuck had a knack for turning business trips into special experiences, sharing history and adventure with each of his children. He took special pride in his children’s accomplishments, celebrating graduations and capturing moments to share on Facebook. Walking Nicole down the aisle to marry AJ Schrautemyer III and meeting his grandchildren, Isla Marie and Albert John IV, were among his proudest moments. The Fromm family actively participated in various roles at conferences and the magazine. Chuck and Stephanie loved hosting people in their home, including Bible studies led by Chuck’s cousin, Chuck Smith, Jr., where Chuck used his city management experience to resolve city ordinance issues for home gatherings. Chuck’s global circle of friends benefited from his endless creativity and ideas, one of which led to the critically acclaimed The Odes Project. Collaborating with close friends and scholars, this project was one of his most satisfying accomplishments.