Alleluia!

Alleluia. What is an alleluia? I became fascinated with the word several years when I heard it used in a couple of songs in a way I had never heard it used before. I decided to do some sleuthing.

Alleluia means “praise God.” It’s an alternate spelling to hallelujah, “used to express praise or joy.” In my first distance learning BJU course I completed, I had to study etymologies—the origins of words. So I found this interesting: hallĕlu, pl. imper. of hillēl, to praise + Yah, God (short for Yahweh). When I ask God to “make my life an alleluia,” I am asking that my life would glorify Him. That is truly my heart’s cry, and this song resonates in my soul.

Make my life an alleluia,

a song of praise to You each day.

To proclaim Your grace and glory,

fill my heart with your praise, I pray.

When I stand at the mountaintop,

or the valley of despair,

this will be my cry,

my song, my prayer:

Lord, make my life an alleluia.

~Ruth Elaine Schram

verse 1 of "Make My Life an Alleluia"