Hosanna is a song that exalts the Lord

Many of us have heard church singing in the temple or in divine services in the open air. Often the priest repeats one expression. It sounds like this: "Hosanna!". However, it is difficult to perceive the Russian ear. Therefore, we will try to answer questions about what this term means and what is the history of its origin.

Also we will understand in detail: "Hosanna" is an expression with meaning or just a solemn church cry?

The meaning of this word

The word has Semitic roots and is taken from Hebrew. It means "we pray", or otherwise - "save". It was a traditional cry, addressed to God.

And this expression had several meanings: a prayer petition and glorification of the omnipotence of God.

Today this expression is preserved in Judaism. It is understandable to all readers of the Torah and its interpretations.

Hosanna is a joyful expression, which is also the essence of Christianity, therefore it is actively used in hymns. In particular, the Russian Orthodox Church has poems with this word. In our country this kind of thanksgiving is performed in the framework of choral singing at the Liturgy of the faithful before the Sacrament.

Expression in the texts of the Bible and its interpretation

The word "hosanna", the meaning of which was considered above, is found both in the Old and in the New Testaments.

It is often found in the psalms. It has the form of both a prayer exclamation and the glorification of the Lord. And more often than both, both.

"Hosanna," that is, thanksgiving, sang the Jewish people to Jesus Christ, meeting him as Lord and Messiah on the day of Christ's entrance with the apostles to Jerusalem.

Russian researcher of the texts of the Bible A.P. Lopukhin explained that the morphological division of the given word correlates with the notion of the location of God the Father. According to Old and New Testament notions, He is in Heaven, that is, in the mansions of the upper. Therefore, glory is sung to his invisible presence in the world of people.

In this case, "Hosanna" is the statement that God is glorious and great, and He is always near people.

Other interpretations of this expression

In modern dictionaries of the Russian language, this expression is met infrequently, but old dictionaries give more extensive information.

So, for example, the dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron notes that this laudatory and solemn cry meant that people who pronounce it expect from the person to whom they address heavenly blessings or even simple human happiness and well-being.

In other dictionaries it is noted that "hosanna" is also a simple expression of respect for a certain person. Thus, in the dictionary of D.N. Ushakov points out that the phrase "singing hosanna" means someone flattering, expressing devotion.

This interpretation of this expression is close to the popular colloquial understanding of the essence of the word. In the people "to sing hosannu" is to exaggerate someone's dignity for mercenary purposes, which is regarded as a direct flattery, transcending the framework of decency.

Thus, one can note the ambiguity of this expression - "hosanna". The meaning of the word allows you to view it from different sides: both as a praise to God, and as a prayer, and even as part of human relationships.