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Sunday, January 13, 2013

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

I don't know why, but I've had this one rolling around in my head the past few days. Written by Philip P. Bliss in 1875, it is a wonderful hymn. Short. Sweet. To the point. The Gospel in a nutshell.

"Man of Sorrows!" what a name
For the Son of God who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Guilty, vile, and helpless we;
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
"Full atonement!" can it be?
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Lifted up was He to die;
"It is finished!" was His cry;
Now in Heav’n exalted high.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew His song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
To me the song is a little odd. A little. Because the chorus is a single line. Typically choruses are another entire verse repeated in a song, but this one is one line: "Hallelujah! What a Savior!" Indeed, when you sing it the thing seems to come to an abrupt end. You're almost expecting more. Musically and lyrically it seems like something should follow it. It doesn't. And then, of course, you realize that it doesn't because it mustn't. Given the lyrics, what more can you say but "Hallelujah! What a Savior!"?

"Hallelujah" is Hebrew for "praise Yah" -- praise God. What is it, then, that makes Jesus praiseworthy, makes Him such a marvelous Savior? It is exactly this sacrifice. Bliss has exposited in a sense on Philippians 2:5-8, the passage on how Jesus gave up His "equality with God" to be humbled to the position of a servant, a servant put to death. Bliss references Isaiah 53 for the title, "Man of Sorrows". "He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not" (Isa 53:3). Really? "Man of Sorrows"? This Son of God? Yet, it is true. He took my place. I deserved the worst. The demands of justice required that I pay the ultimate price. And yet the spotless Lamb of God took my place. "Hallelujah! What a Savior!" What more is there to say?

There is, in the last two verses, a transition. It goes from crucified to glorified, from death to resurrection, from vanquished to victory. He was lifted up to die and ended up in heaven "exalted high". And it's not the end. He will return. He will return! Beginning in "Man of Sorrows" and ending in complete victory, it turns the whole mood. The King is coming! "Hallelujah! What a Savior!"

They say that "Hallelujah" is universal. It can be found across languages in slightly altered forms and understood by all. I don't know. It was said that this was the last hymn that Bliss sang in public before his death in a train crash. It is, I'm quite sure, the hymn he's singing now and the hymn we will sing. "When He comes, our glorious King, All His ransomed home to bring, Then anew His song we’ll sing: Hallelujah! What a Savior!" Wrap your arms around the saving blood of Christ and the coming King. I'm pretty sure you'll be singing the same thing.

4 comments:

Glenn E. Chatfield said...

In 1999 we attended a Plymouth Brethren assembly for the first time with friends. This was one of the songs they sang, and it was my first time hearing it. It became one of my favorites.

Stan said...

I imagine it would sound good on bagpipes.

Glenn E. Chatfield said...

Well, I've not tried it before, but I just picked up my practice chanter to see how it would sound. The lowest note is flat and sounds a bit weird, but the rest are okay.

No sharps or flats, and only nine available notes tends to restrict what can be played.

Stan said...

See? It has potential! (The words make it worth it. "Hallelujah! What a Savior!")