“They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Blessed is the King of Israel!"

Not only are palms traditional for Palm Sunday, but the songs of Hosanna and Hosanna in the highest are songs as part of the reflection of the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem to prepare for His sacrifice. It also has significance for the celebration to worship our Lord.   

The word, "hosanna" means save now. Hallelujah what a Savior. The shouts are important just to recognize the expression of Joy. Emotion is exhibited in both the non-verbal by the waving of the branches, as well as the verbal with the shouts of victory as a conqueror comes into town. The crowd believed Jesus was God’s anointed one to re-establish the Kingdom of Israel. Here there is also a quote from the Old Testament Psalm 118:25,26 "O Lord, save us; O Lord grant us success. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord for from the house of the Lord we bless you." This was part of the song known to the Jews as the Hallel. All serious Hebrew boys had to learn that and that is still true today. They sang this often at great acts of praise and thanksgiving in the temple and regularly sing this in the synagogue now. This is a significant part of the Passover ritual.   

According to Josephus, the Jewish historian, these very verses were sung and shouted by the crowd of Jerusalem when they welcomed back Simon Maccabaeus after he had led the Jewish rebellion and wrestled victory from Syrian dominion more than a hundred years before.  There is no doubt that, when the people sang this Psalm, they were looking to Jesus as God's anointed. He was like Simon Maccabaeus and to many He was as the anticipated Messiah as they understood Him.   

Jesus' very name means Savior. The Hebrew name Joshua means Savior. The angels sang to the shepherds that night, when Jesus came into the world, that this day in the city of David a savior is born which is Christ the Lord.  A savior brought the people to shout Hosanna. They were fulfilling the prophecies.  They were tools of God, not only bring praise to the only begotten Son of the Father, but also to fulfill the prophecies of old. Jesus could say to the Pharisees who were objecting to the children shouting praises to Jesus, that if they stopped the stones themselves would cry out. The Savior is coming! The Savior Jesus, son of God is coming. “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”    

Do you ever get so excited about Jesus Christ you feel like shouting? We are a reserved people for the most part, but even the rocks will cry out when the realization of the wondrous work of God is seen in the story of our redemption. It is something worthy of praise by song, music and shouting.

Praise the Lord. Hallelujah!

 Dale