HYMN STORIES: The Songs We Sing

“Let it be a Hallelujah”

Last Sunday we sang a new song at the 10:00 service. Let it be a Hallelujah was written by Lauren Daigle in 2015 but was not released until 2025. Daigle reflected, “Can I still utter the same prayer that I once did in my youth?... I just want a hallelujah to still come from my lips…It needed to be a song that’s withstood the test of time. For me, it was like more of the personal test of time to be able to say, ‘Yeah, even after all of this, at the end of the day, that is my heart’s cry, that is the prayer upon my lips.’”

The word “Hallelujah” is Hebrew in origin, meaning “Praise God.” Daigle’s lyrics echo the word’s meaning, quoting Psalm 150:6, the final verse of the book. “Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord!”  When we hear someone sing the word “Hallelujah” - whether that’s a famous recording artist like Lauren Daigle or a friend we know well, we would be wise to remember the path that led this person to that ancient word. Let It Be a Hallelujah is not a song sung at the beginning of a journey with idealism and no scars. The song is a reflection on God’s faithfulness. As Daigle noted, “After all of this, at the end of the day, that is my heart’s cry, that is the prayer upon my lips.”

As we sing this song in worship next week, let it remind us that God has not abandoned us, nor has He left His work in us incomplete. May we claim the promise Paul shared with the Philippians. “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus
returns.”

Lindrew Johnson