Simply Put: "Hallelujah"

Podcast: Simply Put, by Ligonier Ministries
Host: Barry Cooper
Date: November 25, 2025
Episode Theme:
This episode unpacks the meaning, origins, and significance of the word "Hallelujah," demonstrating its theological depth and application in the life of believers—perfect for those who want concise, clear explanations of big biblical terms.

Episode Overview

Barry Cooper explores the word "Hallelujah," tracing its roots from Hebrew, illuminating why it’s transliterated rather than translated, and explaining its profound significance in both the Old and New Testaments. In his approachable style, Cooper connects the layered meaning of "Hallelujah" to the identity of God and the believer’s call to worship.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Why We Use Words from Other Languages

(00:00–01:15)

• English imports words for nuance (e.g., "al fresco", "schadenfreude", "rendezvous", "faux pas").
• Transliteration (writing the sounds of foreign words using English letters) preserves meaning and sound when simple translation doesn’t suffice.
  • Examples: "metropolis" (Greek), "wok" (Chinese), "ketchup" (Chinese).

"Sometimes, when the English language isn't enough to capture what we want to say, we import words from other languages."
— Barry Cooper, 00:01

2. The Anatomy of “Hallelujah”

(01:16–03:16)

• "Hallelujah" comes from two Hebrew words:
  • "Hallelu" = "let us praise"
  • "Yah" = shortened form of “Yahweh,” the personal name of Israel’s God.
• Yahweh (YHWH) derives from “I am who I am” in Exodus 3, highlighting God's self-sustaining, eternal, and transcendent nature.

"So hallelujah means let us praise Yah. Let us join together in worshiping and praising this God, Yahweh, and no other."
— Barry Cooper, 02:55

3. Why Transliterate “Hallelujah”?

(03:17–03:52)

• The original Hebrew, containing God’s name, was considered too sacred to translate.
• Transliterating preserves the sanctity and direct connection to God’s holy name.

"Perhaps because the Hebrew original, containing as it does the name of God himself, was considered too sacred to be changed in any way."
— Barry Cooper, 03:21

4. Usage in Scripture

Old Testament:
(03:53–04:42)

• "Hallelujah" appears 24 times, all in Psalms.
• Psalm 150 is highlighted: "Hallelujah" bookends the psalm, underscoring full-circle praise.

"If you look at the climactic final Psalm, Psalm 150, the word hallelujah bookends the whole psalm, appearing as it does right at the beginning and right at the end."
— Barry Cooper, 04:01

New Testament:
(04:43–05:31)

• Appears only in Revelation 19, four times, all as cries of praise by the heavenly multitude, especially in response to God’s righteous judgment—an often overlooked context for "hallelujah."

"We don't often think of saying ‘Hallelujah’ for the judgment that Yahweh will pour out on those who have rebelled against Him. Certainly, not when we're breezily whistling along to Handel's Hallelujah Chorus, which is based on this passage of Scripture. But there it is."
— Barry Cooper, 05:03

5. The Personal and Communal Call to Praise

(05:32–End)

• "Hallelujah" is both a personal and communal invitation to praise Yahweh, the living God, who fully identifies with His people.
• The thunderous acclamation in Revelation signifies shared, overwhelming worship.

"As the word Hallelujah reminds us, Yahweh is our God. We are his people. He identifies so personally with us that when we are downtrodden or persecuted because of Him, YHWH takes it very personally."
— Barry Cooper, 05:32

• Cooper concludes by urging listeners to let "Hallelujah" remind them to praise the true God.

"So when you see or say that word Hallelujah in future, let it bring to your mind this God and no other. It's a call for us to praise Yahweh the Great. I am. Hallelu Yah."
— Barry Cooper, 06:08

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On the sacredness of Yahweh’s name:
  "The name Yahweh is built out of the Hebrew word for I am. So it is a name that is intended to make us marvel at the self-sustaining, eternally existing, utterly transcendent nature of this God." (02:12)

• On the translation vs. transliteration:
  "Why was Hallelujah transliterated rather than translated? Perhaps because the Hebrew original, containing as it does the name of God himself, was considered too sacred to be changed in any way." (03:17)

• On the corporate nature of praise:
  "And then the vast crowd cry out together again. And the text says the words of praise are like overwhelming peals of thunder tumbling over one another. Hallelujah for the Lord our God, the Almighty reigns." (05:45)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Topic | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------------|----------------| | Introduction to transliterated words | 00:00–01:15 | | Meaning and origin of "Hallelujah" | 01:16–03:16 | | Why not translate “Hallelujah”? | 03:17–03:52 | | Old Testament usage in Psalms | 03:53–04:42 | | New Testament (Revelation) usage | 04:43–05:31 | | The significance of "Hallelujah" for believers | 05:32–end |

Tone and Style

Barry Cooper’s language is clear, inviting, and peppered with gentle humor, making complex theological ideas accessible without losing their depth. He addresses listeners as fellow learners, drawing them into the historical, biblical, and devotional richness of "Hallelujah."

Summary

This episode eloquently demonstrates how a single “long word” like "Hallelujah" encapsulates the heart of biblical worship—calling God’s people to a unique, sacred praise directed solely to Yahweh, the Great I Am. Cooper's journey from linguistics to theology provides listeners with a newfound appreciation for a term often used but rarely pondered, anchoring it firmly in the story of God’s self-revelation and His people’s grateful response.