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A thousand Hallelujahs

When I participated in children's choir at church, we often began our practice time with a fun, active song.  Anyone remember:


Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah
Praise Ye the Lord.
Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah
Praise Ye the Lord.
Praise Ye the Lord, Hallelujah!
Praise Ye the Lord, Hallelujah!
Praise Ye the Lord, Hallelujah!
Praise Ye the Lord.

Each time we sang "Hallelu" or "hallelujah", we would sit down or stand up in progression.  By the end of the song, giggles filled the room, and we'd beg to sing it again.  When singing that chorus, there are 12 Hallelujahs offered to God.

Even now, as I found myself singing along, my face lit up with a sweet memory and a precious moment of worship to the Lord who is worthy of ALL praise.

Often, when I come to the Lord in prayer, my lists of needs is long.  I have much to talk to Him about, much to ask Him for, and much to maybe even "convice" Him regarding what I believe I must have.

Did you notice how many "I's" there were in that paragraph.  Praising our Heavenly Father doesn't always drive our prayer, does it?
The Message paraphrases Psalm 96:4 with these words, "For God is great, and worth a thousand Hallelujahs."  Hold that thought for just a minute.

It must have been 1986.  We were living in South Carolina, and my best friend and I had taken the afternoon  to go shopping at our local department store.  This wasn't just any normal shopping trip.  You see, this particular store was offering an unbelievable treat.  We understood the details perfectly.  One of the employees was secretly named, "the mystery person."  Whoever said the specific word to that mystery person won a $100 gift card to the store.  Sounds simple enough.  Only one stimulation: the winner had to the 100th person to say the specific word to the mystery person.  We were up for the challenge.  We went to every employee in the store and repeated the word.  No one pronounced us the winner, so we devised a winning plan.  We really did this - we went to each employee in the entire store and took turns saying the mystery word... 50 TIMES EACH, so we made it clearly to the 100th person to speak the word.
We didn't win.  We still don't know why.  😊
The suspense is heavy here... what was the specific word we said hundreds of times that day.  I honestly can't remember.  I even called my friend, and she can't remember either.  What we DO remember is how silly we must surely have looked in our strategic quest.  We intentionally spoke the word hundreds of times that day.

Is God really great?
Is God really worth a thousand Hallelujahs?

In speaking of Himself in Job 38-41, God brings dramatic questions recounting HIS power and majesty:
Who marked off the dimensions of the earth's foundation?
Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?
Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons?
Can you raise your voice to the clouds?
Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?
Who has wisdom to count the clouds?
Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens?
Do you give the horse its strength or clothe its neck with a flowing mane?
Can your voice thunder like His?

Our great God is worthy of all the praise and honor we can muster.
So on this day, I'll commit to offering Him a thouand Hallelujahs.
It might just take me all day...  Join me, won't you?


Dear Heavenly Father,
Holy is Your name,
I sing Praise Ye, Lord.
I shout Hallelujah to you!
You are worthy.
Great are You, Lord...