Hosanna: The Biblical Cry of Salvation and Praise

The Hebrew word transliterated as "Hosanna," appears in the Bible as both a cry for salvation and an exclamation of praise.
Originally recited during Hebrew worship at the Feast of Tabernacles, it evolved to signify both petition and trust in God's saving power.

The Hebrew Origins and Meaning

The phrase means "save now." It was both a desperate plea and a confident trust in God's saving power (Ps 118:25-26).
This establishes Hosanna as both petition and praise, emphasizing God's steadfast love and deliverance (Ps 118:14).

By the first century, Hosanna carried messianic expectations, with crowds looking to a promised Messiah for deliverance. During Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem—recorded in all four Gospels—crowds waved palm branches and shouted "Hosanna," identifying Jesus as the Davidic Messiah and fulfilling Zechariah's prophecy of a peaceful king riding a donkey.

The cry of Hosanna connects Old Testament tradition with Jesus' new redeeming work, celebrated especially during Passover. It marks both a plea for help and recognition of Jesus as Saviour and King.

The term affirms Jesus’ identity as Messiah and highlights the paradox of His kingdom: humble yet royal, bringing salvation through sacrifice, moving from a cry for deliverance to praise for Christ’s completed work, merging need with celebration.

Reflection and Application

*Personal Salvation:* We call out "Hosanna" for Christ's saving grace.
*Daily Praise:* "Hosanna" embodies continual worship of Christ.
*Missional Hope:* The global church uses "Hosanna" to anticipate Christ’s return.
*Humble Worship:* True worship balances joy and humility before Christ the King.

The Hebrew Origins and Meaning

Messianic Expectations

By the first century, Hosanna had acquired messianic overtones. The Jewish people anticipated a Davidic king to deliver them from Roman oppression, invoking covenant promises of a coming Messiah [2 Samuel 7:12-16]. The cry "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord" from Psalm 118:26 referred to the promised Messiah [Psalm 118:26].

Jesus' Triumphal Entry

Palm Sunday

Four Gospels record Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem [Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-40; John 12:12-19]. Riding a donkey to fulfill Zechariah's prophecy, crowds spread cloaks and waved palm branches [Zechariah 9:9]. The donkey signified a king of peace, while palm branches framed Jesus' entry as royal procession and messianic deliverance [John 12:13].

The Crowd's Declaration

Matthew records the crowds shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" [Matthew 21:9]. Mark adds "Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!" [Mark 11:10]. The crowds identified Jesus as the Davidic Messiah and declared God's kingdom. "Hosanna in the highest" elevates the cry to cosmic celebration [Matthew 21:9].

Fulfillment of Prophecy

Jesus' entry fulfilled Zechariah's prophecy: "Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey" [Zechariah 9:9]. The timing was significant—during Passover, when pilgrims remembered God's deliverance from Egypt. The Hosanna cry connected this with the new salvation Jesus would accomplish through death and resurrection [Exodus 12:1-14].

Theological Significance

From Petition to Praise

The transformation of Hosanna from "save now" to praise reaches fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The crowds' cry acknowledged need for salvation and celebrated Jesus as the answer. In Christ, petition and praise merge—He is both Savior and salvation [Hebrews 5:7-9]. This embodies the "already" of Christ's completed work and the "not yet" of final consummation [Romans 8:24-25].

Christ's Identity

The crowd's identification of Jesus as "the Son of David" and "he who comes in the name of the Lord" declares his messianic identity. Jesus accepted this worship. His response—"if these were silent, the very stones would cry out" [Luke 19:40]—confirms creation recognizes its Creator and King. The Hosanna cry acknowledges Jesus as promised Messiah and Son of God.

Kingdom Paradox

The triumphal entry presents a kingdom paradox: Jesus comes as king riding a donkey, receives royal praise yet will be crucified, and crowds cry for deliverance from Rome while Jesus delivers from sin and death. The Hosanna cry anticipates Christ's unexpected kingdom [John 18:36]. We cry Hosanna declaring Christ's kingdom operates by different principles—salvation through cross, humility, and sacrifice, not conquest [Philippians 2:5-11].

Reflection and Application

Personal Salvation: Like the crowds, we cry out "Hosanna" acknowledging our need for God's saving work, expressing desperation and confidence that Christ alone can save [Ephesians 2:8-9].
Daily Praise: Hosanna should be a daily posture of the heart, acknowledging Christ as King and celebrating His ongoing work [Psalm 145:2].
Missional Hope: As we cry Hosanna, we join the global church anticipating Christ's return and establishment of His kingdom, fueling mission to share the gospel [Revelation 7:9-10].
Humble Worship: The triumphal entry teaches true worship combines celebration with humility, approaching Christ as both conquering King and humble Servant [Matthew 21:5].