Hosanna!

In our church we typically do not celebrate Palm Sunday in any traditional way, but

this morning I have been remembering a song my mother sang as I was growing up,

“The Holy City.”  I went back this morning to look up that song.  It celebrates Palm

Sunday.

Last night I lay asleeping

There came a dream so fair

I stood in old Jerusalem

Beside the temple there

I heard the children singing

And ever as they sang

Methought the voice of Angels

From Heaven in answer rang

"Jerusalem, Jerusalem!

Lift up your gates and sing

Hosanna in the highest

Hosanna to your King!"

 

And then methought my dream was chang'd

The streets no longer rang

Hush'd were the glad Hosannas

The little children sang

The sun grew dark with mystery

The morn was cold and chill

As the shadow of a cross arose

Upon a lonely hill

"Jerusalem, Jerusalem!

Hark! How the Angels sing

Hosanna in the highest

Hosanna to your King!"

 

And once again the scene was chang'd

New earth there seem'd to be

I saw the Holy City

Beside the tideless sea

The light of God was on its streets

The gates were open wide

And all who would might enter

And no one was denied

No need of moon or stars by night

Or sun to shine by day

It was the new Jerusalem

That would not pass away

“Jerusalem! Jerusalem

Sing for the night is o'er

Hosanna in the highest

Hosanna for evermore!”

 

The song celebrates the triumphal entry, switches to the crucifixion, then ends with the Holy City, new

Jerusalem.  The story is not complete without all of the components. The angels joined with the children and

the crowd in singing Hosannah as Jesus rode into the city because they knew it was only a taste of what was

to come.  The angels were singing Hosannah even at the crucifixion because the crucifixion was God’s plan

from  the very beginning, the redemption of man.   And I can look forward to the new heavens and earth

because of the day of the crucifixion.  

One of the descriptions of this event, Luke 19:37-40 NLT, says “When He reached the place where the road

started down the Mount of Olives, all of His followers began to shout and sing as they walked along,

praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.” Blessings on the King who comes in the namof the Lord!  Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!”  But some of the Pharisees among the crowd

said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!”  He replied, "If they kept quiet, the stonesalong the road would burst into cheers!”  If the very stones would cry out in praise, surely we can say,“Hosanna in the highest!  Hosanna for evermore!” Let’s celebrate the King’s entry into Jerusalem.  Hosanna!

 

~~Faith Himes Lamb

 

The New Jerusalem