The Hallel

The Hallel

At the conclusion of The Last Supper, the gospels of Matthew and Mark note: “When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” (Matthew 26:30 and Mark 14:26). According to some scholars, this “hymn” consisted of Psalms 115-118, the last portion of the Hallel.

The Hallel (or the “Egyptian Hallel”), is a Jewish prayer of praise and thanksgiving, and consists of Psalms 113-118. It is recited during the Passover (a.k.a., Pesach) and some other major Jewish festivals and feasts. It is also referred to as the “Full Hallel.” It is also called "The Egyptian Hallel," because it was chanted in the temple while the Passover lambs were being slain.

According to Jewish practice, Psalms 113 and 114 (“praise”) were recited before the Passover meal or before the second glass of wine. Psalms 115-118 (“thanksgiving”) were recited at the end of the Passover meal, or after the fourth and last cup of wine (called the Hallel Cup). Some scholars have written that the hymn which was sung by Jesus and His disciples during the Last Supper was the Hallel. As such, it would have been the last group hymn and prayer by Jesus and his disciples before His arrest and crucifixion.

Because of the nature of the Passover festival, the Full Hallel is recited only on the first day (or first two days) of the Passover, while the Lesser Hallel and the Great Hallel were recited on the remaining days of the festival.

Other “Hallel” Psalms include:

The Partial (or Half) Hallel. Psalms 113, 114, 115:12-18, 117 and 118 (that is, the Full Hallel less Psalm 115:1-11 and all of Psalm 116).
The Lesser Hallel. Psalm 115:1-11 and all of Psalm 116.
The Great Hallel. Psalm 136 (or Psalms 135-136); The “Great Hallel” was recited in the Temple as the Passover lambs were being slain and at Pentecost, Tabernacles, and Dedication. Some scholars also include the “Songs of Ascents,” Psalms 120-134, and some also include Psalms 118-119.
A second Great Hallel consisting of Psalms 145-150; they are a portion of the traditional Jewish morning prayer service, together with Psalms 135-136.

Groups of Hallelujah (Hallelu Yah – “Praise Yahweh”) Psalms in the fifth book of the Psalms (Ps. 107-150) include 104-106; 111-113; 115-117; 135; 146-150. This was originally a command, and responded with as an exclamation.

Because the meal shared by Jesus and His disciples was celebrated on the first day of the Passover, the Full Hallel would have been recited. Had the meal been celebrated on the last six days of Passover, only the Lesser Hallel (plus the Great Hallel) would have been recited.

Hallel is Hebrew for “Praise.” When combined with the first two letters of God's Hebrew name, YH, we have the familiar word of emphatic praise: Hallelujah! “Alleluia” is the Latin translation.

The translator's notes at the NET Bible included this note:

After singing a hymn. The Hallel Psalms (Pss 113-118) were sung during the meal. Psalms 113 and 114 were sung just before the second cup and 115-118 were sung at the end of the meal, after the fourth, or hallel cup.

From the Bible:

Matthew 26:17 and Mark 14:12: “On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread …”
Luke 22:7: “Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.”
Matthew 26:20 and Mark 14:17: “When evening came …”
Luke 22:14: “When the hour came … ”

Sources:

“Hallel,” International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

“Hallel,” Easton's Bible Dictionary

“Hallel,” Holman Bible Dictionary

“Alleluia,” Smith's Bible Dictionary. Note that “Alleluia” is the Latin translation of “Hallelujah.”

“The Hallel,” Wikipedia.

Psalm 113-114

Sung before the Passover meal (or before the second glass of wine according to some scholars).

Psalm 113

1 Praise the LORD.[a]

   Praise the LORD, you his servants;
   praise the name of the LORD.
2 Let the name of the LORD be praised,
   both now and forevermore.
3 From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
   the name of the LORD is to be praised.

4 The LORD is exalted over all the nations,
   his glory above the heavens.
5 Who is like the LORD our God,
   the One who sits enthroned on high,
6 who stoops down to look
   on the heavens and the earth?

7 He raises the poor from the dust
   and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
8 he seats them with princes,
   with the princes of his people.
9 He settles the childless woman in her home
   as a happy mother of children.

Praise the LORD.

Psalm 114

1 When Israel came out of Egypt,
Jacob from a people of foreign tongue,
2 Judah became God’s sanctuary,
Israel his dominion.

3 The sea looked and fled,
the Jordan turned back;
4 the mountains leaped like rams,
the hills like lambs.

5 Why was it, sea, that you fled?
Why, Jordan, did you turn back?
6 Why, mountains, did you leap like rams,
you hills, like lambs?

7 Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord,
at the presence of the God of Jacob,
8 who turned the rock into a pool,
the hard rock into springs of water.

Footnotes:

Psalm 113:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 9

Psalm 115-118

Sung at the conclusion of the Passover meal (the 4^th cup according to some scholars).

Psalm 115

1 Not to us, LORD, not to us
but to your name be the glory,
because of your love and faithfulness.

2 Why do the nations say,
   “Where is their God?”
3 Our God is in heaven;
   he does whatever pleases him.
4 But their idols are silver and gold,
   made by human hands.
5 They have mouths, but cannot speak,
   eyes, but cannot see.
6 They have ears, but cannot hear,
   noses, but cannot smell.
7 They have hands, but cannot feel,
   feet, but cannot walk,
   nor can they utter a sound with their throats.
8 Those who make them will be like them,
   and so will all who trust in them.

9 All you Israelites, trust in the LORD—
   he is their help and shield.
10 House of Aaron, trust in the LORD—
   he is their help and shield.
11 You who fear him, trust in the LORD—
   he is their help and shield.

12 The LORD remembers us and will bless us:
   He will bless his people Israel,
   he will bless the house of Aaron,
13 he will bless those who fear the LORD—
   small and great alike.

14 May the LORD cause you to flourish,
both you and your children.
15 May you be blessed by the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

16 The highest heavens belong to the LORD,
   but the earth he has given to mankind.
17 It is not the dead who praise the LORD,
   those who go down to the place of silence;
18 it is we who extol the LORD,
   both now and forevermore.

Praise the LORD.[a]

Psalm 116

1 I love the LORD, for he heard my voice;
he heard my cry for mercy.
2 Because he turned his ear to me,
I will call on him as long as I live.

3 The cords of death entangled me,
   the anguish of the grave came over me;
   I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
4 Then I called on the name of the LORD:
   “LORD, save me!”

5 The LORD is gracious and righteous;
our God is full of compassion.
6 The LORD protects the unwary;
when I was brought low, he saved me.

7 Return to your rest, my soul,
for the LORD has been good to you.

8 For you, LORD, have delivered me from death,
   my eyes from tears,
   my feet from stumbling,
9 that I may walk before the LORD
   in the land of the living.

10 I trusted in the LORD when I said,
“I am greatly afflicted”;
11 in my alarm I said,
“Everyone is a liar.”

12 What shall I return to the LORD
for all his goodness to me?

13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the LORD.
14 I will fulfill my vows to the LORD
in the presence of all his people.

15 Precious in the sight of the LORD
   is the death of his faithful servants.
16 Truly I am your servant, LORD;
   I serve you just as my mother did;
   you have freed me from my chains.

17 I will sacrifice a thank offering to you
   and call on the name of the LORD.
18 I will fulfill my vows to the LORD
   in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courts of the house of the LORD—
   in your midst, Jerusalem.

Praise the LORD.[b]

Psalm 117

1 Praise the LORD, all you nations;
extol him, all you peoples.
2 For great is his love toward us,
and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.

Praise the LORD.[c]

Psalm 118

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

2 Let Israel say:
   “His love endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron say:
   “His love endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the LORD say:
   “His love endures forever.”

5 When hard pressed, I cried to the LORD;
   he brought me into a spacious place.
6 The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid.
   What can mere mortals do to me?
7 The LORD is with me; he is my helper.
   I look in triumph on my enemies.

8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD
   than to trust in humans.
9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD
   than to trust in princes.
10 All the nations surrounded me,
   but in the name of the LORD I cut them down.
11 They surrounded me on every side,
   but in the name of the LORD I cut them down.
12 They swarmed around me like bees,
   but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;
   in the name of the LORD I cut them down.
13 I was pushed back and about to fall,
   but the LORD helped me.
14 The LORD is my strength and my defense[d];
   he has become my salvation.

15 Shouts of joy and victory
   resound in the tents of the righteous:
“The LORD’s right hand has done mighty things!
16 The LORD’s right hand is lifted high;
   the LORD’s right hand has done mighty things!”
17 I will not die but live,
   and will proclaim what the LORD has done.
18 The LORD has chastened me severely,
   but he has not given me over to death.
19 Open for me the gates of the righteous;
   I will enter and give thanks to the LORD.
20 This is the gate of the LORD
   through which the righteous may enter.
21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
   you have become my salvation.

22 The stone the builders rejected
   has become the cornerstone;
23 the LORD has done this,
   and it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 The LORD has done it this very day;
   let us rejoice today and be glad.

25 LORD, save us!
LORD, grant us success!

26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD.
   From the house of the LORD we bless you.[e]
27 The LORD is God,
   and he has made his light shine on us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
   up[f] to the horns of the altar.

28 You are my God, and I will praise you;
you are my God, and I will exalt you.

29 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.