Scripture referenced 10 passages
The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.
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Psalm 113 Read as part of the lesser Hallel, praising the Lord from the rising to the setting of the sun
1 Praise Yah! Praise, you servants of Yahweh, praise Yahweh’s name.
2 Blessed be Yahweh’s name, from this time forward and forever more.
3 From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, Yahweh’s name is to be praised.
4 Yahweh is high above all nations, his glory above the heavens.
5 Who is like Yahweh, our God, who has his seat on high,
6 Who stoops down to see in heaven and in the earth?
7 He raises up the poor out of the dust. Lifts up the needy from the ash heap;
8 that he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.
9 He settles the barren woman in her home, as a joyful mother of children. Praise Yah!
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Keep this verse
Psalm 114
Read as part of the lesser Hallel, recalling Israel's exodus from Egypt and creation bowing before God
1 When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of foreign language;
2 Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion.
3 The sea saw it, and fled. The Jordan was driven back.
4 The mountains skipped like rams, the little hills like lambs.
5 What was it, you sea, that you fled? You Jordan, that you turned back?
6 You mountains, that you skipped like rams; you little hills, like lambs?
7 Tremble, you earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob,
8 who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of waters.
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Psalm 115
Read as part of the lesser Hallel, contrasting the living God with silent, useless idols
1 Not to us, Yahweh, not to us, but to your name give glory, for your loving kindness, and for your truth’s sake.
2 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God, now?”
3 But our God is in the heavens. He does whatever he pleases.
4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.
5 They have mouths, but they don’t speak. They have eyes, but they don’t see.
6 They have ears, but they don’t hear. They have noses, but they don’t smell.
7 They have hands, but they don’t feel. They have feet, but they don’t walk, neither do they speak through their throat.
8 Those who make them will be like them; yes, everyone who trusts in them.
9 Israel, trust in Yahweh! He is their help and their shield.
10 House of Aaron, trust in Yahweh! He is their help and their shield.
11 You who fear Yahweh, trust in Yahweh! He is their help and their shield.
12 Yahweh remembers us. He will bless us. He will bless the house of Israel. He will bless the house of Aaron.
13 He will bless those who fear Yahweh, both small and great.
14 May Yahweh increase you more and more, you and your children.
15 Blessed are you by Yahweh, who made heaven and earth.
16 The heavens are the heavens of Yahweh; but the earth has he given to the children of men.
17 The dead don’t praise Yah, neither any who go down into silence;
18 But we will bless Yah, from this time forward and forever more. Praise Yah!
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Psalm 116
Read as part of the lesser Hallel, expressing love for the Lord who hears pleas for mercy
1 I love Yahweh, because he listens to my voice, and my cries for mercy.
2 Because he has turned his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
3 The cords of death surrounded me, the pains of Sheol got a hold of me. I found trouble and sorrow.
4 Then I called on Yahweh’s name: “Yahweh, I beg you, deliver my soul.”
5 Yahweh is Gracious and righteous. Yes, our God is merciful.
6 Yahweh preserves the simple. I was brought low, and he saved me.
7 Return to your rest, my soul, for Yahweh has dealt bountifully with you.
8 For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
9 I will walk before Yahweh in the land of the living.
10 I believed, therefore I said, “I was greatly afflicted.”
11 I said in my haste, “All men are liars.”
12 What will I give to Yahweh for all his benefits toward me?
13 I will take the cup of salvation, and call on Yahweh’s name.
14 I will pay my vows to Yahweh, yes, in the presence of all his people.
15 Precious in Yahweh’s sight is the death of his saints.
16 Yahweh, truly I am your servant. I am your servant, the son of your servant. You have freed me from my chains.
17 I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call on Yahweh’s name.
18 I will pay my vows to Yahweh, yes, in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courts of Yahweh’s house, in the middle of you, Jerusalem. Praise Yah!
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Psalm 117
Read as part of the lesser Hallel, calling all nations to praise the Lord for his steadfast love
1 Praise Yahweh, all you nations! Extol him, all you peoples!
2 For his loving kindness is great toward us. Yahweh’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise Yah!
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Psalm 118
Read as the closing of the lesser Hallel, including the Hosanna cry and the blessing of the one who comes in the name of the Lord
1 Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.
2 Let Israel now say that his loving kindness endures forever.
3 Let the house of Aaron now say that his loving kindness endures forever.
4 Now let those who fear Yahweh say that his loving kindness endures forever.
5 Out of my distress, I called on Yah. Yah answered me with freedom.
6 Yahweh is on my side. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
7 Yahweh is on my side among those who help me. Therefore I will look in triumph at those who hate me.
8 It is better to take refuge in Yahweh, than to put confidence in man.
9 It is better to take refuge in Yahweh, than to put confidence in princes.
10 All the nations surrounded me, but in Yahweh’s name, I cut them off.
11 They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me. In Yahweh’s name I indeed cut them off.
12 They surrounded me like bees. They are quenched like the burning thorns. In Yahweh’s name I cut them off.
13 You pushed me back hard, to make me fall, but Yahweh helped me.
14 Yah is my strength and song. He has become my salvation.
15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous. “The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly.
16 The right hand of Yahweh is exalted! The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly!”
17 I will not die, but live, and declare Yah’s works.
18 Yah has punished me severely, but he has not given me over to death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness. I will enter into them. I will give thanks to Yah.
20 This is the gate of Yahweh; the righteous will enter into it.
21 I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me, and have become my salvation.
22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
23 This is Yahweh’s doing. It is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that Yahweh has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it!
25 Save us now, we beg you, Yahweh! Yahweh, we beg you, send prosperity now.
26 Blessed is he who comes in Yahweh’s name! We have blessed you out of Yahweh’s house.
27 Yahweh is God, and he has given us light. Bind the sacrifice with cords, even to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you. You are my God, I will exalt you.
29 Oh give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.
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Psalm 118:25-26
Identified as the source of the word Hosanna and the triumphal entry acclamation
25 Save us now, we beg you, Yahweh! Yahweh, we beg you, send prosperity now.
26 Blessed is he who comes in Yahweh’s name! We have blessed you out of Yahweh’s house.
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Psalm 136
Read as the greater Hallel, with congregation responding 'his steadfast love endures forever' to each line
1 Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good; for his loving kindness endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods; for his loving kindness endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords; for his loving kindness endures forever:
4 To him who alone does great wonders; for his loving kindness endures forever:
5 To him who by understanding made the heavens; for his loving kindness endures forever:
6 To him who spread out the earth above the waters; for his loving kindness endures forever:
7 To him who made the great lights; for his loving kindness endures forever:
8 The sun to rule by day; for his loving kindness endures forever;
9 The moon and stars to rule by night; for his loving kindness endures forever:
10 To him who struck down the Egyptian firstborn; for his loving kindness endures forever;
11 And brought out Israel from among them; for his loving kindness endures forever;
12 With a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm; for his loving kindness endures forever:
13 To him who divided the Red Sea apart; for his loving kindness endures forever;
14 And made Israel to pass through the middle of it; for his loving kindness endures forever;
15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea; for his loving kindness endures forever:
16 To him who led his people through the wilderness; for his loving kindness endures forever:
17 To him who struck great kings; for his loving kindness endures forever;
18 And killed mighty kings; for his loving kindness endures forever:
19 Sihon king of the Amorites; for his loving kindness endures forever;
20 Og king of Bashan; for his loving kindness endures forever;
21 And gave their land as an inheritance; for his loving kindness endures forever;
22 Even a heritage to Israel his servant; for his loving kindness endures forever:
23 Who remembered us in our low estate; for his loving kindness endures forever;
24 And has delivered us from our adversaries; for his loving kindness endures forever:
25 Who gives food to every creature; for his loving kindness endures forever.
26 Oh give thanks to the God of heaven; for his loving kindness endures forever.
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Matthew 21
The triumphal entry, the crowd spreading cloaks and palm branches and crying Hosanna to the Son of David
1 When they came near to Jerusalem, and came to Bethsphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,
2 saying to them, “Go into the village that is opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them, and bring them to me.
3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and immediately he will send them.”
4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying,
5 “Tell the daughter of Zion, behold, your King comes to you, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
6 The disciples went, and did just as Jesus commanded them,
7 and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their clothes on them; and he sat on them.
8 A very great multitude spread their clothes on the road. Others cut branches from the trees, and spread them on the road.
9 The multitudes who went in front of him, and those who followed, kept shouting, “Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
10 When he had come into Jerusalem, all the city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?”
11 The multitudes said, “This is the prophet, Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”
12 Jesus entered into the temple of God, and drove out all of those who sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the money changers’ tables and the seats of those who sold the doves.
13 He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers!”
14 The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them.
15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children who were crying in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the son of David!” they were indignant,
16 and said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes. Did you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing babies you have perfected praise?’”
17 He left them, and went out of the city to Bethany, and camped there.
18 Now in the morning, as he returned to the city, he was hungry.
19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he came to it, and found nothing on it but leaves. He said to it, “Let there be no fruit from you forever!” Immediately the fig tree withered away.
20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree immediately wither away?”
21 Jesus answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, if you have faith, and don’t doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you told this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it would be done.
22 All things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
23 When he had come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority do you do these things? Who gave you this authority?”
24 Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, which if you tell me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things.
25 The baptism of John, where was it from? From heaven or from men?” They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’
26 But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all hold John as a prophet.”
27 They answered Jesus, and said, “We don’t know.” He also said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
28 But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first, and said, ‘Son, go work today in my vineyard.’
29 He answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind, and went.
30 He came to the second, and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I’ m going, sir,’ but he didn’t go.
31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Most certainly I tell you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering into God’s Kingdom before you.
32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you didn’t believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. When you saw it, you didn’t even repent afterward, that you might believe him.
33 “Hear another parable. There was a man who was a master of a household, who planted a vineyard, set a hedge about it, dug a wine press in it, built a tower, leased it out to farmers, and went into another country.
34 When the season for the fruit came near, he sent his servants to the farmers, to receive his fruit.
35 The farmers took his servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned another.
36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they treated them the same way.
37 But afterward he sent to them his son, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’
38 But the farmers, when they saw the son, said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and seize his inheritance.’
39 So they took him, and threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
40 When therefore the lord of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those farmers?”
41 They told him, “He will miserably destroy those miserable men, and will lease out the vineyard to other farmers, who will give him the fruit in its season.”
42 Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘The stone which the builders rejected, the same was made the head of the corner. This was from the Lord. It is marvelous in our eyes?’
43 “Therefore I tell you, God’s Kingdom will be taken away from you, and will be given to a nation producing its fruit.
44 He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but on whomever it will fall, it will scatter him as dust.”
45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he spoke about them.
46 When they sought to seize him, they feared the multitudes, because they considered him to be a prophet.
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Joshua 2:10
Rahab tells the spies that Jericho heard how the Lord dried up the Red Sea and destroyed Sihon and Og
10 For we have heard how Yahweh dried up the water of the Red Sea before you, when you came out of Egypt; and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and to Og, whom you utterly destroyed.
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Recap
The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.
Palm Sunday 2018 found the pastor tracing the ancient Jewish hymns of praise that formed the backdrop to Jesus's entry into Jerusalem, and drawing the congregation into that same pattern of public thanksgiving. The sermon moved from the Lesser Hallel, the psalms sung in anticipation of Passover, through Psalm 136, the Greater Hallel, and back to the crowd's cry of "Hosanna" on that first Palm Sunday. The point throughout was that God's steadfast love endures forever, that it is available to all people, and that the habit of saying so out loud matters.
What was said
The service opened with the Lesser Hallel, Psalms 113 through 118, explained as the songs Israel sang in anticipation of Passover. The pastor described how pilgrims would have walked the 3,500-foot climb from Jericho to Jerusalem, about eleven miles, singing the Psalms of Ascent together as a unified nation. These were not private devotions but a corporate, voiced act of praise, and that communal quality was central to everything that followed.
Psalm 118 closes the Lesser Hallel with the word Hosanna, and the pastor paused there. In older Hebrew usage, Hosanna meant "save us now," a desperate plea directed at God. When the crowd on Palm Sunday spread palm fronds, a nationalistic symbol of Israel, and shouted "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were crying out for a military deliverer who would throw off Roman rule. They wanted a political savior, and they thought they had found one.
Psalm 136, the Greater Hallel, was then read responsively with the congregation. Its refrain, "his steadfast love endures forever," runs through all twenty-six verses and covers creation, the exodus, the crossing of the Red Sea, the defeat of kings Sihon and Og, and God's provision in the wilderness. The pastor noted that the psalm gives food and common grace to "all flesh," not only to Israel, and that God's love therefore reaches further than any one people or nation.
The story of Rahab was brought in to illustrate that point. Rahab, a Canaanite in Jericho, had heard what God did at the Red Sea and to Sihon and Og, and on the basis of that reputation she declared, "the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above and on earth beneath." She was outside Israel, but news of God's mighty acts moved her to faith. The pastor connected this to the pattern of the Hallel itself: when God's people habitually declare what God has done, others hear and are drawn in.
The sermon then returned to the double meaning of Hosanna. By the first century, the word had begun to carry a second sense alongside the old plea, one of acknowledged salvation already accomplished. The crowd on Palm Sunday may have been crying out for rescue from Rome, but the word they chose pointed forward to what the week would actually deliver. The pastor noted that many of the same voices would shout "crucify him" by Friday, and held that up as a reason not to trust fickle human enthusiasm but to anchor praise in what God has actually done.
The thread that tied everything together was a simple claim: remembering God's past deeds out loud, in community, is not ceremonial habit but something that shapes the heart and extends the reach of the gospel. God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. Thankfulness, the pastor said, is what research and scripture alike connect to joy. The benediction sent the congregation into Holy Week with a charge to keep giving thanks to the God of heaven, whose steadfast love endures forever.
Doing a Bible study?
Here is a guide we have prepared for you: the passages in order, questions for the group, and room to write.
- The pastor talked about how the crowds on Palm Sunday cried 'Hosanna' meaning 'save us now,' hoping Jesus would overthrow the Romans. In what ways do we come to God expecting Him to fix our circumstances on our terms rather than His?
- Psalm 136 was sung responsively so the congregation could speak God's praise out loud together. What does it do to your faith when you say aloud what God has done, rather than just thinking it privately?
and 3 more questions in the guide
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