How to Say Praise in Hebrew: Hallel (הַלֵּל)

Quick Answer: How to Say Praise in Hebrew

Praise in Hebrew is:

הַלֵּל

hallel

Pronounced: hah-LEL

Meaning: Praise, to shine forth, to boast in, to celebrate

How to Pronounce Hallel

The Hebrew word הַלֵּל (hallel) is pronounced hah-LEL.

Pronunciation Breakdown

• הַ (ha) — Sounds like "hah" (the "a" as in "father")
• לֵּל (lel) — Sounds like "LEL" (the "e" as in "bed," emphasis on this syllable)

Stress: The emphasis is on the final syllable: hah-LEL

Practice Saying Hallel

Try saying it slowly: hah (pause) LEL

Then say it faster: hah-LEL

Tip: The "h" at the beginning is pronounced softly, like a gentle breath. The double "l" in the second syllable gives it a slight emphasis.

What Does Hallel Mean?

The Hebrew root ה-ל-ל (heh-lamed-lamed) carries the idea of shining, radiating, or making something visible. When you hallel God, you're not just saying nice things — you're making His glory visible. You're reflecting His radiance back to Him and to the world. The word encompasses:

Praise

Worship and adoration directed toward God

Celebration

Joyful expression, rejoicing, and exultation

Radiance

To shine or be radiant — praise makes God's greatness visible

Exaltation

Lifting up and honoring; boasting in the Lord

Key Insight: Hallel comes from the root ה-ל-ל (to praise, to shine). The connection to shining shows that praise isn't merely verbal — it's the act of making God's glory known. When we hallel, we reflect His radiance and declare His greatness.

The Star of the Show: Hallelujah

Here's where it gets beautiful. The word Hallelujah — perhaps the most recognized Hebrew word on earth — is built directly from hallel. It breaks down into two parts:

• Hallelu (הַלְלוּ) — The plural imperative: "Praise!" (addressed to everyone)
• Yah (יָהּ) — A shortened form of God's sacred name YHWH

Put them together: Hallelu + Yah = Hallelujah — "All of you, praise the Lord!"

When you say Hallelujah, you're speaking an ancient Hebrew command. You're calling on everyone within earshot to praise God. No wonder it's been sung in worship for over 3,000 years — from the Psalms to Handel's Messiah to gospel choirs around the world.

Hallel in the Psalms

The book of Psalms is saturated with hallel. Two collections stand out:

The Hallel Psalms (113–118)

These six psalms are traditionally called the "Egyptian Hallel" because they were sung during Passover, remembering the Exodus. They open with:

הַלְלוּ עַבְדֵי יְהוָה

hallelu avdei Adonai

"Praise, O servants of the Lord" (Psalm 113:1)

Jewish tradition recites these psalms on the three pilgrimage festivals (Passover, Shavuot, Sukkot) and at the new moon. They're the soundtrack of biblical celebration.

Psalm 150: The Grand Finale

The book of Psalms ends with an explosion of hallel. Psalm 150 opens and closes with Hallelujah and calls for praise with every instrument imaginable:

הַלְלוּ יָהּ הַלְלוּ אֵל בְּקָדְשׁוֹ

hallelu yah, hallelu El bekodsho

"Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary."

Trumpets, lyres, harps, tambourines, strings, flutes, cymbals — everything that has breath is summoned to praise. The Hebrew word for "praise" in that famous closing line, "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord," comes from the same root. Hallel is the final word of the Psalter.

David: The Praiser

David — the shepherd king, the man after God's own heart — is credited with writing roughly half the Psalms. His name means "beloved," but his legacy is praise. When he brought the Ark to Jerusalem, he danced before the Lord with all his might (2 Samuel 6:14). The Psalms he penned are saturated with hallel — calls to praise, exultation, and worship. David understood that praise isn't a side note to faith; it's the overflow of a heart that has encountered God.

Related Hebrew Words

Praise in Scripture connects to a family of worship words:

| Hebrew | Transliteration | Meaning | | --- | --- | --- | | הַלֵּל | hallel | to praise, to shine | | הַלְלוּיָהּ | hallelujah | praise the Lord | | תְּהִלָּה | tehillah | praise (noun), hymn | | שִׁיר | shir | song | | שִׂמְחָה | simchah | joy |

Tehillah is another Hebrew word for praise — often translated "hymn" or "song of praise." Joy (simchah) and song (shir) are the natural companions of hallel. You can't truly praise without joy, and the Psalms show that praise and song are inseparable.

From the Page to Your Lips

The next time you sing "Hallelujah" in worship, you're joining a chorus that stretches back to David and beyond. You're speaking a command in ancient Hebrew: Praise the Lord. And when you do, you're doing what the root of hallel implies — you're making God's glory visible. You're shining.

---

Want to learn more Hebrew words like hallel? Subscribe to our free daily newsletter for pronunciation guides, biblical insights, and word studies delivered to your inbox.