This page is provided so that you can hear the tunes of items which we use in church. Mostly they are written by the vicar. Please note that they are copyright - we are very happy to give permission to you to use them, but we would like to hear about it. Please include any use on your Christian Copyright Licence returns.
Down this page:
- the words,
- the story,
- the sheet music,
- media player.
Hosanna! Blessed is Jesus!
Hosanna! Blessed is Jesus!
(Use as many verses as needed, then skip to the final verse to finish the song.)
Hosanna! Blessed is Jesus!
He comes in the name of the Lord!
Take up your kingship, O Jesus,
and save us from the sword.
You're riding on a donkey's foal
for you are the Prince of Peace.
Your mission and your final goal:
to bring God's people their release!
Hosanna! Blessed is Jesus!
He comes in the name of the Lord!
Take up your kingship, O Jesus,
you will not be ignored.
We welcome you by waving palms
for you are the coming king.
Your vict'ry is foretold in Psalms
and that is why we shout and sing!
Hosanna! Blessed is Jesus!
He comes in the name of the Lord!
Take up your kingship, O Jesus,
and you will be adored.
You raised your friend up from the dead:
for you are the light of life.
We look to you, our glorious head
to rescue us from war and strife!
Hosanna! Blessed is Jesus!
He comes in the name of the Lord!
Take up your kingship, O Jesus,
we'll spread your name abroad.
Ride on to glory: crowds acclaim!
"Hosanna!" the people yell.
We welcome you in God's own name,
as true-born king of Israel.
Hosanna! Blessed is Jesus!
He comes in the name of the Lord!
Take up your kingship, O Jesus,
and crowds will all applaud.
FINAL VERSE:
Now as you enter by these gates
the city is opened wide.
But very soon your death awaits:
the Christ must now be crucified.
Hosanna! Blessed is Jesus!
He comes in the name of the Lord!
Take up your kingship, O Jesus,
for you will conquer death for us
and life will be restored.
Words and tune copyright © John Hartley 2007.
Story behind the song
This song is intended as a "processional" item for Palm Sunday, perhaps to accompany a procession or a re-enactment of the drama. As such it has quite a lot of verses: the idea is that after the first couple of verses one uses as much or as little as one needs and skips to the last verse as Jesus arrives at the gates.
The song started as a simple praise song for Palm Sunday, and I'm very grateful to two friends for comments on the original. The chorus echoes the acclamations of John 12:13, and it is couched in simple language for children to be able to sing. It's inspired by the account of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem as told in John 12:12-19, in which there's clearly some division in the disciples' minds, in which there's a clear reference back to the raising of Lazarus, and in which Jesus' death is already looming.
John Hartley.
Windows Media Player. When you click the left-hand "play" button your computer should have started to play the tune. If it didn't, you might be able to get the tune by clicking here, or by right-clicking the link, choosing "save target as", saving it onto your computer, and then opening it with a music-playing program.
Please remember that a midi file of a tune isn't supposed to be a state-of-the-art musical arrangement - it is only supposed to give a basic idea of how the tune goes. Any reasonable organist / keyboard player / music group could make it sound far better.