3 Bible Tips: What Does Hosanna Mean?
Some paraphrase the shouts of "Hosanna" at Jesus Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem as "hooray" (see the Contemporary English Version of Matthew 21:9). But really hosanna is from the Hebrew words "Hoshiah Na! Save now! or, Save, we beseech thee!—redress our grievances, and give us help from oppression!" (Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible).
1. The Hebrew phrase was used by people asking a king to help—save—them.
"When the woman of Tekoa came to the king [David], she fell on her face to the ground and paid homage and said, 'Save me, O king'" (2 Samuel 14:4, English Standard Version; this type of petition is also mentioned in 2 Kings 6:26).
2. The multitude welcoming Jesus Christ was likely alluding to the messianic Psalm 118, where the Hebrew phrase is translated "Save now."
"Save now, I pray, O Lord; O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity" (Psalm 118:25).
3. Not only was the multitude acknowledging Jesus Christ as King and praising Him, they were asking Him to save and deliver them—Hosanna!
"Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: 'Hosanna to the Son of David! "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" Hosanna in the highest!'" (Matthew 21:9).
For more about Jesus Christ, our King and Savior, see The Messiah's Misunderstood Mission from the booklet Jesus Christ: The Real Story.