Hallelujah lyrics explained - Buckley / Cohen - More than words

I talk about the meaning behind the words from the masterpiece, Hallelujah! Lyrics breakdown from More Than Words

[lizastufflococucs]

You need go read the story of Samson and Delilhia to interpret these lyrics. The story is directly referenced in this song.

[davidvishnu]

“Hallelujah” means “Praise the Lord” in every language. King David wrote many psalms/songs in the Bible so the songwriter is emulating David by writing this song to someone who apparently doesn’t care for music or secret chords. Songs have major and minor chords which are aligned in chord progressions (1-4-5 etc.) so he talks about the structure of the song, a minor for a fall and a major for a lift in the relationship.
David was strong in faith in overcoming Goliath but was on his rooftop while Israel was at war and saw Bathsheba taking a bath and desired her but she was married. His faith needed to be proved even more and was overcome. He sent her husband Uriah to the hottest part of the battle so he got killed. Then David took her to wife even though he already had 500. God was very displeased about this and David was heavily chastised even losing his throne ( a baffled king and a broken Hallelujah).
Then he refers to Samson who fell in love with Delilah and got his hair cut off which was the source of his power, lost his eyes and his life…another broken Hallelujah. Broken relationships may be celebrated by the other party but for him it was traumatic.

[candacegilbert]

It’s a song that has all the attributes of love, celebration, grief, and remorse. It’s spiritual and the ending should be up to us. What do we do with it? It’s our choice. Loved this.

[williamschlosser]

When one realizes how everything in life has failed; the only true love is ever faithful. GOD.

[rogerbengtson]

The song is about the word Hallelujah. Yes used by the king David, to express his feelings or Sampson’s feelings about his relationship with Delilah. I think the writer probably understood the supreme meaning the word hallelujah ; when king David used it. Feelings about the king David and the Bible a part, I think Cohen the writer wants to tell his lover, whoever the lover was, that hallelujah is a word to dealing and express feelings about, power, love, lost and conquer, or happiness and sadness. And likely for those ones that think that the Bible is the only true, Cohen used examples from the Bible to explain the word hallelujah. He did very well, and I am sure he could and find examples in many other books and situations. 😘😘😍😍😍🥺🥺🥺

[grahammewburn]

Our Father in Heaven honoured be your Name
HalleluJAH
Praise JAH
Praise JehovAH
Jah is a contraction of Jehovah

[sheiladutt-xdyh]

The Sovereignty of the Lord was present in brokenness of the writer… would be an awesome conversation to discuss with Cohen. Very deep and solid Biblical references for sure.

[stephenwu]

I try to know what this song really means. So I find this video. Knowing the story of David and the story of Samson may help us know what he is singing about. Everyone need find their own answer.

[rumi]

The 2nd Biblical reference is, of course in the verse that starts "She tied you to a kitchen chair ..."
It's clearly a reference to Samson and Delilah, also in the Old Testament Bible. I"m not sure the song itself IS a conversation between the narrator and his former lover, as Matt claims here.
But it's true that the two Biblical references (King David and Bathsheba, the 'You saw her bathing on the roof ...' previous verse) likely do represent the start and end of a heart-rending (and failed) passionate relationship.
LIke MOST of the songs and poems (and novels) Leonard Cohen wrote, in fact.

[rumi]

I really like the Jeff Buckley version of Hallelujah!
And I understand that for many, this is the first version they ever heard. But I only heard it AFTER hearing Cohen himself sing it, many times. So, ultimately, I prefer Cohen's versions. Because he usually sang the uplifting, almost triumphant, final verse. Which Buckley decided, I guess, NOT to sing:
I did my best, it wasn't much
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you
And even though
It all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah!

[CaeBae]

I understood the part the part where you say that she tied you to a kitchen hair broke your throne and cut your hair, to be a reference to Samsung who thought all of his power was in his hair just to have Delilah cut it but through his love and belief in God he was saved

[floraarguello]

He talking bout David and baseba from 2 Samuel

[choiceozborne]

This track is about stories of biblical characters straight out of Torah. If people knew Torah then they would understand this and recognize what they're hearing. Oh my goodness what a society we live in. I feel like Jay z when he says do you fools listen to music or do you just skim through it? No offense to anyone but you literally should know that the title has a meaning in it's original tongue. I really feel sorry for people that won't take Pascal's wager LOL

[Fairytalelyrics_Lyrics]

That was the funniest explanation ive heard but get a b- for trying

[ryanseal]

I cannot imagine an explanation so far off from the actual intent of the lyrics. Study up.

[rumi]

The first Biblical reference is the verse that starts "You saw her bathing on the roof ..."
It's a reference to King David and Bathsheba (a beautiful MARRIED woman). This VERY DISTURBING story is told in 2 Samuel 11 in the Old Testament. - From the roof of the palace, the King saw Bathsheba bathing and immediately fell head over heels in LUST. So he sent for her (the WIFE of his next door neighbor, no less) to be brought to him. And then he RAPED her.
Bathsheba was married to Uriah, one of David's most trusted advisors. And David arranged for the man to be killed in battle after this.
This is the SAME David, by the way, who is honored in the Bible as an ideal king - As in "Once in Royal David's City ..." from the carol. The same David who the Bible states is the actual forefather of the future Messiah.
I'm not making any of this up! If you don't believe me, go look it up for yourself.
In the past, many Christians have attempted to justify this by claiming Bathsheba KNEW David could see her, and deliberately stripped to lure him (blaming the woman, as in Eve and the apple). But this interpretation is manifestly false.
And it wouldn't in ANY way justify David's actions, anyway. Just look at the power dynamic between the pair. Far worse than Hollywood's casting couches, or a teacher bedding one of his students. This is a KING, an absolute (and vicious) ruler, forcing himself on his neighbor's wife (a woman likely in fear for her life).

[ilagkirkland]

its from the bible samson and delihia king david and bathsheda

[anjaknatz]

Not a word about the king composing a song for a women he saw bathing on a roof. A married women - whom he than wanted to make his own. And for that reason he, as a man of power, send away her husband, a soldier, into his certain death. Just to get rid of him to comit adultry. Do not you know the book they call bibel, my dear? I mean - really???