Hundreds of thousands of Christians in Hong Kong have been mobilizing to protest a proposed extradition bill. This bill would effectively strip protections for religious expression in Hong Kong by expanding the jurisdiction of the Communist-controlled courts of mainland China. And as they’ve gathered, social media footage has confirmed the song that has become their rallying cry: “Sing Hallelujah to the Lord.”

Written in 1974, the song has been beloved for generations, notable for its minor key and ease of harmony, especially when sung in a round. Hong Kong Christians have been calling on authorities to stop the violence that has been unleashed by police doing crowd control. This song has been a source of both comfort and galvanizing faith.

It’s been especially useful as a way to reframe the narrative coming from official state sources. Rather than being the “organized riots” that the Chinese government sought to portray, the masses of Christians singing “Sing Hallelujah to the Lord” project an image of peaceful protest.

Potential Preaching Angles: God’s praises are often the soundtrack to redemptive suffering by God’s people. We praise God to remind ourselves where our ultimate allegiances lie.

Jessie Pang, Marius Zaharia, “'Sing Hallelujah to the Lord' an unlikely anthem of Hong Kong protests” Reuters World News (6-18-19)