What does the phrase, “All Hail” conjure up in your mind? America doesn’t have a monarch, and the phrase isn’t part of our everyday vernacular.

So, when we sing, “All Hail King Jesus”, what do we actually mean?

“HAIL”

The English word for “hail” is a translation of the Greek word, “chairo”:

Strong's #5463: chairo (pronounced khah'-ee-ro)
a primary verb; to be "cheer"ful, i.e. calmly happy or well-off; impersonally, especially as salutation (on meeting or parting), be well:--farewell, be glad, God speed, greeting, hall, joy(- fully), rejoice.

“Hail” has since been used for centuries as a means to greet rulers and royalty with honor, allegiance, and goodwill. But our cry to “Hail King Jesus” differs from every salutation made to an earthly authority. Jesus stands alone! He is the eternal King and the living God! We are right to “hail” Jesus with all of our worship, praise, adoration, affection, and devotion.

“ALL HAIL” 

What about “All?” “…All Hail.” Well, that adds a whole new layer of meaning:

When we say, “All hail King Jesus”, we express a desire for every man, woman, and child to joyfully acknowledge and proclaim Jesus’ supreme Lordship and eternal majesty.

Author and Pastor David Platt describes it in this way:

“…He is not merely a personal Lord and Savior who is worthy of individual approval. Ultimately, Jesus is the cosmic Lord and Savior who is worthy of everyone’s eternal praise.”

THE LORD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH

Scripture assures us that, one day, all of creation will address Him in this way:  

Isaiah 45:22-23 (ESV)

22 “Turn to me and be saved,
    all the ends of the earth!
    For I am God, and there is no other.
23 By myself I have sworn;
    from my mouth has gone out in righteousness
    a word that shall not return:
‘To me every knee shall bow,
    every tongue shall swear allegiance.’

Philippians 2:9-11 (ESV)

9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Revelation 5:13-14 (ESV)

13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Although this cry will sound from all of creation, the heartbreaking reality is that some will proclaim it without redemption and without eternal hope. God’s supremacy doesn’t depend on who acknowledges it. God’s supremacy is the truest reality – the strongest universal law. To quote Pastor John MacArthur, “We do not ‘make’ Christ Lord; He is Lord!”

THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD

In all of His holiness and perfect justice, this is the beckoning heart of our Lord: “[He] is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) The best news is that salvation by grace through faith is freely available right now!  

Isaiah 55:6-7 (ESV)

6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found;
    call upon him while he is near;
7 let the wicked forsake his way,
    and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,
    and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

If you have a personal relationship with Jesus, then your desire for all to hail Him springs from your own experiential knowledge of His worth. You have tasted and seen that He is good. You know Him as refuge because He has been that for you. You call Him Prince of Peace because you have been calmed and comforted by Him. He is your Savior, your Redeemer, your Shepherd, and your Great High Priest. He is Emmanuel – God with us.

The invitation for all to hail Jesus as King is an invitation to something better than we could dream or imagine!

“…His name will be the hope of all the world.” – Matthew 12:21

So, may the desire for all to hail King Jesus compel us - in this moment and each to come - to share His greatness and glory with others. May all hail King Jesus, the Lord of Heaven and Earth. May all hail King Jesus, the Savior of the World.