You’re standing in a dimly lit room, hands lifted, singing a bridge you’ve heard a thousand times. But do you actually know what you're doing? Most people don't. We use the word "praise" like a generic blanket, covering everything from a polite nod to God to a full-blown shout. It’s thin. It’s repetitive. Honestly, it’s a bit boring when you realize how much we’re missing in translation. That’s exactly why the holy roar book by chris tomlin exists.
Tomlin didn't write this alone. He teamed up with his pastor, Darren Whitehead, to dig into a nagging realization: the English language is pretty lazy when it comes to worship. We have one word for "praise," while the ancient Hebrews had at least seven distinct ways to express it.
Imagine if you only had one word for "love." You'd use it for your spouse, your favorite pizza, and your dog. It loses its punch. That’s the crisis of modern worship that this book tries to fix. It’s not a textbook. It’s a wake-up call for anyone who feels like their Sunday morning routine has become a bit... mechanical.
The Hebrew Roots of the Holy Roar
The core of the holy roar book by chris tomlin isn't actually Tomlin’s discography, though his songs are used as modern anchors. The meat of the book is Whitehead’s teaching on the seven Hebrew words for praise. These aren't just synonyms. They are physical actions.
Take the word Yadah. In the West, we think of praise as a mental state. In Hebrew, Yadah literally means to extend the hands—specifically to throw or shoot. It’s about physical surrender. If you’ve ever wondered why people lift their hands in church, this is the biblical "why." It’s an admission of helplessness and a gesture of total trust.
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Then there’s Halal. Sound familiar? It’s the root of Hallelujah. But Halal isn't a dignified, quiet prayer. It means to be clamorously foolish. To boast. To act a little crazy because you’re so overwhelmed. It’s the "roar" in the title.
Why Translation Matters for Your Spiritual Life
We lose so much nuance in our modern Bibles. When you see the word "praise" in your Psalms, you might be looking at Zamar, which specifically refers to praising with an instrument. Or maybe it’s Tehillah, which is a spontaneous song—the kind that isn't on the lyric screen but bubbles up from the soul in the moment.
Knowing these distinctions changes the way you view a worship service. It stops being a performance you watch and starts being a vocabulary you use.
Tomlin shares stories from his decades on the road—from Passion conferences to world tours—where he saw these words come to life before he even had the vocabulary to describe them. He talks about those moments when a crowd shifts from just "singing songs" to a collective, unified Shabach. That’s another one of the words, by the way. Shabach means to address in a loud tone, to command, to triumph. It’s the shout of a victory that hasn't even happened yet.
Breaking Down the Seven Words
Let's get into the specifics. If you're going to read the holy roar book by chris tomlin, you’re going to spend a lot of time sitting with these seven concepts. They aren't just for pastors. They’re for the person in the fifth row who feels awkward and doesn't know what to do with their hands.
- Yadah: To extend the hands in surrender or thanks.
- Halal: To be "foolishly" excited; the root of Hallelujah.
- Zamar: To touch the strings; instrumental worship that goes beyond words.
- Towdah: An extension of the hand in thanksgiving for things not yet received. This is a sacrifice of praise. It’s thanking God when the situation still looks like a mess.
- Barak: To kneel. To bless God by positioning yourself below Him. It’s the opposite of the "roar," focusing on quiet reverence.
- Tehillah: The spontaneous song. This is the one Tomlin argues is the most powerful in a corporate setting.
- Shabach: To shout. To commend. It’s the loud, public testimony of God’s greatness.
Think about Barak. It’s a quiet word. It’s about humility. In a culture that’s always shouting for attention, the act of kneeling—physically or spiritually—is a radical move. Tomlin and Whitehead argue that a healthy spiritual life needs both the Shabach (the shout) and the Barak (the kneel). You can’t have the roar without the reverence.
The Impact on Modern Songwriting
It’s no secret that Chris Tomlin is one of the most prolific songwriters in the history of the church. His songs like "How Great Is Our God" or "Good Good Father" are sung by millions every week. But in the holy roar book by chris tomlin, he admits that even he had to learn how to write with these Hebrew concepts in mind.
He reflects on how "How Great Is Our God" is essentially a Tehillah—a song that invites people into a posture of Halal. It’s not just about the melody; it’s about the "why" behind the music.
This isn't just about music theory, though. It’s about human connection. When we sing together, something happens in our brains and souls. Science tells us that communal singing releases oxytocin and lowers cortisol. But the Hebrew writers knew this thousands of years ago. They knew that Shabach—the loud shout—wasn't just for God’s benefit. It was for ours. It breaks the silence of our isolation.
Common Misconceptions About Holy Roar
A lot of people pick up this book thinking it’s a biography of Chris Tomlin. It really isn't. If you’re looking for a "behind the scenes" of the music industry, you might be disappointed. It’s much more of a spiritual manual.
Another misconception? That this is only for "charismatic" churches.
Some folks get nervous when they hear terms like "shouting" or "clamorously foolish." They think it’s about losing control or being emotional for the sake of emotion. Whitehead is very careful to ground everything in scripture. He points out that these words aren't suggestions. They are imperatives found in the Psalms.
Whether you’re in a high-liturgical setting or a storefront church with a drum kit, these seven words apply. You can Barak in a cathedral just as well as you can Yadah in a stadium. The "roar" isn't about decibels; it’s about the intensity of the heart.
Real-World Application: How to Use the Book
Reading the holy roar book by chris tomlin shouldn't just leave you with a bunch of trivia about Hebrew. It should change your Monday through Saturday.
Take Towdah. This is the "sacrifice of praise." It’s easy to sing when life is good. It’s easy to praise when the bills are paid and the kids are healthy. But Towdah is what you do when you’re in the middle of a storm. It’s the act of thanking God for His goodness before the breakthrough happens.
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If you’re going through a rough patch, try practicing Towdah. Don't wait for the feeling of "blessedness" to arrive. Use the Hebrew definition as a prompt to act.
Why This Matters in 2026
We live in an incredibly noisy world. Our "roars" are usually reserved for politics, sports, or complaining on social media. We’ve forgotten how to roar for things that actually matter. The holy roar book by chris tomlin serves as a recalibration. It asks us: "What are you actually using your voice for?"
If we spend all our energy Shabach-ing for a sports team but can barely muster a Yadah in our spiritual lives, something is out of balance.
Actionable Steps for Readers
If you want to move beyond just reading and actually experience what Tomlin and Whitehead are talking about, start small. You don't need to jump on a chair and start yelling tomorrow morning.
- Study the Psalms with a Lexicon: Next time you see the word "praise," look up the original Hebrew. See which of the seven words is being used. It will completely change the flavor of the verse.
- Identify Your "Default" Mode: Most of us have a preferred way of worshiping. Maybe you’re a Barak person—you like the quiet and the kneeling. Try pushing yourself into Halal or Yadah.
- Practice Towdah in the Trials: When things go wrong this week, don't just pray for a solution. Offer a Towdah—thank God for the victory that is coming, even if you can't see it yet.
- Listen to the "Holy Roar" Playlist: Tomlin released a companion album. Listen to the songs while keeping the seven words in mind. See if you can identify which posture each song is inviting you into.
The holy roar book by chris tomlin is ultimately about freedom. It’s about realizing that we aren't limited to a one-dimensional expression of faith. We have a rich, ancient, and multi-faceted vocabulary at our disposal. It’s time we started using it.
Start by picking one of the seven words this week—perhaps Yadah—and intentionally making it part of your daily routine. Whether you're in your car or your kitchen, the act of extending your hands in surrender changes the atmosphere of your day. You don't need a stage or a spotlight to find your roar; you just need a heart that's willing to be a little bit "foolish" for the right reasons.