The Story behind Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus.

In April of 1737 at 52, Handel suffered from a stroke which incapacitated him, making it impossible for him to perform or conduct. He also complained of blurred vision. He was not a wise businessman and this led to the loss of his fortune. By 1741, he was swimming in debt and it seemed he would land in debtor’s prison. It was in this period that he was commissioned to write The Messiah which included The Hallelujah Chorus.

While writing the music, Handel never left his house for three weeks. A friend who visited him as he composed, found him sobbing with intense emotion. Later, as Handel groped for words to describe the strange phenomenon he had experienced, he quoted St. Paul, saying, "Whether I was in the body or out of my body when I wrote the music, I did not know."

There are two lessons in this story. Firstly, the true measure of a person lies in his or her ability to maintain a sense of resilience and determination even when faced with personal tribulations or tragedies. Secondly, God has a way of using certain individuals, irrespective of their situations, to achieve extraordinary feats under mysterious circumstances.