It means, save now! (ie. to rescue)

That's what the crowds were shouting as Jesus entered Jerusalem. They strewed His path with palm leaves to give Him a Royal welcome. "oh, save!" they cried, "Hosanna!
Blessed is He who comes in the name of The Lord!"......

But four days later, the same people cried "Crucify him! Crucify him!"

People are very changeable. When it suits us, we ally ourselves to those who we think will do us most good. When the circumstances look as if they are turning about, we soon forget those that helped in our time of need, to concentrate on looking after 'number one!'

When news of Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem reached the people, they could foresee Him as saviour from the oppression they had suffered under Roman rule. They could see a redeemer who would restore to them all that they had lost whilst their land was occupied by the might of Rome. But they could not, would not, see Him as God intended that they should.

By His words and by His deeds Jesus had clearly demonstrated the power and authority that is His. He had shown many times from the Torah (the Law), the Prophets and the writings (Psalms,Proverbs etc.) all scriptures read by Jews of the day (and still read in synagogues today), that He was the one of whom the scriptures spoke - The Messiah. But the religious leaders despised Him. He threatened the comfortable system they had built up around themselves. They sought to destroy Him.

Such was their control over the people, that it was easy to arrange false accusations against Jesus, and under pressure, Pilate, the Roman Governor, sentenced Jesus to be crucified.

Those who still followed after Jesus, thought they were seeing their last hope of any release from their difficult circumstances die along with Jesus. But how wrong they were! God's eternal purposes had, in fact, been perfectly fulfilled! Jesus died, bearing the sin of the whole world, and rose again from the dead to conquer sin, the real enemy and oppressor of man! His desire is, and always has been to save and to rescue. Don't reject Him. He never changes. He wants to save you! Cry "Hosanna!"from your heart....and He will!