Holy, Holy, Holy, ELW 413
1 Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!
2 Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,
casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
which wert and art, and evermore shalt be.
3 Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
though the eye of sinfulness thy glory may not see,
only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
perfect in pow'r, in love and purity.
4 Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name in earth and sky and sea.
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!
Devotion
When my three children were small, we listened to Kids Praise tapes (yes, cassette tapes back then!) in which Psalty, a great big blue singing songbook, teaches kids about praising God.
In one episode, Tommy doesn’t feel like praising God. Psalty tells Tommy, “Who said anything about feelings?! We worship because God is worthy of our praise, no matter how we’re feeling!”
“Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!” This old hymn reminds us of Isaiah’s vision of seraphim surrounding the Lord’s throne singing these same words, “Holy, holy, holy.” (Isaiah 6.1-8)
“Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee” (v. 3) ... Are you searching in darkness for some light? Would you like a little heaven on earth? Even in desolate and difficult times, you can join the song of saints, cherubim, seraphim and all God’s creatures “in earth and sky and sea” (v. 4), as God’s glory lightens your darkness.
“Holy, holy, holy ... Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee!” (verse 1)
Prayer
Holy, Holy, Holy God, may our mouths be filled with your praise and your glory all the day long. Amen.