Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty! (Evangelical Lutheran Worship 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!
Text: Reginald Heber; Music: John B. Dykes; Public Domain
Devotion
Marilyn told me that as a child her congregation started every worship service singing “Holy, Holy, Holy.” So she was shocked when later in life she attended a service that dared to begin worship without that hymn. Over that long parade of Sundays, the hymn worked its way into her memory, her mind, her soul. The melody and words were written on her heart. Whenever the spirit moved her, she could close her eyes and the words would spring forth. “Holy, Holy, Holy! Though the darkness hide thee, though the eye of sinful man (sic) thy glory may not see, only thou art holy.” Tomorrow is Trinity Sunday. Preachers throughout the world will search in vain for an illustration that aptly conveys the mystery of the trinity. All will fail. Like me, most will commit heresy, trying to explain the unknowable. And yet the changeless truth remains, “Merciful and mighty, God in three persons, (you are the) blessed Trinity.”
Prayer
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty, all thy works shall praise thy name in earth and sky and sea. Let our hearts join in the hymn of praise, “God in three persons, blessed Trinity!”Amen.