Holy, Holy, Holy

by Pastor Clinton Macomber

John Bacchus Dykes, composed the music
Reginal Heber, wrote the words

“Holy, Holy, Holy” was written in 1827 by Reginald Heber to be sung eight weeks after Easter Sunday, to celebrate the Trinity and that they are all equal, eternal, yet distinct persons.

The hymn comes from Isaiah 6 and the seraphim described there. It is also said to be the favorite hymn of Tennyson.

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!
Holy, holy, holy! all the saints adore Thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
Who wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.
Holy, holy, holy! tho’ the darkness hide Thee
Tho’ the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in pow’r, in love, and purity.
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!

Sources

J. Stephen Lang, 1,001 Things You Always Wanted to Know About Angels, Demons, and the Afterlife, electronic ed. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2000) #666. “Holy, Holy, Holy.” Mentions the relationship to Isaiah 6 and Tennyson.

Logos Hymnal, 1st edition. (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995). The words to the hymn.

K.W. Osbeck, 101 Hymn Stories (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel Publications, 1982). Page 79,94.

Last updated Sunday, June 27, 2010 9:53 PM PST

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