Holy, Holy, Holy

The song on Hymnary.org that is viewed more often than any other is Reginald Heber’s "Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!" Published in 1826, this hymn of praise to the Trinity is set to the tune Nicaea, written for this hymn and named after the council at Nicaea where the doctrine of the Trinity was established and the Nicene Creed formulated. 

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.

The repetition of “holy, holy, holy” is perhaps a quote of the vision of God in the Temple of Isaiah 6:1-8, in which Isaiah received his call. Seraphs called to one another and said “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.” In the second verse, the saints also adore him, “casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea,” as in Revelation 4.

3 Holy, Holy, Holy! though the darkness hide Thee,
though the eye made blind by sin Thy glory may not see,
only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,
perfect in pow’r, in love, and purity.

In the third verse we are reminded of a trinity of God’s perfections, his power, love, and purity, and that it is our sin that blinds us to that glory. 

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. 

The fourth verse ends in an ecstasy of praise to the triune God in which all of creation joins the song. That we may all thus worthily praise your name O God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, grant us today.

~Harry Plantinga