Holy, Holy, Holy
Reginald Heber · 1826 · tune NICAEA
Key of D · public domain
Words
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee
Which wert and art and evermore shalt be
Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see
Only Thou art holy, there is none beside Thee
Perfect in power, in love and purity
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 story
Reginald Heber wrote this for Trinity Sunday while a country vicar in Shropshire, and never saw it printed; it was published in 1826, the year after he died of a stroke in India at forty-three. The threefold holy comes from Isaiah 6 and Revelation 4, and it is worth knowing that Hebrew has no superlative form. To say a thing twice is to emphasise it; to say it three times is as far as the language will go. Holy is the only attribute of God that scripture ever repeats three times over. Nobody is ever called love, love, love. The tune NICAEA is named for the council that argued out the doctrine the hymn is describing.
Chords in D
In the app you can move this to any key and it works out the capo for you.
Themes
Worship · Trinity · Adoration