Holy, Holy, Holy

Reginald Heber · 1826 · tune NICAEA
Key of D · public domain

Words

Verse 1Holy, 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

Verse 2Holy, 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

Verse 3Holy, holy, holy, though the darkness hide Thee
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

Verse 4Holy, 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 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

Verse 1 D A D G Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty D A D A Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee D A D G Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty D A D G D God in three Persons, blessed Trinity Verse 2 D A D G Holy, holy, holy, all the saints adore Thee D A D A Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea D A D G Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee D A D D Which wert and art and evermore shalt be Verse 3 D A D G Holy, holy, holy, though the darkness hide Thee D A D A Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see D A D G Only Thou art holy, there is none beside Thee D A D G D Perfect in power, in love and purity Verse 4 D A D G Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty D A D A All Thy works shall praise Thy name in earth and sky and sea D A D G Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty D A D G D God in three Persons, blessed Trinity

In the app you can move this to any key and it works out the capo for you.

Common questions

Who wrote Holy, Holy, Holy? Reginald Heber wrote the words in 1826.

What tune is it sung to? NICAEA, set here in the key of D.

What scripture is it built on? Revelation 4:8.

Is Holy, Holy, Holy free to use in church? Yes. The words are public domain, which means any church may sing them, print them in a bulletin, put them on a screen or record them, without asking permission and without paying anyone.

Themes

Worship · Trinity · Adoration

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