Holy, Holy, Holy

Every Sunday, for YEARS, this was the first hymn of every Sunday service.  It got to be kind of a joke among some of us, and it certainly got so familiar as to lose all meaning to me.  

Yesterday, we sang this at church and I realized how much I'd been missing for all these years.   

I think that a case could be made that every worship service should start with this hymn as it absolutely sets a framework for the rest of the service (I don't think there was a lot of thought about this back in the day, but who knows).  It establishes the position and nature of YHWH, and acknowledges His absolute holiness.  It points out our inability to fully see and comprehend the fullness of YHWH's love, power, and purity yet we praise Him out of that inability.  Finally, it establishes that all of Creation praises Him in one way or another, and the we have the privilege of joining Creation in praise.  

I get that, just like The Lord's Prayer, repetition can dull the impact rather than sharpen it.  But that doesn't diminish that this Hymn is an appropriate way to begin a service.    

 

 

 Verse 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, Blessèd Trinity! 

 Verse 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, 

Who wert, and art, And evermore shalt be. 

Verse 3 

 Holy, 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 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, Blessèd Trinity!