Holy, Holy, Holy

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty

One of the greatest hymns of the Holy Trinity, based on Isaiah 6:3 and Revelation 4:8. Each stanza addresses the Trinity from a different angle: the majesty of God, the fallen world's inability to see God, the Trinity of persons, and the final doxology. The Sanctus imagery connects directly to Lutheran liturgy.

History & Background

Written by Reginald Heber (1783-1826), Bishop of Calcutta, for Trinity Sunday. Published posthumously in 1827. The tune NICAEA was composed specifically for this text by John Bacchus Dykes (1823-1876) in 1861.

Hymnal Appearances

Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 413
Lutheran Book of Worship — 165
Lutheran Service Book — 507
Lutheran Worship — 168
The Lutheran Hymnal — 246

Bulletin Note

Holy, Holy, Holy — Reginald Heber, 1826

Preaching Connection

The holiness of God and the Trinity — connects to the Sanctus of the liturgy.

Stanza Arc

The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Ascription of holiness to the eternal Trinity; heavenly worship; God's transcendence amid human blindness; universal praise and cosmic sovereignty

Themes

Trinity Holiness Praise Sanctus