Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty
Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty early in the morning our song shall rise to thee
Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty is a hymn text by Reginald Heber (1826) in 11.12.12.10 meter. Found in CW21 483, CW93 195, ELH 15, elw 413. Sung to NICAEA.
One of the greatest hymns of the Holy Trinity based on Isaiah 6:3 and Revelation 4:8.
History & Background
Written by Reginald Heber (1783-1826) for Trinity Sunday. The tune NICAEA was composed by John Bacchus Dykes (1823-1876) in 1861.
Hymnal Appearances
- Christian Worship: Hymnal — 483
- Christian Worship — 195
- Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary — 15
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 413
- Gather 4th Edition — 611
- Hymnal Supplement 98 — 11
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 165
- Lutheran Service Book — 507
- 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.
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
In the Church Year
Suggested in the one-year series
- Holy Trinity (6×)
Suggested in the three-year series
- Holy Trinity (8×)
- Epiphany 5 (1×)
From LCMS Worship's published hymn suggestions, 2014–2026. The count is how many of those yearly lists suggested this hymn for that day.
Overview
The best-known Trinity hymn in English, written for Trinity Sunday by Anglican bishop Reginald Heber. Built on Isaiah 6 and Revelation 4, it lets the earthly congregation (st. 1) join the heavenly liturgy (st. 2), confess God's hidden holiness (st. 3), and summon all creation to praise (st. 4). It is pure adoration: almost nothing is asked, everything is ascribed.
Central theme: Adoration of the holy, triune God, joining the worship of heaven
Structure
St. 1 and 4 frame the hymn with nearly identical lines (an inclusio); st. 2 heaven's worship; st. 3 God's hidden holiness.
Law & Gospel Shape
Doxological rather than Law-Gospel; st. 3 hints at Law ('sinful man') and Gospel ('merciful,' 'love').
Confessional Connections
Athanasian Creed: one God in Trinity, Trinity in Unity. 'Merciful and mighty' unites God's attributes.
Liturgical Use (Study Notes)
Holy Trinity Sunday (classic); entrance hymn; morning services; dedications.
Historical Notes
Published posthumously in 1827. Tennyson reportedly called it the world's finest hymn.
About the Tune
NICAEA (John B. Dykes, 1861) — named for the Council of Nicaea (325); its rising first phrase illustrates 'early in the morning.'
Scripture References
Isa 6:1-5 Rev 4:1-11 Rev 15:2-4 Ps 5:3 1 Tim 6:16 Ps 148
Stanza by Stanza
Morning praise to the holy, almighty, merciful Lord, the triune God.
The threefold 'holy' is the Trisagion of the seraphim (Isa 6:3; Rev 4:8), which the church has long heard as a hint of the Trinity. 'Early in the morning' frames the hymn as morning worship (Ps 5:3) — Heber wrote it for a Sunday service. 'Merciful and mighty' joins two attributes often set against each other: God's power is exercised in mercy. 'God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity!' is a direct doctrinal confession, rare in hymns of its era.
- Scripture
- Isa 6:3, Rev 4:8, Ps 5:3, Ps 59:16, Matt 28:19
- Imagery & language
- Morning song rising; threefold cry.
- Law / Gospel
- Doxology.
- Connection to previous
- Opening adoration.
All the saints worship God, casting their crowns by the glassy sea, with cherubim and seraphim before the eternal God.
Drawn from Rev 4:6-10: the twenty-four elders cast their crowns before the throne, and the sea of glass lies before it. The saints casting down crowns show that even the rewards of grace are returned to God (1 Cor 4:7). 'Cherubim and seraphim' are the angelic orders of Isa 6 and Ezek 10. 'Which wert and art and evermore shalt be' is Rev 4:8 / 1:8 — God's eternity. Theologically, this stanza teaches that the church's worship joins heaven's (Heb 12:22-24), a theme of the Preface in the Communion liturgy ('with angels and archangels').
- Scripture
- Rev 4:6-11, Rev 15:2, Isa 6:2, Rev 1:8, Heb 12:22-24
- Imagery & language
- Golden crowns cast down; glassy sea; angelic ranks.
- Law / Gospel
- Doxology.
- Connection to previous
- Moves from the earthly congregation to the heavenly court.
Though darkness hides God and sinful eyes cannot see his glory, he alone is holy, perfect in power, love, and purity.
The most theologically probing stanza. God dwells in 'unapproachable light' (1 Tim 6:16) and 'thick darkness' (Ex 20:21; Ps 97:2) — he is hidden from sinful humanity (Ex 33:20). Lutherans may hear Luther's 'hidden God' (Deus absconditus): God cannot be grasped by reason or sight, only where he reveals himself in Christ. 'Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee' echoes Rev 15:4 and 1 Sam 2:2 — holiness belongs to God alone; ours is received. 'Love' alongside power and purity keeps God's holiness from being only terrifying.
- Scripture
- 1 Tim 6:16, Ex 33:20, Ps 97:2, Rev 15:4, 1 Sam 2:2, Isa 6:5
- Imagery & language
- Darkness and hidden glory; the sinner's blindness.
- Law / Gospel
- Law (sinful man cannot see God) with a hint of Gospel (love).
- Connection to previous
- Contrast: what heaven sees (st. 2) vs. what sinners cannot see.
All God's works in earth, sky, and sea praise his name; the hymn returns to its opening confession of the merciful, mighty Trinity.
The repetition of st. 1 forms an inclusio, but now the circle widens: not only the church and heaven, but all creation praises (Ps 148; Ps 19:1; Rev 5:13). 'Earth and sky and sea' is a merism for the whole creation. The return to 'God in Three Persons' makes the Trinity the beginning and end of worship.
- Scripture
- Ps 148, Ps 19:1, Ps 145:10, Rev 5:13
- Imagery & language
- Earth, sky, sea — the whole creation.
- Law / Gospel
- Doxology.
- Connection to previous
- Inclusio with st. 1.