Hymn Guide: Holy, Holy, Holy
“Holy, Holy, Holy” is not only a classic hymn about the Trinity; it is also a song of adoration and personal worship of the triune God. Every verse begins with the thrice-holy acclamation of God upon his throne. This motif, drawn from Isaiah and Revelation, situates our sanctuaries as the throne room of heaven. And we who sing join the angels and saints who forever sing his praise.
Anglican priest Reginald Heber wrote the hymn in 1825 for the celebration of Trinity Sunday, and John Dykes composed the tune, aptly named NICAEA, expressly for the text. Moreover, the personal character of the hymn’s devotion makes it appropriate in multiple circumstances, including Morning Prayer, Holy Communion, and even as the closing hymn of a contemporary music set.
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Verse by Verse
Poetically, the most notable feature of the hymn is the use of the same rhyme at the end of every line (-y, -ee). This creates a rolling and growing energy: from the first “holy” and exaltation of “God Almighty,” to the repeated address of God as “thee,” to the praise of God around the “sea,” and the final celebration of God the “blessed Trinity.” If you take note of this repetition as we proceed through each verse, you will feel the growing power of the hymn.
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, blessed Trinity!
Each verse of the hymn begins with “holy, holy, holy,” the angels’ song in Isaiah 6. For Anglicans, these words should also be familiar from the Sanctus in the Holy Communion service. The effect is the same, which is to situate our sanctuaries as the throne room of God, and we in it as his angels and saints.
“Early in the morning” resonates with multiple Psalms (5, 90, 92, etc.) and with the discovery of the empty tomb “early in the morning” (Luke 24:22).
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 was and is and evermore shall be.
The reference to “casting crowns” connects the hymn to the heavenly throne room in Revelation 4. There, the twenty-four elders worship and “cast their crowns before the throne” (Revelation 4:10). Heber follows William Law in describing the “sea of glass” (Rev 4) as a “glassy sea.” Note the resulting addition to the hymn’s rhyme scheme!
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 pow’r, in love, and purity.
The hymn uses “thee” repeatedly to establish a personal connection to God, and here in the third verse, we directly address God as “thou.” This direct address to God makes the hymn feel less like a doctrinal treatise on the Trinity and more like a song of praise and heartfelt emotion to the Triune God.
Here, it is helpful to remember that “thee” and “thou” are the familiar and intimate pronouns in English, while “you” and “your” are the more formal forms. Today, we sometimes think of “thee and thou” as being archaic relics of the language, but in fact, our most intimate prayers and hymns still make use of them. For example, consider the Lord’s Prayer: “…hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done…”
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, blessed Trinity.
Textually, the final verse is nearly a repetition of the first. But after singing the whole hymn, it feels different to sing this verse again. We become those works of God who praise his name in earth and sky and sea. “God in three persons” is no longer an abstract truth, but rather the object of our love, “the blessed Trinity.”
Holy Holy Holy and Contemporary Worship
“Holy Holy Holy” is a hymn that works across musical styles. Though written for organ and choir, it works very well with guitar and contemporary instrumentation, and perhaps best of all when sung a cappella. More than most classic hymns, it fits the contemplative mode of contemporary Christian worship.
In their book “Lovin’ on Jesus,” Lim and Ruth list a group of emphases in contemporary worship:
The importance of congregational singing, the focus in the singing on heart-felt love for God (or Jesus) , the criticalness of singing to God (or Jesus) and not just about God, the full sincere engagement of the worshipper, and an experience of God during this kind of worship.
Lovin’ on Jesus, 13
“Holy, holy, holy” fits each of these qualities. And though it does not have a chorus separate from the verse (another common feature of contemporary Christian music), the repetition across verses almost functions as a kind of chorus. Thus, this hymn is a great choice for anyone looking to add a contemporary feel to classic worship or classic depth to a contemporary praise set.
On Video
The first video features organ and the King’s College Boys Choir (note the lovely descant on the final verse). The second video is contemporary version by Shane & Shane, featuring the classic hymn with a modern chorus. The third features a congregation singing the hymn a capella, as led by the Gettys at the Gospel Coalition.
Image: photo by Ave Calvar Martinez from Pexels, courtesy of Canva. Digitally edited by Jacob Davis.
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