Trinity
261
8, 7, 8, 7, 8, 8, 7
All glory be to God on high,
Who hath our race befriended!
To us no harm shall now come nigh,
The strife at last is ended;
God showeth His good will to men,
And peace shall reign on earth again;
O thank Him for His goodness!
2. We praise, we worship Thee, we trust,
And give Thee thanks forever,
O Father, that Thy rule is just
And wise and changes never.
Thy boundless power o’er all things reigns,
Done is whate’er Thy will ordains:
Well for us that Thou rulest!
3. O Jesus Christ, Thou only Son
Of God, Thy heavenly Father,
Who didst for all our sins atone
And the lost sheep dost gather:
Thou Lamb of God, to Thee on high,
From out our depths, we sinners cry,
Have mercy on us, Jesus!
4. O Holy Ghost, Thou precious Gift,
Thou Comforter unfailing,
O’er Satan’s snares our souls uplift
And let Thy power availing
Avert our woes and calm our dread;
For us the Savior’s blood was shed,
We trust in Thee to save us.
N. Decius, 1526; C. Winkworth, tr., a.
262
6, 6, 4, 6, 6, 6, 4
Come, Thou almighty King,
Help us Thy name to sing,
Help us to praise!
Father all glorious,
O’er all victorious,
Come and reign over us,
Ancient of Days.
2. Jesus, our Lord, arise,
Scatter our enemies,
And make them fall.
Let Thine almighty aid
Our sure defense be made;
Our souls on Thee be stayed;
Lord, hear our call!
3. Come, Thou incarnate Word,
Gird on Thy mighty sword,
Our prayer attend;
Come and Thy people bless
And give Thy Word success;
Spirit of Holiness,
On us descend.
4. Come, holy Comforter,
Thy sacred witness bear
In this glad hour.
Thou, who almighty art,
Now rule in every heart,
And ne’er from us depart,
Spirit of Power!
5. To the great One in Three
The highest praises be,
Hence, evermore!
His sovereign majesty
May we in glory see
And to eternity
Love and adore!
Charles Wesley, 1757.
263
11, 12, 12, 10
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!
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,
Which wert and art and evermore shalt be.
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.
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!
Reginald Heber, 1827.
264
8, 7, 8, 7, 8, 7, 8, 7, 7
The mystery hidden from the eyes
Of learned men and sages,
God hath revealed us from the skies,
In Scripture’s holy pages,
That He alone is King above
All other gods whatever,
Great, mighty, faithful, full of love,
His people’s Shield and Savior;
One Essence, but Three Persons.
2. As Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
The righteous seed adore Him;
So named, so praised, He is the boast
Of all who bow before Him;
He’s Abraham’s and Isaac’s God,
And Jacob’s, whom He knoweth,
The Lord of hosts, who every good,
Both night and day, bestoweth;
Who only worketh wonders.
3. The Father hath the Son begot,
First-born of every creature;
The Son took our weak flesh, but not
Our sinfulness of nature;
Both from the Father and the Son
The Holy Ghost proceedeth
From all eternity; yet none
In might and power exceedeth;
All equal, coeternal.
4. Be glad, my heart, thy Portion see,
Thy priceless Pearl and Treasure!
He is thy Friend, supply will He
Thy needs with bounteous measure;
He made thee in His image, was
For thy offenses smitten,
With true faith fill thee, through His grace
Doth all thy crosses sweeten
With His dear word of promise.
5. Rise, then, to Him, the Ever-blest,
And learn to know Him rightly;
Such knowledge can alone bring rest
And make thy soul burn brightly
With the pure flame of holy love,
Which cheers thy course to heaven;
For God will show thee things above
Which here ’tis only given
To hear of and see darkly.
6. But woe to the ungodly race,
In wilful blindness living,
Rejecting God and His dear grace,
Their hearts to creatures giving.
On them, alas! hell’s dreadful gates
Ere long will close forever;
For him who God rejects and hates
God will reject and sever
From His eternal kingdom.
7. O Prince of Might, Thy mercy show,
Thou God of earth and heaven;
To every sinner here below
Thy saving grace be given!
Bring back Thy sheep that go astray
And blinded eyes enlighten,
And turn Thou everything away
That wickedly might frighten
Thine own, whose faith is feeble.
8. Grant this, that we, Thy people, may
All reach the heavenly portals
And in Thy kingdom sing for aye
Mid all the blest immortals:
That Thou, O Lord, art King alone,
Above all gods whatever,
The Father, Son, and Spirit, One,
Thy people’s Shield and Savior,
One Essence, but Three Persons!
Paul Gerhardt, 1666.
265
8, 8, 8, 6
God of my life, Thy boundless grace
Chose, pardoned, and adopted me;
My Rest, my Home, my Dwelling-place:
Father, I come to Thee.
2. Jesus, my Hope, my Rock, my Shield,
Whose precious blood was shed for me,
Into Thy hands my soul I yield:
Savior, I come to Thee.
3. Spirit of glory and of God,
Long hast Thou deigned my Guide to be;
Now be Thy comfort sweet bestowed:
My God, I come to Thee.
4. I come to join that countless host
Who praise Thy name unceasingly;
Blest Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
My God, I come to Thee.
Charlotte Elliott, 1841.
266
L. M.
Thou who art Three in unity,
True God from all eternity,
The sun is fading from our sight,
Shine Thou on us with heavenly light.
2. We praise Thee with the dawning day,
To Thee at even also pray;
With our poor song we worship Thee
Now, ever, and eternally.
3. Let God the Father be adored,
And God the Son, the only Lord,
And God the Holy Spirit be
Adored throughout eternity!
From the Latin of St. Ambrose; M. Luther, 1543; R. Massie, tr.
267
C. M.
Father of glory, to Thy name
Immortal praise we give,
Who dost an act of grace proclaim
And bid us rebels live.
2. Immortal honor to the Son,
Who makes Thine anger cease;
Our lives He ransomed with His own
And died to make our peace.
3. To Thine almighty Spirit be
Immortal glory given,
Whose teachings bring us near to Thee
And train us up for heaven.
4. Let men with their united voice
Adore th’ eternal God
And spread His honors and their joys
Through nations far abroad.
5. Let faith and love and duty join
One grateful song to raise;
Let saints in earth and heaven combine
In harmony and praise.
Isaac Watts, c. 1721.
268
8, 7, 8, 7, 4, 7
Glory be to God the Father,
Glory be to God the Son,
Glory be to God the Spirit;
Great Jehovah, Three in One!
Glory, glory,
While eternal ages run!
2. Glory be to Him who loved us,
Washed us from each spot and stain;
Glory be to Him who bought us,
Made us kings with Him to reign!
Glory, glory,
To the Lamb that once was slain!
3. Glory to the King of angels,
Glory to the Church’s King,
Glory to the King of nations;
Heaven and earth, your praises bring!
Glory, glory,
To the King of Glory bring!
4. Glory, blessing, praise eternal!
Thus the choir of angels sings;
Honor, riches, power, dominion!
Thus its praise creation brings;
Glory, glory,
Glory to the King of kings!
H. Bonar, 1866.
269
L. M.
Father of heav’n, whose love profound
A ransom for our souls has found,
Before Thy throne we sinners bend;
To us Thy pardoning love extend.
2. Almighty Son, Incarnate Word,
Our Prophet, Priest, Redeemer, Lord,
Before Thy throne we sinners bend;
To us Thy saving grace extend.
3. Eternal Spirit, by whose breath
The soul is raised from sin and death,
Before Thy throne we sinners bend;
To us Thy quickening power extend.
4. Jehovah, Father, Spirit, Son,
Eternal Godhead, Three in One,
Before Thy throne we sinners bend;
Grace, pardon, life, to us extend.
E. Cooper, 1805.
270
S. M.
Father, in whom we live,
In whom we are and move,
All glory, power, and praise receive
For Thy creating love.
2. O Thou Incarnate Word,
Let all Thy ransomed race
Unite in thanks, with one accord,
For Thy redeeming grace.
3. Spirit of Holiness,
Let all Thy saints adore
Thy sacred gifts and join to bless
Thy heart-renewing power.
4. Eternal Triune Lord,
Let all the hosts above,
Let all the sons of men record,
And dwell upon, Thy love.
Charles Wesley, 1746.
271
7s 14 l
God the Father, be our Stay
When hell’s dread powers assail us;
Cleanse us from our sins, we pray,
Nor in our last hour fail us.
Keep us from the Evil One,
Firm in the faith abiding,
In Christ, our Savior, hiding,
And heartily confiding.
Let us put God’s armor on:
With all true Christians running
Our heavenly race and shunning
The devil’s wiles and cunning.
Amen, Amen, this be done,
So sing we, Hallelujah!
2. Jesus Christ, be Thou our Stay
When hell’s dread powers assail us;
Cleanse us from our sins, we pray,
Nor in our last hour fail us.
Keep us from the Evil One,
Firm in the faith abiding,
In Christ, our Savior, hiding,
And heartily confiding.
Let us put God’s armor on:
With all true Christians running
Our heavenly race and shunning
The devil’s wiles and cunning.
Amen, Amen, this be done,
So sing we, Hallelujah!
3. Holy Ghost, be Thou our Stay
When hell’s dread powers assail us;
Cleanse us from our sins, we pray,
Nor in our last hour fail us.
Keep us from the Evil One,
Firm in the faith abiding,
In Christ, our Savior, hiding,
And heartily confiding.
Let us put God’s armor on:
With all true Christians running
Our heavenly race and shunning
The devil’s wiles and cunning.
Amen, Amen, this be done,
So sing we, Hallelujah!
Adapted by Martin Luther, 1524, from 15th Cent. Litany.
272
6, 7, 6, 7, 6, 6, 6, 6
The Lord, my God, be praised,
My Light, my Life from heaven;
My Maker, who to me
Hath soul and body given;
My Father, who protects
My life from infancy
And mighty gifts of love
Hath e’er bestowed on me.
2. The Lord, my God, be praised,
My Trust, my Life from heaven,
The Father’s own dear Son,
Whose life for me was given;
Who thus atoned for me
With His most precious blood;
Who giveth to my faith
The greatest heavenly good.
3. The Lord, my God, be praised,
My Hope, my Life from heaven,
The Father’s Spirit, whom
The Son to me hath given;
He who revives my heart
And gives me strength and power,
Help, comfort, and support
In sorrow’s gloomy hour.
4. The Lord, my God, be praised,
He who forever liveth,
To whom the heavenly host
E’er praise and honor giveth.
The Lord, my God, be praised,
In whose great name I boast,
God Father, God the Son,
And God the Holy Ghost.
5. To Him we now sing praise,
With joy our offering bringing
And with the angel host
The “Holy! Holy!” singing.
To Him all Christendom
Sings praises joyfully;
The Lord, my God, be praised
Throughout eternity!
J. Olearius, 1671; A. Crull, tr.