Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty (ELW 413)
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!
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 shall be.
Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
Though the eye made blind by sin thy glory may not see,
Only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
Perfect in power, in love and purity.
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!
Devotion
“One for comfort, one for hope, one for the joy of the resurrection.” It’s hard to pick hymns for the funerals of those we love—or for our own funeral planning. We want them to be familiar, singable and appropriate. How do we choose? Where do we look? The rubric above can help to guide us toward those hymns we love, that speak to us in our time of grief.
One hymn worn smooth with use is Reginald Heber’s hymn, “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty.” Its verses ring with praise for God as Holy Trinity, yet these are words that also comfort us in time of grief. When we are turned in upon ourselves in grief and sorrow, this hymn turns our hearts to face the God who stands above all, who walks with us in our time of loss, and in whom our trust is secure.
Prayer
Lord God, you comfort us in time of need. Stand close by us in all our sorrows and grant that we find comfort and strength in your eternal care. Amen.