Isaiah 6: 1 – 3 "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." This hymn, one of the greatest worship hymns ever penned, was written by Reginald Heber (1783-1826). Reginald become Bishop of Calcutta in 1823 and served his people for three years before dying of a stroke. Among her dead husband's papers his wife found the words of one of the most powerful and beautiful hymns ever written. "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty," read Reginald Heber's widow. But years would pass before the lines took their place in worship services around the world. In 1861, a publisher rediscovered the words. He asked John Bacchus Dykes to furnish him with a tune. John accepted the words and within thirty minutes he wrote the tune "Nicea," which carried the praise of the Trinity. It is one of those hymns that continues to be sung even when contemporary praise songs replace traditional hymns in today's church services. While I remember singing this as a youngster, the words of the third verse became very meaningful to me several years ago when I went to Washington D.C. to join with a million men gathered there to worship God Almighty. I remember singing this and other great hymns as we would be waiting for transportation. We would join with men from all over the world and our voices would radiate, often through subway tunnels. It sent chills through my body. It had to be a small glimpse of what heaven will be like. But then, as we headed into the mall, we walked through a group of misguided women from NOW who were protesting our right to gather and misjudging our purpose for being there. Seldom have I felt evil, all around me, as I felt at that time. Then these words came to me, "though the eye of sinful men thy glory may not see." It hit home to me. These poor women were blinded to the Almighty God and they could not see or experience His glory. How sad and how common this is today. But God is holy and someday "all Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth and sky and sea!" Sing along with these truths today as you worship Him.
(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.
(2) Holy, holy, holy! All 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 sinful human eye 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.
You can listen to it here. HOLY
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