30 Holy God, We Praise Your Name

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30 Holy God, We Praise Your Name

We have for our opening hymn today the oldest hymn in our hymnal. It has existed in Latin since the fourth century as Te Deum Laudamus (You, God, We Praise). It was translated into German and published in the Katholisches Gesangbuch, in Vienna in 1744, at the request of Maria Theresa, the Austrian empress. In 1858 Clarence Augustus Walworth translated the German version into English and gave it its present title, Holy God, We Praise Your Name.

The tune also has an interesting history. It has existed in German hymnody for centuries under the name GROSSER GOTT (Great God). When the hymn words were published in the Katholisches Gesangbuch in 1744, they were set to this tune. At that time, however, it had a slightly different melody, and was in 6/8 time, with a folk-song quality. At a later date the tune was further modified in order to accommodate the words of Sun of My Soul, Thou Savior Dear (#502), which is the form of the tune most familiar to Adventist congregations. Note that the melody proceeds by successive notes of the scale in single steps, with the exception of four occurrences of the interval of the 3rd.

Holy God, we praise your name;
Lord of all, we bow before you.
All on earth your scepter claim,
All in heaven above adore you.
Infinite your vast domain,
Everlasting is your reign.

Hark! The loud celestial hymn
Angel choirs above are raising;
Cherubim and seraphim,
In unceasing chorus praising,
Fill the heavens with sweet accord:
"Holy, holy, holy Lord!"

Holy Father, holy Son,
Holy Spirit, three we name you,
Though in essence only one;
Undivided God we claim you
And, adoring, bend the knee
While we own the mystery.