Isaiah, mighty seer, in days of old
The Lord of all in spirit did behold
High on a lofty throne, in splendor bright,
With flowing train that filled the temple quite.
Above the throne were stately seraphim;
Six wings had they, these messengers of Him.
With twain they veiled their faces, as was meet,
With twain in reverent awe they hid their feet,
And with the other twain aloft they soared,
One to the other called and praised the Lord:
“Holy is God, the Lord of Sabaoth!
Holy is God, the Lord of Sabaoth!
Holy is God, the Lord of Sabaoth!
Behold, His glory filleth all the earth!”
The beams and lintels trembled at the cry,
And clouds of smoke enwrapped the throne on high.

Faces covered, wings resplendent, Seraphim before Him bow!
Angels tremble, martyrs weep, and saints perfected praise Him now!
Holy is the angels’ Maker, He who spread His stars in the skies.
Holy is the Judge of Creation, all lies bare before His eyes!

Woe is me, for I am ruined! For my eyes have seen the King!
Robed in righteousness, and holy: Hear the Voice of Judgment ring!
All unclean, my lips, my spirit, vile and foul in all I do!
All corrupt, my heart within me, wretched, wicked through and through!

Every hope I must abandon! Guilty, I await His stroke.
Now must come His righteous sentence: Wait! A Bright Form parts the smoke!
Bleeding feet stride through the temple! Christ approaches, weeping love!
Wounded hands remove my filthiness, God’s caress in every move.

Freely righteous! Full atonement! Justified, from sin set free!
By the Word of God the Father, I’m declared as pure as HE!
At the Cross, His wounds acquit me! Fatal wounds proclaim His praise!
And the Empty Tomb sings His glories: Justice is assuaged by Grace!

Bright the vision that delighted
Once the sight of Judah’s seer;
Sweet the countless tongues united
To entrance the prophet’s ear.

Round the Lord in glory seated
Cherubim and seraphim
Filled His temple, and repeated
Each to each the alternate hymn:

“Lord, Thy glory fills the Heaven;
Earth is with its fullness stored;
Unto Thee be glory given,
Holy, holy, holy Lord.”

Heaven is still with glory ringing,
Earth takes up the angels’ cry,
“Holy, holy, holy,” singing,
“Lord of hosts, the Lord most high.”

With His seraph train before him,
With His holy Church below,
Thus conspire we to adore Him,
Bid we thus our anthem flow.

“Lord, Thy glory fills the Heaven;
Earth is with its fullness stored;
Unto Thee be glory given,
Holy, holy, holy Lord.”

Day is dying in the west;
Heav’n is touching earth with rest;
Wait and worship while the night
Sets the evening lamps alight
Through all the sky.

Refrain

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts!
Heav’n and earth are full of Thee!
Heav’n and earth are praising Thee,
O Lord most high!

Lord of life, beneath the dome
Of the universe, Thy home,
Gather us who seek Thy face
To the fold of Thy embrace,
For Thou art nigh.

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While the deepening shadows fall,
Heart of love enfolding all,
Through the glory and the grace
Of the stars that veil Thy face,
Our hearts ascend.

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When forever from our sight
Pass the stars, the day, the night,
Lord of angels, on our eyes
Let eternal morning rise
And shadows end.

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Eternal Wisdom! Thee we praise,
Thee the creation sings,
With Thy loved Name, rocks, hills, and seas,
And Heaven’s high palace rings.

Thy hand, how wide it spreads the sky!
How glorious to behold!
Tinged with a blue of heavenly dye,
And starred with sparkling gold.

There Thou hast bid the globes of light
Their endless circles run;
There the pale planet rules the night,
The day obeys the sun.

If down I turn my wondering eyes
On clouds and storms below,
Those under-regions of the skies
Thy numerous glories show.

The noisy winds stand ready there
Thy orders to obey;
With sounding wings they sweep the air,
To make Thy chariot way.

There, like a trumpet loud and strong,
Thy thunder shakes our coast,
While the red lightnings wave along,
The banners of Thy host.

On the thin air, without a prop,
Hang fruitful showers around;
At Thy command they sink, and drop
Their fatness on the ground.

Lo! here Thy wondrous skill arrays
The earth in cheerful green;
A thousand herbs Thy art displays,
A thousand flowers between.

There, the rough mountains of the deep
Obey Thy strong command,
Thy breath can raise the billows steep,
Or sink them to the sand.

Thy glories blaze all nature round,
And strike the wondering sight
Through skies, and seas, and solid ground,
With terror and delight.

Infinite strength and equal skill
Shine through Thy works abroad.
Our souls with vast amazement fill.
And speak the builder God.

But the mild glories of Thy grace
Our softer passions move;
Pity divine in Jesu’s face
We see, adore, and love.

Father all holy, bend we so lowly,
Glowing with love’s tender flame;
Father in Heaven, praises be given,
Hallowed forever Thy Name.
Telling the story, spreading Thy glory,
Send forth Thy people, we pray,
Till every nation know Thy salvation,
Under Thy kingdom’s full sway.

Angels adore Thee, waiting before Thee,
Swift Thy commands to fulfill:
Grant us, we pray Thee, grace to obey Thee,
Choosing and serving Thy will.
Father, now lead us, day by day feed us,
Ever provide and defend;
Trespass confessing, seeking Thy blessing,
Pardon and peace without end.

From sin deliver, keep us forever,
Kingdom and glory are Thine;
Thine, too, the power, hear us this hour,
Father, our Father divine!
Jesus is pleading, still interceding,
For His redeemed ones again,
For His sake hear us, in His Name cheer us,
He is the faithful “Amen.”

Father and Friend! Thy light, Thy love,
Beaming through all Thy works we see;
Thy glory gilds the heavens above,
And all the earth is full of Thee.

Thy voice we hear, Thy presence feel,
While Thou, too pure for mortal sight,
Involved in clouds, invisible,
Reignest the Lord of life and light.

We know not in what hallowed part
Of the wide heavens Thy throne may be,
But this we know, that where Thou art,
Strength, wisdom, goodness dwell with Thee.

Thy children shall not faint nor fear,
Sustained by this exalted thought;
Since Thou, their God, art everywhere,
They cannot be where Thou art not!

Father, Thine Elect who lovest
With an everlasting love;
Savior, who the bar removest
From the holy home above;
Spirit, daily meetness bringing
For the glory there upstored;
List to Thy glad people singing,
“Holy, holy, holy, Lord!”

Lord, with sin-bound souls Thou bearest,
Struggling towards this strain divine;
Glad on mortal lips Thou hearest
That thrice awful Name of Thine.
But Thou listenest, O how sweetly!
When from holy lips outpoured,
Rings through Heaven this strain full meetly,
“Holy, holy, holy, Lord!”

Shall we, Lord, meet voices never
Bring to that eternal hymn?
Hallow us to help the endeavor
Of Thy pure-lipped seraphim:
Hark! their own high strain we bring Thee;
Listen to the full accord!
Sweet the song we ever sing Thee,
“Holy, holy, holy, Lord!”

For the beauty of the earth
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies.

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Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the beauty of each hour,
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower,
Sun and moon, and stars of light.

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For the joy of ear and eye,
For the heart and mind’s delight,
For the mystic harmony
Linking sense to sound and sight.

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For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild.

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For Thy Church, that evermore
Lifteth holy hands above,
Offering up on every shore
Her pure sacrifice of love.

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For the martyrs’ crown of light,
For Thy prophets’ eagle eye,
For Thy bold confessors’ might,
For the lips of infancy.

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For Thy virgins’ robes of snow,
For Thy maiden mother mild,
For Thyself, with hearts aglow,
Jesu, Victim undefiled.

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For each perfect gift of Thine,
To our race so freely given,
Graces human and divine,
Flowers of earth and buds of Heaven.

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Great Giver of all good,
To Thee our thanks we yield
For all the beauties of the wood,
Of hill, and dale, and field.

Ten thousand various flowers
To Thee sweet offerings bear,
And joyous birds in woodlands bowers
Sing forth Thy tender care.

The fields on every side
The trees on every hill,
The glorious sun, the rolling tide,
Proclaim Thy wonders still.

But trees, and fields, and skies
Still praise a God unknown;
For gratitude and love can rise
From living hearts alone.

These living hearts of ours
Thy holy Name would bless;
The blossoms of the thousand flowers
Would please the Savior less.

While earth itself decays,
Our souls can never die;
O tune them all to sing Thy praise
In better songs on high.

The harp at Nature’s advent strung
Has never ceased to play;
The song the stars of morning sung
Has never died away.

And prayer is made, and praise is giv’n,
By all things near and far;
The ocean looketh up to Heav’n,
And mirrors every star.

Its waves are kneeling on the strand,
As kneels the human knee,
Their white locks bowing to the sand,
The priesthood of the sea!

They pour their glittering treasures forth,
Their gifts of pearl they bring,
And all the listening hills of earth
Take up the song they sing.

The green earth sends its incense up
From many a mountain shrine;
From folded leaf and dewy cup
She pours her sacred wine.

The mists above the morning rills
Rise white as wings of prayer;
The altar-curtains of the hills
Are sunset’s purple air.

The winds with hymns of praise are loud,
Or low with sobs of pain—
The thunder-organ of the cloud,
The dropping tears of rain.

With drooping head and branches crossed
The twilight forest grieves,
Or speaks with tongues of Pentecost
From all its sunlit leaves.

The blue sky is the temple’s arch,
Its transept earth and air,
The music of its starry march
The chorus of a prayer.

So Nature keeps the reverent frame
With which her years began,
And all her signs and voices shame
The prayerless heart of man.

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, blessèd 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,
Who was, and is, and evermore shall be.

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.

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, blessèd Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God the Father, and the Word,
God the Comforter, receive
Blessings more than we can give!
Mixed with those beyond the sky,
Chanters to the Lord Most High,
We our hearts and voices raise,
Echoing Thy eternal praise.

One, inexplicably Three,
Three, in simplest Unity,
God, incline Thy gracious ear,
Us, Thy lisping creatures, hear!
Thee while man, the earth-born, sings,
Angels shrink within their wings;
Prostrate seraphim above
Breathe unutterable love.

Happy they who never rest,
With Thy heavenly presence blest!
They the heights of glory see,
Sound the depths of Deity.
Fain with them our souls would vie,
Sink as low, and mount as high;
Fall o’erwhelmed with love, or soar,
Shout, or silently adore.

Holy, holy, holy, Lord
God of Hosts, eternal King,
By the heavens and earth adored!
Angels and archangels sing,
Chanting everlastingly
To the blessèd Trinity.

Since by Thee were all things made,
And in Thee do all things live,
Be to Thee all honor paid;
Praise to Thee let all things give;
Singing everlastingly
To the blessèd Trinity.

Thousands, tens of thousands, stand,
Spirits blest, before Thy throne,
Speeding thence at Thy command,
And, when Thy behests are done,
Singing everlastingly
To the blessèd Trinity.

Cherubim and seraphim
Veil their faces with their wings;
Eyes of angels are too dim
To behold the King of kings,
While they sing eternally
To the blessèd Trinity.

Thee apostles, prophets thee,
Thee the noble martyr band,
Praise with solemn jubilee;
Thee, the church in every land;
Singing everlastingly
To the blessèd Trinity.

Hallelujah! Lord, to Thee
Father, Son and Holy Ghost,
Godhead one, and Persons three,
Join we with the heavenly host,
Singing everlastingly
To the blessèd Trinity.

Jehovah, Thee we praise,
The triune God adore;
To Father, Son and Spirit raise
Glad anthems evermore,
Glad anthems evermore.

Thou art exalted high,
Thrice holy is Thy throne;
With sinless seraphs would we vie
To make Thy glory known,
To make Thy glory known.

Thrice holy, Lord, they cry,
Before Thy throne above;
Thrice holy, we on earth reply,
Thou God of light and love,
Thou God of light and love.

Thou art the sovereign Lord
Of angels and of men;
We bow submissive to Thy Word,
Nor shall we bow in vain,
Nor shall we bow in vain.

Accept, O God of grace,
The offering which we bear
Before Thee, as to Heav’n we raise
Our voice in praise and prayer,
Our voice in praise and prayer.

O holy, holy, holy Lord,
Bright in Thy deeds and in Thy Name,
Forever be Thy Name adored,
Thy glories let the world proclaim.

O Jesus, Lamb once crucified,
To take our load of sins away,
Thine be the hymn that rolls its tide
Along the realms of upper day.

O Holy Spirit, from above
In streams of light and glory given,
Thou Source of ecstasy and love,
Thy praises ring through earth and heaven.

O God Triune, to Thee we owe
Our every thought, our every song;
And ever may Thy praises flow
From saint and seraph’s burning tongue.

O holy, holy, holy, Lord!
Thou God of hosts, by all adored;
The earth and heavens are full of Thee;
Thy light, Thy power, Thy majesty.

Loud hallelujahs to Thy Name;
Angels and seraphim proclaim;
By all the powers and thrones in Heaven,
Eternal praise to Thee is given.

Apostles join the glorious throng,
And swell the loud triumphant song;
Prophets and martyrs hear the sound,
And spread the hallelujah round.

Glory to Thee, O God most high!
Father, we praise Thy majesty!
The Son, the Spirit, we adore!
One Godhead, blest forevermore.

Round the Lord in glory seated,
Cherubim and seraphim
Filled His temple, and repeated
Each to each the alternate hymn:
“Lord, Thy glory fills the heaven,
Earth is with its fullness stored;
Unto Thee be glory given,
Holy, holy, holy Lord!”

Heav’n is still with glory ringing,
Earth takes up the angels’ cry,
“Holy, holy, holy,” singing,
“Lord of Hosts, the Lord most high.”
With His seraph train before Him,
With His holy Church below,
Thus conspire we to adore him,
Bid we thus our anthem flow.

“Lord, Thy glory fills the heaven,
Earth is with its fullness stored;
Unto Thee be glory given,
Holy, holy, holy Lord!”
Thus Thy glorious Name confessing,
We adopt thine angels’ cry,
“Holy, holy, holy,” blessing
Thee, the Lord of Hosts most high.

See the shining dewdrops,
On the flowers strewed,
Proving as they sparkle,
“God is ever good.”

Hear the mountain streamlet,
In its solitude,
With its ripple saying,
“God is ever good.”

In the leafy treetops,
Where no fears intrude,
Merry birds are singing,
“God is ever good.”

Bring, my heart, thy tribute,
Songs of gratitude,
All things join to tell us,
“God is ever good,
God is ever good.”

Thou has been our Guide this day,
Thou hast led us all the way,
Thou hast been our Sun and Shield,
Grateful hearts to Thee we yield
While Thou art nigh.

Refrain

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts!
Heav’n and earth are full of Thee!
Heav’n and earth are praising Thee,
O Lord most high!

For the gift of strength and health,
And for friendship’s boundless wealth,
For the power to think aright,
For religion’s guiding light,
We give Thee thanks.

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Guard us through the hours of night,
And with morn’s returning light,
Grant to each of us, we pray,
Strength to serve Thee all the day,
For Thine we are.

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We thank Thee, Lord, for this fair earth,
The glittering sky, the silver sea;
For all their beauty, all their worth,
Their light and glory, come from Thee.

Thine are the flowers that clothe the ground,
The trees that wave their arms above,
The hills that gird our dwellings round,
As Thou dost gird Thine own with love.

Yet teach us still how far more fair,
More glorious, Father, in Thy sight,
Is one pure deed, one holy prayer,
One heart that owns Thy Spirit’s might.

So while we gaze with thoughtful eye
On all the gifts Thy love has given,
Help us in Thee to live and die,
By Thee to rise from earth to Heaven.

We thank Thee, Lord, Thy paths of service lead
To blazoned heights and down the slopes of need;
They reach Thy throne, encompass land and sea,
And he who journeys in them walks with Thee.

We’ve sought and found Thee in the secret place
And marveled at the radiance of Thy face;
But often in some far off Galilee
Beheld Thee fairer yet while serving Thee.

We’ve felt Thy touch in sorrow’s darkened way
Abound with love and solace for the day;
And, ’neath the burdens there, Thy sovereignty,
Has held our hearts enthralled while serving Thee.

We’ve seen Thy glory like a mantle spread
O’er hill and dale in saffron flame and red;
But in the eyes of men, redeemed and free,
A splendor greater yet while serving Thee.

Show us the paths in which Thou wouldest lead
To blazoned heights or down the slopes of need;
For both alike encompass land and sea,
And he who journeys in them walks with Thee.

We worship Thee, almighty Lord,
Our hearts revere Thy gracious Word
When it goes forth from Heav’n o’er all the earth.
Holy, holy, holy art Thou, O God!

Upon a mountain builded high,
Thy Church doth in Thy strength rely,
And standeth sure while earth and time endure.
Holy, holy, holy art Thou, O God!

Through her shall every land proclaim
The sacred might of Jesus’ Name,
And all rejoice with Christian heart and voice.
Holy, holy, holy art Thou, O God!

All nations to Thy throne shall throng
And raise on high the victory song,
While cherubim reply to seraphim,
“Holy, holy, holy art Thou, O God!”

When comes the golden sunset
That trails God’s way on high,
And with its radiant splendor
Illumes the evening sky,
How are the hills and valleys
Aglow with crimson rays,
While nature’s deep toned organ
Lifts heavenward its praise:

Refrain

“Holy, holy!” Angel voices sing it;
“Holy, holy!” Cloudy pinions wing it;
“Holy, holy!” Gleaming towers ring it;
“Holy, holy, is the Lord most high.”

So God reveals at sunset
The grandeur of His throne,
The deeper, fuller glory
Reserved to be our own;
And in that hour’s unfolding
Forgot are fear and pain
In love’s abounding solace,
In heaven’s great refrain:

Refrain

Then come, blest hour of sunset,
Along the golden way,
And thrill us with the splendors
That fill life’s perfect day.
God is the end of living,
He satisfies the soul,
And they who seek His glory
Will find in Him their goal.

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