My earliest memories of church worship are of being nestled between my parents and grandparents as we lifted our voices to praise God. As a preschooler, I was enthralled with singing about my Jesus while surrounded by the ones I loved. As I strained to watch the “giants” around me, their enthusiasm was contagious. They were excited to be in worship, so I was excited to be in worship!
Through singing the sacred hymns about the Trinity, Biblical teaching was reinforced. Our voices rang with the truths of the Almighty God, who loved us so much that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to take our penalty for sin and to die on the cross in our place (John 3:16). We sang of the Son’s mighty love as He lived, died, and rose from the grave for one purpose: to glorify His Father God by bridging the sin gap between a Holy Father and us. And we marveled that Jesus, in His great love for us, promised His Father would give us the comfort and counsel of the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-17).
The following hymns about the Trinity encourage us to bow the knees of our hearts in love and adoration to God. What a privilege and joy to praise the One Who knows and loves us like no other (Psalm 139:1-18).
1. “Come, Thou Almighty King” by Unknown Author
This powerful pre-1757 hymn about the Trinity was originally included in a leaflet and bound with other hymns in the 1757 compilation of George Whitefield’s Collection of Hymns for Social Worship. The lyrics were originally sung to the same tune as the British National Anthem (and the song “America”).
Verse one begins, “Come, Thou Almighty King, Help us Thy name to sing.” Verse two moves from God the Father to God the Son: “Come, Thou Incarnate Word, Gird on Thy mighty sword.” Verse three continues with seeking the Holy Spirit: “Come, Holy Comforter, Thy sacred witness bear.”
This invitation to worship (“Come...”) given from God’s image-bearers to the Creator Triune God, closes with words of honor and praise.
Come Thou Almighty King from abeident on GodTube.
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.
Come, thou incarnate Word,
gird on thy mighty sword;
our prayer attend.
Come and thy people bless,
and give thy Word success,
and let thy righteousness
on us descend.
Come, holy Comforter,
thy sacred witness bear
in this glad hour!
Thou, who almighty art,
now rule in ev’ry heart,
and ne’er from us depart,
Spirit of pow’r.
To thee, great One in Three,
eternal praises be
hence evermore!
Thy sov’reign majesty
may we in glory see,
and to eternity love and adore.
2. “O Trinity of Blessed Light” by John Mason Neale
Psalm 113:3 reads, “From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised.” This 1852 hymn is a beautiful example praising God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The closing line is especially poignant: “ ... let us raise one heart and voice in ceaseless praise.” Yes!
O Trinity, most blessed light,
O Unity of sov’reign might,
as now the fiery sun departs,
come shed your light within our hearts.
To you our morning song of praise,
to you our evening prayer we raise;
our humble joy shall ever be
to praise your name eternally.
To God the Father, heav’nly light,
to Christ revealed in earthly night,
to God the Spirit let us raise
one heart and voice in ceaseless praise.
3. “Ancient of Days, Who Sittest Throned in Glory” by William C. Doane
Oh, how moving to remember that our Creator God is the Ancient of Days! The author of this classic hymn about the Trinity penned it in 1886, and Jesus’ followers through the ages are still drawn to this call to praise. The gentle “Amen” at the song’s close ushers the worshiper into a moment of reflective prayer.
Ancient of Days, who sittest, throned in glory,
To Thee all knees are bent, all voices pray;
Thy love hast blest the wide world’s wondrous story
With light and life since Eden’s dawning day.
O Holy Father, who hast led Thy children
In all the ages, with the fire and cloud,
Through seas dry-shod, through weary wastes bewildering;
To Thee, in reverent love, our hearts are bowed.
O Holy Jesus, Prince of Peace and Saviour,
To Thee we owe the peace that still prevails,
Stilling the rude wills of men’s wild behavior,
And calming passion’s fierce and stormy gales.
O Holy Ghost, the Lord and the Life-giver,
Thine is the quickening power that gives increase;
From Thee have flowed, as from a mighty river,
Our plenty, wealth, prosperity and peace.
O Triune God, with heart and voice adoring,
Praise we the goodness that doth crown our days;
Pray we that Thou wilt hear us, still imploring
Thy love and favor, kept to us always.
Amen.
4. “Eternal Father, Strong to Save” by William Whiting
In an unsettled world where many troubles batter us, the words of this 1860 hymn remind us to rest in God’s sovereignty. Phrases such as “strong to save,” “Who walked upon the foaming deep,” and “Your children shield in danger’s hour” lead the reader to release fears and anxieties to the Triune God confidently. What a privilege to lift our voices to the One “Whose arm does bind the restless wave.”
Eternal Father, Strong to Save from musicbymichele on GodTube.
Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm does bind the restless wave,
Who bids the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
O hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea.
O Savior, whose almighty word
The winds and waves submissive heard,
Who walked upon the foaming deep,
And calm amid the rage did sleep;
O hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea.
O Holy Spirit, who did brood
Upon the waters dark and rude,
And bid their angry tumult cease,
And give for wild confusion peace;
O hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea.
O Trinity of love and pow’r,
Your children shield in danger’s hour;
From rock and tempest, fire, and foe,
Protect them where-so-e’er they go;
Thus, evermore shall rise to Thee
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.
5. “God, Our Father, We Adore Thee” by George W. Frazer and Alfred S. Loizeaux
This hymn about the Trinity rings with words of adoration and praise to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and brings to mind the joyful words of Psalm 71:8: “My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long.” Written in the 1800s, the repeated phrase, “We adore thee!” inspires the worshiper to focus on the magnificence of God.
God, our Father, we adore Thee!
We, Thy children, bless Thy name!
Chosen in the Christ before Thee,
we are “holy, without blame.”
We adore Thee! We adore Thee!
Abba’s praises we proclaim!
We adore Thee! We adore Thee!
Abba’s praises we proclaim!
Son Eternal, we adore Thee!
Lamb upon the throne on high!
Lamb of God, we bow before Thee,
Thou hast brought Thy people nigh!
We adore Thee! We adore Thee!
Son of God, who came to die!
We adore Thee! We adore Thee!
Son of God, who came to die!
Holy Spirit, we adore Thee!
Paraclete and heavenly guest!
Sent from God and from the Savior,
Thou hast led us into rest.
We adore Thee! we adore Thee!
by Thy grace forever blest.
We adore Thee! we adore Thee!
by Thy grace forever blest.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
Three in One! we give Thee praise!
For the riches we inherit,
heart and voice to Thee we raise!
We adore Thee! We adore Thee!
Thee we bless through endless days!
We adore Thee! we adore Thee!
Thee we bless through endless days!
6. “Holy, Holy, Holy” by Reginald Heber
This beloved hymn reverberates with a call to worship and adore “God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!” Penned in 1826, the words draw the worshiper away from thoughts of self and into precious communion with the One Who created us to bring Him glory. Oh, what a privilege to sing the sacred words, “Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee, Perfect in power, in love, and purity.” What an amazing God we serve!
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 shalt 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 pow’r, 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!
7. “O Day of Rest and Gladness” by Christopher Wordsworth
In 1862 the nephew of author William Wordsworth wrote this hymn around the themes of creation and God’s rest on the seventh day. The lyrics, “On thee at the creation The light first had its birth; On thee, for our salvation, Christ rose from depths of earth,” combine two themes. They show the beauty of the gift of light at the moment of creation. They also describe the miracle of our salvation through Jesus, The Light of the World (Genesis 1:3, John 8:12). In stunning clarity, Genesis 1:1-5 and John 1:1-5 testify that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit were all present at the moment of creation.
O day of rest and gladness,
O day of joy and light,
O balm of care and sadness,
most beautiful, most bright;
on thee the high and lowly
through ages joined in tune,
sing “Holy, holy, holy”
to the great God Triune.
On thee, at the creation,
the light first had its birth;
on thee, for our salvation,
Christ rose from depths of earth;
on thee, our Lord victorious,
the Spirit sent from heav’n;
and thus on thee, most glorious,
a triple light was giv’n.
Today on weary nations
the heav’nly manna falls;
to holy convocations
the silver trumpet calls,
where gospel light is glowing
with pure and radiant beams,
and living water flowing
with soul-refreshing streams.
New graces ever gaining
from this our day of rest,
we reach the rest remaining
to spirits of the blest.
To Holy Ghost be praises,
to Father, and to Son;
the church her voice upraises
to thee, blest Three in One.
8 “This Is the Time of Song” translated by John Brownlie
Included in an obscure hymnal titled Hymns of the Holy Eastern Church, this simple but powerful song is a call to come before God in an attitude of prayer. “Holy, Holy, Holy Thou, God of Hosts to Whom we bow” reminds us of the glorious God we worship!
This is the time of song,
The hour when prayer is made,
And fervently we cry to Thee
O Undivided Trinity; —
Holy, Holy, Holy Thou,
God of Hosts to Whom we bow.
Even as the Heavenly hosts, —
But with unworthy lips, —
Eternal Trinity most strong,
To Thee we raise victorious song,
And falling down before Thee now,
Sing Holy, Holy, Holy Thou.
Thou Who wast born on earth,
But still with God remained,
Accept us Christ our God we pray,
As with angelic hosts we say,
Holy, Holy, Holy Thou,
With Thy mercy bless us now.
9. “O Triune God,” written by Jean Tisserand, arranged by Ken
This song takes its lyrics from “O filii et filiae,” a hymn penned by Jean Tesserand in 1494. This version, with revised text by Genevieve Glen and music by Ken Canedo, emphasizes the trinity sits on high, sovereign, and supreme over all creation. It reminds us that whether we think of God the Father’s glory, God the Son’s sacrifice, or God the Holy Spirit’s power within us, God is a glorious god who is worthy of our praise.
10. “All Hail Adored Trinity” by Unknown Author, Translated by John David Chambers
This uplifting hymn from the mid-1800s resounds with adoration and praise to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I love the sweet communion between the worshiper and our Holy God as portrayed in words, “O Trinity! O Unity! Be present as we worship thee.” What a privilege to come before our Creator God and know that authentic worship is pleasing Him (John 4:23-24).
All hail, adored Trinity!
All hail, eternal Unity!
O God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Spirit, ever One.
Three persons praise we evermore,
One only God our hearts adore:
In thy sure mercy, ever kind,
May we your strong protection find.
O Trinity! O Unity!
Be present as we worship thee;
And with the songs that angels sing
Unite the hymns of praise we bring.
If you want to hear about more classic hymns, check out these articles:
10 Hymns for Lent: Encouraging Songs for Prayer and Fasting
10 Thanksgiving Hymns to Praise God with Gratitude and Joy
Top 10 Hymns about Faith to Trust God Through Adversity
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Iryna Palmina
You’ll find Leigh Ann on an adventure with her sweetheart of 39 years, getting silly with her grands, or daydreaming story plots on the front porch.
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