HYMN: We Praise Your Holy Name, O Lord

The Te Deum Laudamus is one of the oldest Christian hymns, written in the third or fourth century. Luther considered the Te Deum to be on the same level as the three ecumenical creeds as a creedal statement. As for me, I've wanted to write a metrical text for the Te Deum for as long as I've been writing hymn texts. One of my favorite hymns ever is "Holy God, We Praise Thy Name," and the Te Duem from the Matins service is heavenly. It's hard to mess up the Te Deum, and I hope I, too, have done it justice. I don't think this will ever overtake Starke's Te Deum text for popularity (though I still wish it had a different tune than Thaxted--but let us not argue about that here). Anyway, here is my text in draft form, set to the tune for the hymn "Dear Christians One and All, Rejoice." Feedback is love.

 

We Praise Your Holy Name, O Lord

1. We praise Your holy name, O Lord,

With songs of adoration.

O Father, by the world adored,

We shout in acclamation.

Lo, all the pow'rs of heav'n on high

And angel choirs aloud do cry

In exultation ringing.

2. The cherubim and seraphim

Sing "Holy, holy, holy!

The heav'ns and earth and all therein

Are full of Your great glory!"

Apostles, prophets praise Your name.

The martyr throng with great acclaim

With all the Church is singing.

3. O Father of all majesty;

Your only Son, our Savior;

O Holy Ghost: all praises be

To you, O God, forever.

Hail, glorious Christ! You are the King!

Your everlasting praise we sing,

O Son of God the Father.

4. You did not spurn the virgin's womb,

But bore humiliation.

You overcame the death and tomb

And won for us salvation.

By bearing sin's enormous weight

You opened wide the Kingdom's gate;

The faithful there will gather.

5. You sit alone at God's right hand,

The Father's glory sharing.

Before You, Christ, we all will stand,

Our sins and errors baring.

Oh holy Judge, to You we pray.

Preserve Your saints upon that Day

In glory everlasting.

6. We pray you, save Your people, Lord.

Preserve Your heirs and lead them.

Oh, keep Your people in Your Word

And with salvation feed them.

Keep us this day without offense.

Your mercy, gracious Lord, dispense.

Let us not be confounded.

87 87 887

NUN FREUT EUCH (LSB 556)

Te Deum Laudamus