Holy God we Praise Thy Name

This is a traditional Catholic hymn of praise. It is based on the German hymn "Grosser Gott, wir loben dich", which is attributed to Ignace Franz, and is based on Ambrose's Te Deum.

The words were translated by by Clarence A Walworth (1820-1900), F. Bland Tucker and Hugh T. Henry (1862-1946) - there is some disagreement about who translated which verses.

With meter of 78 78 77, tunes that it has been set to include:

TE DEUM / GROSSER GOTT from Katholisches Gesangbuch (circa 1774) - this is the most commonly used tune
CHERUBIM by George F. Le Jeune

GROSSER GOTT is usually published in the key of F. However this is a fairly high setting for some, reaching high D in the last line. The sheet music below is in the lower key of Eb.

Downloads

This section may contain affiliate links: I earn from qualifying purchases on these. Free downloads are provided where possible (eg for public domain items).

Lead sheet (melody + guitar chords)

PowerPoint slides

Sheet music for piano and voice, with chords - arranged by Michael Card

Concerto arrangment for SATB choir w. descant, assembly, organ, brass and drums by Paul M. French

Examples

Lead singer and choir, unaccompanied:

Parish choir and congregation with organ backing:

Solo singer with guitar:

Professional choir with orchestral backing:

Lyrics

Holy God, we praise Thy Name;
Lord of all, we bow before Thee!
All on earth Thy scepter claim,
All in Heaven above adore Thee;
Infinite Thy vast domain,
Everlasting is Thy 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.

Lo! the apostolic train
Join the sacred Name to hallow;
Prophets swell the loud refrain,
And the white robed martyrs follow;
And from morn to set of sun,
Through the Church the song goes on.

Holy Father, Holy Son,
Holy Spirit, Three we name Thee;
While in essence only One,
Undivided God we claim Thee;
And adoring bend the knee,
While we own the mystery.

Thou art King of glory, Christ:
Son of God, yet born of Mary;
For us sinners sacrificed,
And to death a tributary:
First to break the bars of death,
Thou has opened Heaven to faith.

From Thy high celestial home,
Judge of all, again returning,
We believe that Thou shalt come
In the dreaded doomsday morning;
When Thy voice shall shake the earth,
And the startled dead come forth.

Therefore do we pray Thee, Lord:
Help Thy servants whom, redeeming
By Thy precious blood out-poured,
Thou hast saved from Satan’s scheming.
Give to them eternal rest
In the glory of the blest.

Spare Thy people, Lord, we pray,
By a thousand snares surrounded:
Keep us without sin today,
Never let us be confounded.
Lo, I put my trust in Thee;
Never, Lord, abandon me.

ABC Notation

About ABC notation

X:1

T:Holy God we Praise Thy Name

C:Tune:    GROSSER GOTT from Katholisches Gesangbuch (circa 1774)

C:Words:  Clarence A Walworth (1820-1900), translated from Ignace Franz (1719-90)

Z:abc-transcription www.GodSongs.net   

L:1/4

M:3/4

K:Ebmaj

"Eb"E2 E | "Bb"(ED) "Eb"E | "Fm"F-G "Bb"F | "Eb"E3 |

w:1~~~Ho-ly God,_ we pra-ise Thy name;

w:2~~~Hark the loud_ ce-les-tial_ hymn

w:3~~~Ho-ly Fa--ther, ho-ly_ Son,

"Eb"G2 G | "Cm"G-F E | "Bb"B-A "Eb"G | G "Bb"F2 |

w:1~~~Lord of all,_ we bow_ be-fore Thee.

w:2~~~An-gel choirs_ a-bove_ are rais-ing,

w:3~~~Ho-ly Spi--rit, Three_ we name Thee;

"Eb"E2 E | "Bb"E-D "Eb"E | "Fm"F-G "Bb"F | "Eb"E3 |

w:1~~~All on ear-th Thy sc-ep-ter claim,

w:2~~~Che-ru-bim_ and se--ra-phim,

w:3~~~While in es--sence only__ One,

"Eb"G2 G | "Cm"G-F E | "Bb"B-A "Eb"G | G "Bb"F2 |

w:1~~~All in Hea-ven a-bove_ a-dore Thee;

w:2~~~In un-ceas_ing cho_rus prais-ing;

w:3~~~Un-div-i--ded God_ we claim Thee;

F2 "Eb"G | "Fm"A2 "Bb"F | "Eb"G2 "Ab"A | "Eb"B3 |

w:1~~~In-fin-ite Thy vast do-main,

w:2~~~Fill the heavens with sweet acc-ord:

w:3~~~And a-dor-ing bend the knee,

"Ab"c2 c | "Eb"B-A "Cm"G | "Fm"A-G "Bb"F | "Eb"E3 |]

w:1~~~Ev-er-last_ing is_ Thy reign.

w:2~~~Hol-y, hol_y, ho_ly, Lord.

w:3~~~While we own_ the my_ste-ry.