Scripture Verse

The Father…the Son and…the Ho­ly Spir­it. Matthew 28:20

Introduction

Words: From an 11th Cen­tu­ry ma­nu­script in the Brit­ish Mu­se­um (O Pa­ter sanc­te, mi­tis at­que pie). Trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by Al­fred E. Al­ston, Some Li­tur­gi­cal Hymns, 1903. For an­oth­er trans­la­tion, see Fa­ther Most Ho­ly, Mer­ci­ful and Ten­der.

Music: Chris­te Sanc­to­rum French church tune, Pa­ris An­ti­phon­er, 1681 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Al­ston (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Father most ho­ly, mer­ci­ful, and lov­ing,
Jesus, Re­deem­er, ev­er to be wor­shipped,
Life-giving Spir­it, Com­fort­er most gra­cious,
God ev­er­last­ing.

Three in a won­drous uni­ty un­brok­en,
One per­fect God-head, love that ne­ver fail­eth,
Light of the an­gels, suc­cor of the needy,
Hope of all liv­ing.

All Thy cre­ation serv­eth its cre­at­or;
Thee ev­ery crea­ture prais­eth with­out ceas­ing;
We, too, would sing the psalms of true de­vo­tion;
Hear, we be­seech Thee.

Lord God al­migh­ty, un­to Thee be glo­ry,
One in three Per­sons, ov­er all ex­alt­ed;
Thine, as is meet, be hon­or, praise, and bless­ing,
Now and for­ev­er.