Here are some resources in trying to pursue a more fully Trinitarian language of worship. We love these great Trinitarian hymns – either because they reflect a balance of the whole Trinity in their text or emphasize the often neglected Spirit role in the Trinitarian ecology.
Collect on the Trinity:
Almighty God, you have revealed to your Church your eternal Being of glorious majesty and perfect love as one God in Trinity of Persons: Give us grace to continue steadfast in the confession of this faith, and constant in our worship of you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; for you live and reign, one God,
now and for ever. Amen.
—
Lester Ruth
- Don’t Lose the Trinity! A Plea to Songwriters
John Witvliet
- “The Opening of Worship – Trinity” (PDF) from A More Profound Alleluia
- “The Trinitarian DNA of Christian Worship” (PDF)
Resources on Studying the Trinity at ‘The Resurgence”
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Hymns of Faith - Songs for the Apostles Creed
The apostles creed is a wonderful way to measure the breadth or lack-there-of of your song repertoire. This is a collection of 12 hymns each addressing one aspect of the apostles creed.
Pentecost Songs - Hymns for the Holy Spirit
25 songs reflecting on and singing to the Holy Spirit. This is often one of the most glaring deficiences in our worship of the triune God-head. Give your people language and songs so they can sing to the whole Trinity.
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| Traditional
Come, Thou Almighty King (Traditional)
mp3 | chordchart | leadsheet | hymnary
Praise the Savior (Traditional)
mp3 | leadsheet | chords
May the Grace of Christ Our Savior (Newton)
leadsheet | text (Trinitarian Benediction)
| Retuned
The Apostles Creed (deckard arr.)
mp3 | leadsheet
Come, Holy Ghost (Benedict arr.)
mp3 | leadsheet | chord chart | Buy
Come, Holy Spirit, God and Lord (Partain arr.)
mp3 | leadsheet | info
Come, Thou Everlasting Spirit (Benedict arr.)
mp3 | chord chart | leadsheet | LS Hymns (wesley)
Glory Be To God The Father (Indelible Grace)
mp3 | chart
Lord, Jesus Christ, Be Present Now (Winkworth – Partain music)
mp3 | chord chart | leadsheet | info
In the Name of God the Father (Boswell arr.)
mp3 | leadsheet (for the Lord’s Supper)
God the Spirit (Boswell arr)
mp3 | chords | leadsheet | info
This Day At Thy Creating Word (Jensen arr.)
mp3 | chord chart | info
| Contemporary/Original
O God of Our Salvation (Matt Boswell)
info | leadsheet
Wonderful, Merciful, Savior (Wyse)
mp3 | chords | leadsheet
Our God Saves (Baloche/Brown)
listen and charts
Three-in-One, We Praise Our God (Benedict arr.)
mp3 | leadsheet
For Your Gift of God the Spirit – (Clarkson/Deckard arr.)
mp3 | leadsheet | info
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HERE is a collection of Images relating to the Trinity @ http://www.textweek.com
HERE is a collection of hymns written on the Trinity by Charles Wesley
HERE are is a wealth of links from CICW for meditating on a Trinitarian theology of worship.
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Creed of Athanasius (so called)
Now the Catholic Faith is this, / that we worship one God in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity; Neither confusing the Persons, / nor dividing the Substance. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, / another of the Holy Ghost; But the Godhead of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is all one, / the glory equal, the majesty co-eternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, / and such is the Holy Ghost; The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, the Holy Ghost uncreated; The Father infinite, the Son infinite, the Holy Ghost infinite; The Father eternal, the Son eternal, the Holy Ghost eternal; And yet there are not three eternals, but one eternal; As also there are not three uncreated, nor three infinites, / but one infinite, and one uncreated. So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, / the Holy Ghost almighty; And yet there are not three almighties, but one almighty. So the Father is God, the Son God, the Holy Ghost God; And yet there are not three Gods, / but one God.
Bruce,
I too lament the lack of Trinitarian songs in the worship of the church. I’ve been talking about this for years. I’m glad to see that you’re giving some examples for us.
I like the song “Three In One, We Praise Our God” with the exception that the Spirit is referred to as “it.” In my understanding, to refer to the Spirit as “it” obscures (or perhaps even implicitly denies) his “personality.” For this reason, I couldn’t use this song in our worship services, even though I would really like to.
Thanks for posting on this subject.
Thanks Stuart. I’ll see if I can change the wording. It wasn’t a main concern when i was writing the text but I see what you mean. Found this an interesting overview and somewhat helpful. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_of_the_Holy_Spirit
Thanks for the reply and for considering a wording change.
As I read over my comment again, I was perhaps too short in any contextualization of why I said what I said. For this I apologize.
My context is basically this . . . I am always on the hunt for more Trinitarian songs because I believe the doctrine and reality of the Trinity is not simply good, orthodox teaching, but also essential to our glorifying and enjoying God and to understanding the gospel of the kingdom (I could go on and on about this, but I’ll spare you from my tirades!).
Add to my longing to find songs that are explicitly Trinitarian the fact that there are many people in the congregation I serve who have all kinds of misunderstandings about the Spirit . . . I find myself wanting to clarify and instruct when it comes to issues concerning the Trinity in general and especially the Holy Spirit. So I am wary of all sorts of good songs because of the way something is phrased. I guess I’m “sensitive” to my own context when it comes to these kinds of things. I am not trying to be overly critical . . . I’m simply trying to apply truth to my context as best I know how . . . and if a word or phrase can be changed to clarify some potential misunderstandings, I certainly would appreciate it!
Anyway, thanks again for your humble consideration about the issue I raised.
Thank you for all these songs and lead sheets. We’re singing four of them in our Church. Is this alright, if it’s not please me know. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! God bless you!
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Thank you for including our hymn “Wonderful, Merciful Savior”. I have also composed a new tune and lyric adaption to the Charles Wesley text “Come, Let Us with Our Lord Arise”, including a trinitarian fourth stanza. Here is a link to the score. Free to use in public worship. http://www.scoreexchange.com/scores/118234.html
- Eric Wyse