Holy God, We Praise Thy Name
The Te Deum turned into something a congregation can actually sing.
The words are public domain. We print a hymn only after checking it word for word against a dated old printing, and this one hasn’t been checked yet. Hymnary has it now.
“Holy God, We Praise Thy Name” at HymnaryAbout this hymn
The Te Deum is an ancient hymn of the church, long and unmetred and traditionally chanted. This is that text put into stanzas and given a tune, so a room full of people can do it without training.
It is sung by Lutherans, Roman Catholics, Methodists and others, and each tradition tends to assume it belongs to them. In a divided church that is not a small thing.
Trinity Sunday, All Saints, and any occasion large enough to want the whole company of heaven mentioned by name.
For musicians and planners
| Words | Attributed to Ignaz Franz (1719-1790); German versification of the Te Deum, first printed anonymously, 1774 | Public domain |
|---|---|---|
| Translation | Clarence A. Walworth, 1853 | Public domain |
| Tune | GROSSER GOTT · Allgemeines Katholisches Gesangbuch, Vienna, c. 1774 (no composer named), 1774 | Public domain |
Checked 2026-09-27 against hymnary.org text, tune and person pages (attribution and rights only)
Hymn numbers checked against Hymnary.org’s index of Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Full record: Hymnary.