Praise Ye the Triune God

Words: Elizabeth Rundle Charles (b. Jan. 2, 1828; d. March 28, 1896)
Music: Flemming, by Friedrich Ferdinand Flemming (b. Feb. 28, 1778; d. May 27, 1813)

Note: This fine Trinitarian hymn was published in 1858. It is notable for the fact that, though the metre suits the tune, none of the lines rhyme in the common way. (In (1), lovingkindness, children, heavens, and Jehovah are nowhere close to doing so.)

There are many hymns that present the Trinity. The Cyber Hymnal lists sixty-six here. Among them are Holy God, We Praise Thy Name, and Reginal Heber’s Holy, Holy, Holy. But there are others that use the triune structure. For example: Come Thou Almighty King, William Whiting’s Eternal Father, Strong to Save, and Fanny Crosby’s Be Thou Exalted.

(1) Praise ye the Father for His lovingkindness;
Tenderly cares He for His erring children;
Praise Him, ye angels, praise Him in the heavens,
Praise ye Jehovah!

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Though it never once uses the actual word “Trinity” (our technical short-form for this aspect of the nature of God), the Bible is loaded with Trinitarian truth. There is simply no legitimate way to deny either the deity of Christ (claiming that He is only a Man) or the personhood of the Holy Spirit (suggesting that He is an impersonal force, like the force of gravity or magnetism),

Each Person of the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is seen to have the nature of deity, and is given honour as deity (Jn. 5:23; Acts 5:3-4). Further, there are references to the three Persons of the Godhead working together.

(2) Praise ye the Saviour–great is His compassion;
Graciously cares He for His chosen people;
Young men and maidens, older folks and children,
Praise ye the Saviour!

• At creation, we see God [the Father], the Spirit of God (Gen. 1:1-2; Job 26:13; 33:4; Ps. 148:5;), and the Son of God (Jn. 1:1, 3; Col. 1:16-19) at work. Even the words of the Lord, “Let Us make man in Our image” (Gen. 1:26) suggest this cooperative work.
• At the baptism of Jesus, we see all three Persons involved (Matt. 3:16-17). The water baptism of believers is also to be performed in the authority of all three (Matt. 28:19).
• When the Lord Jesus teaches, in the upper room, about coming of the Spirit to begin His Church Age ministry, both the Father and the Son are said to send Him (Jn. 14:26; 15:26).
• All three are involved in Christ’s resurrection, the Father (I Cor. 6:14), the Lord Jesus (Jn. 2:19; 10:17-18), and the Holy Spirit (I Pet. 3:18).
• All three had a part in producing the Scriptures (Jn. 17:17; Eph. 6:17; Col. 3:16; II Tim. 3:16; Heb. 4:12; II Pet. 1:21).
• All three are involved in the coming of Christ, and the work of salvation (Gal. 4:4-6; cf. I Jn. 3:3, 6; I Jn. 4:14). We are “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ” (I Pet. 1:2; cf. II Thess. 2:13-14; Tit. 3:4-6).
• All three are involved in giving spiritual gifts (I Cor. 12:3-6), and gifted men to the church (Acts 13:2; 20:28; Eph. 4:11).
• Paul commends the Corinthian believers to the care of the triune God, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen” (II Cor. 13:14; cf. Jude 1:20-21).
• All three are involved when believers pray. “For through Him [Christ] we both have access by one Spirit to the Father (Rom. 8:26-27; Eph. 2:18).

These are just a few examples of the many ways in which the three Persons of the Godhead are active in our world and in our lives.

(3) Praise ye the Spirit, Comforter of Israel,
Sent of the Father and the Son to bless us;
Praise ye the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Praise ye the Triune God!

Questions:

1. Why is it important to believe and teach the doctrine of the Trinity?
2. What is the importance of the deity of Christ (that He is not simply a Man)?

Links:

• 28 February 1778 – Friedrich Flemming Born
• Praise Ye The Triune God (The Cyber Hymnal)
• Praise Ye the Father! (Hymnary.org)