The Seventh-day Adventist
Church Hymnal

There is an interesting story behind song number 73, Holy, Holy, Holy, found in the Seventh-day Adventist Church Hymnal. This song is found in the 1909 Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal, Christ in Song, and also in both the 1941 Church Hymnal (pictured above, right), and the 1985 Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal of today.

This song was originally written in 1826 by Reginald Heber. In its original form it was a trinitarian song, which read as follows: “God in three persons, blessed Trinity!” The 1909 and the 1941 Adventist version read as follows: “God over all who rules eternity!”

The 1909 and 1941 Version of
Holy, Holy, Holy

This song was purposely changed into a non-trinitarian song by Seventh-day Adventists, reflecting their views on the Trinity at the time of the change. In the 1985 Adventist Hymnal this song was changed back to its original, reflecting the views of the Adventist Church at this time. Please notice the changes at the end of the first stanza in the song found in the 1985 version.

The 1985 Version of Holy, Holy, Holy

The Adventist church was Non-Trinitarian, and has changed into a Trinitarian church.