The Te Deum hymn entered official Church prayer remarkably early. The earliest evidence for its use in the Divine Office is found in St. Caesarius of Arles in 502, and St. Benedict, who died in 526, also prescribed it for his monks. Today's Divine Office directs the recitation of the Te Deum before the concluding prayer of the Office of Readings on all Sundays outside of Lent, during the octaves of Easter and Christmas, and on solemnities and feasts.
The Te Deum became the Church's great song of thanksgiving for significant moments. Unlike other shorter or more personal prayers, the Te Deum is public and choral in nature the entire Church, represented by the Pope, raises its voice to acknowledge God's greatness, profess the Christian faith, and give thanks for His providential action, especially at decisive moments in liturgical and historical life. Traditionally, it has been sung at ordinations, coronations, military victories, and most familiarly today on December 31st in thanksgiving for the closing year.
The hymn has inspired centuries of sacred music. Polyphonic settings have been composed by figures such as Palestrina, Handel, Purcell, Vaughan Williams, Cherubini, Britten, Berlioz, Bruckner, and Dvok. Even Protestant hymnody drew from it: the popular "Holy God, We Praise Thy Name," originally a 1775 Lutheran hymn in German, is also based on the Te Deum.
The Te Deum stands as a living echo of the early Church's voice a hymn that has crossed sixteen centuries without losing its power to lift hearts in praise.
In years gone by, in Europe, whenever there was a great Christian victory or miracle, the priests would gather the people of the town and the parishes to pray a Te Deum in thanksgiving.
This morning, no matter what confession you are, will you join me in praying a Te Deum (Latin for "To Thee, God"). Here is the Te Deum prayer:
You are God: we praise you;
You are God: we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might,Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:Father, of majesty unbounded,Your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
And the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.You, Christ, are the king of glory,
The eternal Son of the Father.
When you became man to set us free You did not spurn the Virgin's womb.
You overcame the sting of death,
And opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God's right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come, and be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
Bought with the price of your own blood,
And bring us with your saintsTo glory everlasting.
Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance.
Govern and uphold them now and always.
Day by day we bless you.
We praise your name forever.
Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
Lord, show us your love and mercy;
For we put our trust in you.
In you, Lord, is our hope:
And we shall never hope in vain.
The Te Deum became the Church's great song of thanksgiving for significant moments. Unlike other shorter or more personal prayers, the Te Deum is public and choral in nature the entire Church, represented by the Pope, raises its voice to acknowledge God's greatness, profess the Christian faith, and give thanks for His providential action, especially at decisive moments in liturgical and historical life. Traditionally, it has been sung at ordinations, coronations, military victories, and most familiarly today on December 31st in thanksgiving for the closing year.
The hymn has inspired centuries of sacred music. Polyphonic settings have been composed by figures such as Palestrina, Handel, Purcell, Vaughan Williams, Cherubini, Britten, Berlioz, Bruckner, and Dvok. Even Protestant hymnody drew from it: the popular "Holy God, We Praise Thy Name," originally a 1775 Lutheran hymn in German, is also based on the Te Deum.
The Te Deum stands as a living echo of the early Church's voice a hymn that has crossed sixteen centuries without losing its power to lift hearts in praise.
In years gone by, in Europe, whenever there was a great Christian victory or miracle, the priests would gather the people of the town and the parishes to pray a Te Deum in thanksgiving.
This morning, no matter what confession you are, will you join me in praying a Te Deum (Latin for "To Thee, God"). Here is the Te Deum prayer:
You are God: we praise you;
You are God: we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might,Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:Father, of majesty unbounded,Your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
And the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.You, Christ, are the king of glory,
The eternal Son of the Father.
When you became man to set us free You did not spurn the Virgin's womb.
You overcame the sting of death,
And opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God's right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come, and be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
Bought with the price of your own blood,
And bring us with your saintsTo glory everlasting.
Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance.
Govern and uphold them now and always.
Day by day we bless you.
We praise your name forever.
Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
Lord, show us your love and mercy;
For we put our trust in you.
In you, Lord, is our hope:
And we shall never hope in vain.
