An ancient Latin hymn of praise to God, sung on occasions of solemn thanksgiving in Catholic and Anglican worship.
Tagged: Liturgical Prayer Praise Prayer Catholic
The Text
We praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.
All the earth doth worship thee, the Father everlasting.
To thee all Angels cry aloud: the Heavens, and all the Powers therein.
To thee Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry:
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth;
Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty of thy glory.
The glorious company of the Apostles praise thee.
The goodly fellowship of the Prophets praise thee.
The noble army of Martyrs praise thee.
The holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge thee:
The Father of an infinite Majesty;
Thine honourable, true, and only Son;
Also the Holy Ghost, the Comforter.
Thou art the King of Glory, O Christ.
Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.
When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man, thou didst not abhor the Virgin's womb.
When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death, thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father.
We believe that thou shalt come to be our Judge.
We therefore pray thee, help thy servants, whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.
Make them to be numbered with thy Saints in glory everlasting.
O Lord, save thy people, and bless thine heritage.
Govern them, and lift them up for ever.
Day by day we magnify thee;
And we worship thy Name ever, world without end.
Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin.
O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us.
O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us, as our trust is in thee.
O Lord, in thee have I trusted; let me never be confounded.
Historical Context
The Te Deum, named from its opening Latin words Te Deum laudamus ('We praise thee, O God'), is a hymn of the early Church, traditionally attributed to Ambrose and Augustine at Augustine's baptism in 387, though scholars generally date its composition to the late 4th or early 5th century, with Nicetas of Remesiana a leading candidate for its author. The English text given here is the Book of Common Prayer version. The hymn moves from praise of the Trinity to Christ's incarnation and redemption, ending in petitions drawn from the Psalms.
Use and Practice
The Te Deum is sung in the Catholic Liturgy of the Hours on Sundays and feasts, at services of solemn thanksgiving, and in Anglican Morning Prayer, where it follows the first lesson as a canticle.
References
- The Book of Common Prayer Free / open access
- EWTN Devotions Free / open access
Related Prayers and Creeds
- Glory Be (Gloria Patri) — A short doxology praising the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, used across Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant worship.
- Anglican Collects (Book of Common Prayer) — The short, structured prayers of the Book of Common Prayer appointed for each Sunday and feast, exemplified by the Collect for Purity.
- Anima Christi — A medieval prayer asking Christ's body, blood, and passion to sanctify, save, and protect the one who prays.
- Trisagion Prayers — The opening prayers of Orthodox services and prayer rules, built around the thrice-holy hymn 'Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal.'
Related Across the Site
- Act of Contrition Prayer or Creed — A prayer of sorrow for sin, prayed in the Sacrament of Penance and in personal examination of conscience.
- Anglican Collects (Book of Common Prayer) Prayer or Creed — The short, structured prayers of the Book of Common Prayer appointed for each Sunday and feast, exemplified by the Collect for Purity.
- Anima Christi Prayer or Creed — A medieval prayer asking Christ's body, blood, and passion to sanctify, save, and protect the one who prays.
- Glory Be (Gloria Patri) Prayer or Creed — A short doxology praising the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, used across Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant worship.
- Hail Mary Prayer or Creed — A prayer to the Virgin Mary built from the angel's greeting in Luke 1, asking for her intercession.
- Prayers of the Rosary Prayer or Creed — The set of prayers prayed on the beads of the Rosary, including the Fatima Prayer and the Hail Holy Queen.
- The Angelus Prayer or Creed — A thrice-daily prayer of versicles and Hail Marys commemorating the Annunciation and the Incarnation.
- Trisagion Prayers Prayer or Creed — The opening prayers of Orthodox services and prayer rules, built around the thrice-holy hymn 'Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal.'