About This Song
Holy Is the Lord is a hymn anthem drawn straight from Isaiah 6 — the prophet's vision of the Lord "high and lifted up", the train of His robe filling the temple, seraphim wreathed in flame calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory."
The song follows the chapter's full arc, not just its famous opening. Verse one is the vision — smoke rising, pillars shaking, doorposts trembling at the angels' voices. Verse two is what the vision does to a man: "my pride fell to the floor… woe is me, my lips are unclean." Perfect glory does not flatter; it exposes. But it does not stop there — the coal from the altar comes like fire, and the pre-chorus names the miracle: guilt taken, sin covered, mercy opening Heaven wide.
The bridge chant holds the two truths together — "undone before You, remade by grace" — and then the second bridge lands where Isaiah 6 lands: the voice of Heaven asking, "Whom shall I send?" and the cleansed man answering, "Here am I, Lord, send me." A true vision of holiness always ends in commission. The massive final chorus and the hushed choir outro leave the anthem where it began — with the song the seraphim have never stopped singing.
Devotional
"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory" (Isaiah 6:3).
Isaiah 6 moves in three steps, and skipping any of them leaves worship incomplete.
First, the vision: Isaiah sees the Lord, and everything shakes — doorposts, temple, and the prophet himself. Holiness is not one of God's qualities alongside the others; it is the blazing purity of all of them together, the thing the seraphim cannot stop announcing.
Second, the undoing: "Woe to me… I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips" (Isaiah 6:5). Isaiah was likely the most righteous man in Judah, yet one glimpse of glory put him on the floor. Real worship always passes through this moment of honesty. But notice what God does with a man who admits he is undone — He does not cast him out. He sends the coal. "Your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for" (Isaiah 6:7). At the cross, that altar-fire has a name.
Third, the sending: only after cleansing does Isaiah hear the question, "Whom shall I send?" — and only a cleansed man can answer, "Here am I. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8). Seeing the King leads to being undone; being undone leads to being remade; being remade leads to being sent. That is the whole Christian life in one chapter — and one song.
Lyrics
[Intro — Low Choir] Holy, holy, holy Holy is the Lord Holy, holy, holy Earth is filled with glory Holy, holy, holy Holy is the Lord Holy, holy, holy Earth is filled with glory [Verse 1 — Deep Male Lead] I saw the Lord high and lifted Seated on His holy throne And the train of all His glory Filled the temple as His own Smoke was rising, pillars shaking Angels covered in the flame Calling out across the heavens One eternal, holy Name [Pre-Chorus — Rising Choir] And the doorposts shook like thunder And the temple filled with smoke Every voice began to tremble When the holy angels spoke [Chorus — Full Choir] Holy, holy, holy Is the Lord Almighty Holy, holy, holy All the earth is full of glory Holy, holy, holy There is none beside Thee Holy, holy, holy All the earth is full of glory [Verse 2 — Deep Male Lead] Then my heart was torn wide open And my pride fell to the floor For the light of perfect glory Showed the sin I carried more Woe is me, my lips are unclean I am ruined in Your sight Yet Your mercy came like fire From the altar burning bright [Pre-Chorus — Rising Choir] Then the coal of holy cleansing Touched the place where shame had cried Guilt was taken, sin was covered Mercy opened Heaven wide [Chorus — Full Choir] Holy, holy, holy Is the Lord Almighty Holy, holy, holy All the earth is full of glory Holy, holy, holy There is none beside Thee Holy, holy, holy All the earth is full of glory [Bridge — Low Chant] Undone before You Remade by grace Cleansed by the altar Called by Your name Undone before You Remade by grace Here in Your presence I find my place [Bridge 2 — Build] Then I heard the voice of Heaven Whom shall I send today Who will go and bear My message Who will walk My holy way Here am I, Lord, send me onward Here am I, Lord, I will go I have seen the King in glory Now my life is Yours alone [Final Chorus — Massive Choir] Holy, holy, holy Is the Lord Almighty Holy, holy, holy All the earth is full of glory Holy, holy, holy There is none beside Thee Holy, holy, holy All the earth is full of glory Holy, holy, holy King of endless glory Holy, holy, holy All the earth is full of glory Holy, holy, holy Lord of hosts before me Holy, holy, holy All the earth is full of glory [Outro — Deep Choir] Holy, holy, holy Holy is the Lord Holy, holy, holy Earth is filled with glory Holy, holy, holy Holy is the Lord Holy, holy, holy Earth is filled with glory
Suggested chord chart
Key: D minor · Tempo: ~68 BPM · Time: 4/4 NOTE: This is a suggested arrangement for playing along — not a transcription of the recording. Solemn and spacious — leave room for the choir lines to ring. [Intro — low choir] Dm | B♭ | F | C [Verse] Dm B♭ F C Dm B♭ F C Dm [Pre-Chorus — rising] B♭ C Dm C/E [Chorus — full] Dm B♭ F C Dm B♭ F C Dm [Bridge — low chant] Dm C | B♭ Dm (quiet, reverent) [Bridge 2 — build] B♭ F | C Dm (grow line by line into the final chorus) [Final Chorus] As chorus, massive, then fall away [Outro — hushed choir] Dm | B♭ | F | C | Dm
Credits: Music and lyrics: Sandy Rock · Singing & vocals: Gary B · Producer: Sandy R
Release date: