Te Deum Laudamus

Te Deum Laudamus

We praise You, O God; we acclaim You as Lord. All creation worships You, the Father everlasting. To You all angels, all the powers of heaven, cherubim and seraphim, sing in endless praise: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts, heaven and earth are full of the majesty 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 death and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

You sit at God’s right hand in glory. We believe that You will come to be our judge. Come then, Lord, and help Your people, whom You have redeemed with Your precious blood.

Make them rise to eternal life, and gather them with Your saints, for You are glorious, O Lord.

O Lord, save Your people, and bless Your inheritance. Govern and uphold them, now and always.

Day by day we bless You. We praise Your name forever. Grant Your people peace.

O Lord, have mercy on us. O Lord, let Your mercy be upon us, as we have put our hope in You.

In You, O Lord, we put our trust; let us never be put to shame. Amen.

The Te Deum is an ancient Latin Christian hymn of praise and thanksgiving, traditionally ascribed to a date before AD 500, though its exact authorship remains uncertain. It is also sometimes referred to as the Ambrosian Hymn, despite the unlikelihood of its authorship by Saint Ambrose himself. The hymn's title comes from its opening words, "Te Deum laudamus," which translates to "Thee, God, we praise"

The Te Deum is widely used in various Christian denominations, including the Catholic Church, Lutheran Church, Anglican Church, and Methodist Church. It forms a core part of short religious services of thanksgiving, often held to celebrate significant events such as military victories, peace treaties, royal births, or coronations. In the Catholic Church, it is sung at the end of the Office of Readings on Sundays (outside of Lent), solemnities, and during the octaves of Easter and Christmas. A plenary indulgence is granted to those who recite it publicly on New Year's Eve.

History and Authorship

The authorship of the Te Deum has been a subject of scholarly debate for centuries. Traditional attribution points to Saint Ambrose (died 397) or Saint Augustine (died 430) A popular legend, dating back to the 8th century, suggests that Ambrose and Augustine spontaneously composed and sang the hymn alternately on the night of Augustine's baptism in AD 387. However, this tradition is largely rejected by modern scholars due to its late appearance and the fact that the Te Deum is in rhythmical prose, unlike the metrical hymns known to have been written by Ambrose.

In the 19th century, Saint Hilary of Poitiers (died 367) and Saint Nicetas of Remesiana (died 414) were proposed as potential authors. While the association with Nicetas gained traction in the late 19th century, particularly championed by Germain Morin, 20th-century hymnologists, such as Ernst Kähler, have largely deprecated this connection. The earliest manuscripts, like the 7th-century "Bangor Antiphonary," do not attribute the hymn to any specific author, using general titles such as "Ymnum in die dominica" . Some scholars suggest a much earlier origin for at least the first ten verses, possibly predating AD 252, due to structural similarities with a passage from Saint Cyprian of Carthage's "De mortalitate" The hymn's structure also shows different melodic and rhythmic divisions, suggesting it may have evolved over time with additions to an earlier core.

Martin Luther held the Te Deum in high regard, ranking it alongside the Apostles' and Athanasian Creeds as a significant symbol of faith. He believed its authorship was less important than its function as a confession of true faith and a means of praising God.

Structure and Content

The Te Deum follows the outline of the Apostles' Creed, blending a poetic vision of the heavenly liturgy with a declaration of faith. It begins by praising God and acknowledging the praise offered by angels, heavenly powers, apostles, prophets, and martyrs. The hymn then shifts to Christ, recalling his incarnation, triumph over death, and his role as judge. The latter part of the hymn consists of petitions for mercy, protection from sin, and eternal glory. The petitions at the end (beginning "Salvum fac populum tuum") are a selection of verses from the Book of Psalms, appended to the original hymn.

Musical Settings

The Te Deum has been set to music by numerous composers throughout history. Originally, it was sung to a Gregorian chant melody. Notable composers who have created musical settings include Zelenka, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Berlioz, Verdi, Bruckner, Dvořák, Britten, Kodály, and Pärt. Jean-Baptiste Lully famously sustained a fatal injury while conducting his setting for Louis XIV. Marc-Antoine Charpentier's prelude to his setting (H.146) is widely recognized as the theme music for Eurovision network broadcasts. Sir William Walton's "Coronation Te Deum" was composed for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. Puccini's opera Tosca also features a dramatic performance of the initial part of the Te Deum.The 18th-century German hymn "Großer Gott, wir loben dich" is a free translation of the Te Deum, known in English as "Holy God, We Praise Thy Name".