We are blessed with a wealth of hymns that are suitable for funerals and memorial services. As you select music for your loved one’s funeral – or as you help a family choose music for a service – it can be helpful to see a list of hymns to select from. This post gathers together the top funeral hymns to help you decide what will be best for your service.
Funeral planning doesn’t have to wait. You can give a gift to your family by choosing hymns ahead of time. Choosing them ahead of time also makes the music more meaningful, because the people singing will know these hymns are close to your heart. If you’re a musician or minister helping someone plan ahead, you might find this resource useful.
To begin with, here are some of the most frequently-requested hymns for funerals and memorial services:
Top 12 Hymns for Funerals and Memorial Services
- Amazing Grace
- It Is Well (When Peace Like a River)
- Abide with Me
- Great Is Thy Faithfulness
- In the Bulb There Is A Flower (Hymn of Promise)
- Nearer, My God, to Thee
- For All The Saints
- Be Still, My Soul
- Precious Lord, Take My Hand
- The Strife Is O’er, the Battle Done
- My Shepherd Will Supply My Need
- Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart
81 Top Hymns for Funerals
In addition to the top 12 hymns for funerals listed above, there are many more hymns suitable for funerals and memorial services. Here is an extensive list, grouped by these themes: Jesus’ Death and Resurrection, God’s Comfort and Care, Faith, Eternal Life, Praise and Celebration.
A Note for Musicians: The following hymns span denominations and geographic regions, so what is appropriate for your congregation will vary widely. I think of this list as a starting point for one that you could use in your church to guide families in selecting funeral hymns. Hopefully your list will be much shorter, since no grieving family will want to sort through 81 (!) hymns. If you’re helping someone plan ahead, you might find this resource useful.
Hymns on Jesus’ Death and Resurrection
1. The Strife Is O’er, the Battle Done
2. Christ the Lord Is Risen Today (Jesus Christ Is Risen Today)
3. What Wondrous Love Is This
4. Lift High the Cross
5. Christ the Life of All the Living
6. Alleluia! Alleluia! Hearts to Heaven
7. I Know that My Redeemer Liveth
8. I Know that My Redeemer Lives
9. Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness
10. Christ Jesus Lay in Death’s Strong Bands
11. Because He Lives
Hymns on God’s Comfort and Care
12. You Are Mine
13. It Is Well (When Peace Like a River)
14. Abide with Me
15. In the Bulb There Is a Flower (Hymn of Promise)
16. Nearer, My God, to Thee
17. Be Still, My Soul
18. Precious Lord, Take My Hand
19. My Shepherd Is the Living God
20. My Faith Looks Up to Thee
21. Jesus, Lover of My Soul
22. On Eagle’s Wings
23. The King of Love My Shepherd Is
24. Guide Me, O My Great Redeemer (Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah)
25. I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry
26. If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee (If You Will Only Let God Guide You)
27. He Leadeth Me
28. O God, Our Help in Ages Past
29. Rock of Age, Cleft for Me
30. There Is a Balm in Gilead
31. Children of the Heavenly Father
32. Be Not Afraid
33. Eternal Father, Strong to Save
34. Great Is Thy Faithfulness
35. What a Friend We Have in Jesus
36. The Church’s One Foundation
37. Lord of All Hopefulness
38. Jesus, Priceless Treasure
Hymns of Faith
39. How Firm a Foundation
40. Amazing Grace
41. Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart
42. We Walk by Faith and Not by Sight
43. My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less
44. Nearer, Still Nearer
45. Be Thou My Vision
46. Blessed Assurance
47. O Love that Will Not Let Me Go
48. I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light
49. I Greet You, Sure Redeemer
Hymns of Eternal Life
50. Song of Farewell
51. For All The Saints
52. Shall We Gather at the River
53. Jerusalem, My Happy Home
54. When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder
55. On Jordan’s Stormy Banks (Bound for the Promised Land)
56. When the Saints Go Marching In
57. We’re Marching to Zion (Come We that Love the Lord)
58. I’ll Fly Away
59. Face to Face with Christ My Savior
60. Sweet By and By (There’s a Land that Is Fairer Than Day)
61. God Be With You ’til We Meet Again
62. In the Garden (I Come to the Garden Alone)
63. Sing with All the Saints in Glory
64. Soon and Very Soon
65. Jerusalem the Golden
66. Lord Jesus, Think on Me
67. I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord
Hymns of Praise and Celebration
68. Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
69. All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name
70. Holy, Holy, Holy
71. Praise to the Living God
72. How Great Thou Art
73. I’ll Praise My Maker While I’ve Breath
74. How Can I Keep from Singing (My Life Flows On)
75. A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
76. All Creatures of Our God and King
77. Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee
78. Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain
79. For the Beauty of the Earth
80. God Is Love, Let Heaven Adore Him
81. O God, Beyond All Praising
A big thank you to everyone who helped me crowd-source this list!
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