Hymns for every occasion
Hymns for a funeral
Choosing hymns for a funeral is often one of the first decisions a family makes, and it can feel heavy. The hymns do a great deal of work in a service: they let a grieving congregation say together what is hard to say alone, and they set the death of someone loved inside the Christian hope of resurrection.
Most services have two or three hymns — one near the beginning, one after the readings or the eulogy, and one at the end. The best choices are hymns people already know, because many mourners will not be regular churchgoers and grief makes unfamiliar tunes hard to sing. A hymn the person who died loved is always a good place to start; after that, look for words of comfort and of hope.
The first list below is the hymns families choose most often. Under it are the library's other hymns written for funerals and for remembering the dead — many of them older texts that suit a graveside or a memorial reading. Every text is in the public domain, so you may print the words in the order of service; the order of service builder will lay them out for you.
Print all lyricsBuild an order of service
The hymns families choose most
- Rock of Ages — Rock of ages, cleft for me,
- What a Friend We Have in Jesus — What a friend we have in Jesus,
- Amazing Grace — Amazing grace! how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me!
- Nearer, My God, to Thee — Nearer, my God, to Thee,
- Abide With Me — Abide with me: fast falls the eventide;
- O God, Our Help in Ages Past — O God, our Help in ages past,
- Asleep in Jesus! Blessed Sleep — Asleep in Jesus! blessed sleep!
- Shall We Gather at the River? — Shall we gather at the river
- In the Sweet By and By — There's a land that is fairer than day,
- The Lord's My Shepherd — The Lord's my Shepherd, I'll not want;
- Safe in the Arms of Jesus — Safe in the arms of Jesus,
- The Old Rugged Cross — On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The full list
- The Death and Burial of a Saint — Why do we mourn departing friends,
- Death of the Righteous — How blest the righteous when he dies!
- Resurrection of the Saints — And must this body die?
- A Funeral Thought — Hark! from the tombs a doleful sound!
- The Grave Shall Restore Its Trust — Unvail thy bosom, faithful tomb;
- Farewell to a Friend departed — Thou art gone to the grave, but we will not deplore thee,
- At the Funeral of a Young Person — When blooming youth is snatch'd away
- Death's a Warning — Vain man thy fond pursuits forbear;
- Funeral of an Aged Minister — Servant of God, well done!
- The Dying Christian — Happy soul, thy days are ended,
- A Warning From the Grave — Beneath our feet and o'er our head
- Let Me Die the Death of the Righteous — O, for the death of those
- Funeral of a Youth — The morning flow'rs display their sweets,
- Victory Over the Fears of Death — O for an overcoming faith,
- When Shall We All Meet Again? — When shall we all meet again?
- Funeral of a Child — Thy life I read, my gracious Lord,
- Death of a Minister in His Prime — Go to the grave in all thy glorious prime,
Questions about hymns for a funeral
What are the most popular hymns for a funeral?
“Abide with Me,” “Amazing Grace,” “The Lord's My Shepherd,” “Nearer, My God, to Thee,” “The Old Rugged Cross” and “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” are among the hymns most often chosen. All are on this page with free lyrics.
How many hymns should we have at a funeral?
Two or three is usual: one to open the service, one in the middle, and one to close. A short graveside service may have one hymn or none.
Can we print the hymn words in the order of service?
Yes. Every hymn here is in the public domain in the United States, so the words may be printed freely. The order of service builder lets you choose verses and add readings and prayers.