For all the overall sadness and solemnity of the situation, singing hymns at funerals can provide moments of calm, comfort, togetherness and, even, joy. Here, we recommend six of the very best hymns for funerals and memorial services. Whether you’re Catholic, Protestant or Anglican, there are hymns here to suit every branch of Christianity.
Best funeral hynmns
Abide With Me
Abide With Me is arguably the most popular hymn sung at funerals. It’s the work of the Anglican minister Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847). Congregations usually sing to ‘Eventide’, the well known tune by WH Monk (1823-89). And, like many of the best hymns, its words work on several levels. The first line makes a biblical reference to the disciples’ request to Jesus to remain with them after sunset. The ‘change and decay’ in Verse 2 suggests the turning of the seasons. The later line ‘Where is death’s sting’ and the closing ‘In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me’ make it clear what the hymn is really about.
It is believed that Lyte wrote his hymn in anticipation of his own impending end and it was sung for the first time at his funeral. Its use as a pre-match hymn at FA Cup Finals dates back to 1927.
The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, is Ended
The end of the day serves as a metaphor for the end of life in The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, is Ended. As with so many of the best funeral hymns, the words date from the 19th century. Reverend John Ellerton wrote the text in 1870. It is usually sung to the tune ‘St Clement’, written by the Reverend Clement Scholefield, one time chaplain of Eton College. The tune’s name was, incidentally, not a case of its composer sanctifying himself. Editor Arthur Sullivan (of Gilbert & Sullivan fame) gave the name in his 1874 hymnal Church Hymns with Tunes. The overall message, here, is one of comfort. Throughout the night and the day that follows, we are being benignly watched over.
As well as being one of the best funeral hymns, we named The Day Thou Gravest, Lord, is Ended as one of the best hymns of all time.
The Lord is my Shepherd
Comfort and courage in dark times is also very much at the heart of The Lord’s my shepherd. With words taken from Psalm 23 in the Old Testament, ‘Yea, though I walk in death’s dark vale, Yet will I fear no ill,’ we sing in Verse 3. For many years, the go-to choice of tune was the simple but very affecting ‘Crimond’ by Jessie Seymour Irvine (1836-87). She was the daughter of a minister in Aberdeenshire – the tune’s name comes from a village in which he served. However, in November 1994, we all started to watch a new comedy called The Vicar of Dibley on BBC TV. With theme music by Howard Goodall, a new favourite setting of The Lord is my shepherd had entered the mix.
Lead Kindly Light
‘Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom’. The opening line of this much-loved hymn by Cardinal Newman (1801-90) spells its message clear. These words of hope may well reflect Newman’s own circumstances at the time of their composition. Having found himself ill, homesick and stranded in Sicily, he wrote them on his journey home. Many leading composers have set his text, including Sullivan, Stainer and William Harris. The most famous settings are ‘Lux Beningna’. The Reverend John Bacchus Dykes (1823-76) and ‘Sandon’ by Charles H Purday (1799-1865) were responsible for these settings.
Make Me A Channel of Your Peace
Diana, Princess of Wales, was a particular fan of Make Me A Channel of Your Peace. The Royal Family included it in the service for her 1997 funeral. Since then, it has become enormously popular around the world. While many other funeral hymns come from the golden age of hymn-writing, this is a much more recent affair. It is in fact the handiwork of Sebastian Temple (1928-97), a BBC correspondent. When he wasn’t reporting on South Africa, he devoted much of his time to writing church music. For the text of his 1967 hymn, Temple chose the Prayer of St Francis of Assisi. This also provided the inspiration for Margaret Thatcher’s famous speech following victory in the 1979 UK General Election. This is a much-loved option and definitely one of the best funeral hymns to include in your services.
Thine Be The Glory
Not all funeral hymns have to be downbeat or even gentle affairs. Those with a positive outlook may want to go for this 1884 spirit-lifter by Swiss minister Edmond Louis Budry’s. Audiences most often sing the text to a suitably rousing tune from Handel’s oratorio Judas Maccabaeus. Often a popular Easter hymn, the words of Thine Be The Glory nonetheless can be applied to a funeral context. ‘Let the church with gladness Hymns of triumph sing; For her Lord now liveth Death hath lost its sting.’
You can find the lyrics to some of your favourite hymns here