Top 10 Funeral Entrance Hymns

The entrance hymn at a funeral plays a crucial role in setting the tone for the service. It ushers in a moment of collective reflection and worship, marking the beginning of a ceremony that celebrates life and bids farewell. Choosing the right funeral entrance hymns can help encapsulate the emotions of the occasion, providing solace and initiating a respectful homage to the departed.

Selecting Hymns for the Funeral Entrance

Funeral entrance hymns are selected for their solemnity, comfort, and ability to speak to the hearts of the mourners as they gather to remember the deceased. Here are ten hymns that are particularly poignant for beginning a funeral service:

1. "Abide With Me"

This funeral hymn is a prayer for God's presence through the trials of life and death, making it a powerful choice for starting the funeral service.

Lyric: "Abide with me; fast falls the eventide; The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide."

2. "The Lord's My Shepherd" (Psalm 23)

Often chosen for its comforting message of divine guidance and protection, this hymn reassures mourners of God's eternal presence. The text of this hymn is often used on a funeral invitation or as a funeral quote.  The hymn can also be read during the service since its one of the most popular funeral readings. 

Lyric: "The Lord's my Shepherd, I'll not want; He makes me down to lie in pastures green."

3. "Amazing Grace"

It is a universally beloved hymn that evokes deep spiritual emotions and is often used to open a service with its message of hope and redemption. It is a very popular hymn that is often used during a funeral service. Your funeral director can help you pick out the hymns if you feel overwhelmed by the options. 

Lyric: "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me."

4. "Here I Am, Lord"

This hymn is a declaration of readiness to find comfort in faith, making it suitable for the entrance as it invites divine guidance for the ceremony.

Lyric: "Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard You calling in the night."

5. "How Great Thou Art"

Praising the majesty of God and reflecting on His creation, this hymn sets a tone of awe and reverence at the beginning of the funeral.

Lyric: "O Lord, my God! When I in awesome wonder, Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made."

6. "Be Thou My Vision"

Asking for God's leadership and presence, this hymn is a fitting entrance piece, focusing the thoughts of the congregation on spiritual sight and insight.

Lyric: "Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art."

7. "All Things Bright and Beautiful"

Celebrates the beauty and diversity of creation, setting a hopeful and reflective tone as the congregation gathers.

Lyric: "All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small."

8. "Ave Maria"

Often chosen for its solemn beauty and meditative poise, this hymn can be a profound way to begin a service, especially in Catholic funerals.

Lyric: "Ave Maria, gratia plena."

9. "Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer"

Invoking guidance through life's journey, this hymn is a powerful opener for a funeral, symbolising the beginning of the final journey.

Lyric: "Guide me, O Thou great Redeemer, Pilgrim through this barren land."

10. "Morning Has Broken"

This hymn's theme of renewal and morning light offers a comforting reminder of life's continuity and new beginnings, suitable for opening a reflective and hopeful service.

Lyric: "Morning has broken, like the first morning."