Top 10 Funeral Hymns in the Anglican Tradition

In the Anglican tradition, funeral hymns are a vital component of the service. They comfort the bereaved while affirming the faith's teachings on life, death, and the hope of resurrection. These hymns help articulate complex emotions of grief and loss, offering a conduit for expression where words alone may fail.

Choosing Hymns for an Anglican Funeral

Selecting hymns for an Anglican funeral involves a balance between personal significance to the deceased and their family and the broader liturgical and theological themes of the Anglican faith.

Here are ten funeral hymns that are particularly resonant for Anglican funerals, noted for their depth of meaning and capacity to comfort:

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

Often sung to the tune of "Crimond," this hymn is based on Psalm 23 and is a staple in Anglican funerals. It offers assurance of God's guidance and presence and can also be used in an obituary. 

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

2. "Abide With Me"

A hymn that pleads for God's presence through the trials of life and at the hour of death, it is particularly powerful at funerals for its themes of enduring faith amidst sorrow.

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

3. "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling"

Written by Charles Wesley, this hymn is a heartfelt prayer for the loving presence of Jesus to remain with the faithful throughout life and in death. This hymn could also be read as a funeral reading, and the text could be used in a funeral invitation. 

Lyric: "Love divine, all loves excelling, Joy of heaven, to earth come down."

4, "Jerusalem"

Based on the poem by William Blake, this hymn has become an unofficial anthem of England and is often chosen for its stirring qualities and its evocation of a heavenly city.

Lyric: "And did those feet in ancient time walk upon England's mountains green?"

5. "Be Thou My Vision"

This hymn is of ancient Irish Christian origin and is cherished for its focus on the sovereignty of God over all aspects of life.

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

6. "I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say"

This hymn invites the weary to find rest in Christ, resonating deeply during funerals as a call to peace and rest for the departed.

Lyric: "I heard the voice of Jesus say, 'Come unto me and rest; Lay down, thou weary one, lay down thy head upon my breast.'"

7. "Eternal Father, Strong to Save"

Often associated with those who have died at sea, this hymn is a powerful invocation of God's protection over all who are in peril.

Lyric: "Eternal Father, strong to save, Whose arm doth bind the restless wave."

8. "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah"

This hymn is a prayer for guidance and provision, invoking biblical imagery of the pilgrimage through the wilderness and God's sustaining power.

Lyric: "Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah, pilgrim through this barren land."

9. "For All the Saints"

Celebrating the lives of the saints who have gone before, this hymn is fitting for remembering the faithful departed and their transition into the communion of saints.

Lyric: "For all the saints, who from their labours rest, Who Thee by faith before the world confessed."

10. "All Things Bright and Beautiful"

This hymn celebrates the beauty of creation and is often used to reflect on the life of the deceased and the world they have left behind. You can always ask your funeral director for help picking out the funeral hymns for the service. 

Lyric: "All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful, The Lord God made them all."