Hymns for Funeral Mass

In a funeral mass, hymns play an integral role in the liturgy, providing comfort, reinforcing faith, and helping mourners process their grief through the power of music.

Your funeral director can always help you pick out the funeral hymns if you feel overwhelmed by the options available. 

These hymns are chosen not only for their theological and liturgical appropriateness but also for their ability to evoke the hope of resurrection and eternal life, central tenets of Christian belief.

Selecting Hymns for a Funeral Mass

The selection of hymns for a funeral mass should reflect the occasion's solemnity while providing spiritual comfort and hope to the bereaved.

Here are ten funeral hymns that are commonly included in funeral masses, each selected for its deep spiritual significance and ability to bring solace and contemplation:

1. "Here I Am, Lord"

Often used as an entrance hymn, this song's message of answering God's call with faith and trust resonates with themes of service and dedication to faith, suitable for reflecting on a life well-lived.

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

2. "Amazing Grace"

A profoundly moving hymn that speaks to the transformative power of divine grace, often used during communion or as a meditative piece. This hymn can also be used as part of the funeral songs during a ceremony. 

Lyric: "Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!"

3. "Ave Maria"

A staple in funeral masses, particularly during the offertory or as a contemplative hymn, the hymn invokes the intercession and comfort of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The lyrics are commonly used as a funeral quote. It can also be written on a funeral invitation. 

Lyric: "Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum, benedicta tu in mulieribus."

4. "On Eagle's Wings"

This uplifting hymn is frequently used as a responsorial song, providing comfort with its assurances of God lifting the soul to heavenly peace.

Lyric: "And He will raise you up on eagle's wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you to shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of His hand."

5. "Be Not Afraid"

Often used as an entrance or recessional hymn, it offers words of comfort and encouragement, emphasising that God accompanies the faithful through every challenge, including death.

Lyric: "Be not afraid, I go before you always; come follow me, and I will give you rest."

6. "Pie Jesu"

A prayerful plea for rest and mercy for the deceased, typically performed during the communion rite or as a meditation after communion.

Lyric: "Pie Jesu, Domine, dona eis requiem."

7. "I Am the Bread of Life"

Commonly used during communion, this hymn reinforces the belief in eternal life and resurrection, promising that those who believe shall live forever. 

Lyric: "I am the Bread of life. He who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst."

8. "Prayer of St. Francis (Make Me a Channel of Your Peace)"

Reflective of the Christian call to service and peace, this hymn is a beautiful expression of the virtues that many hope to embody throughout life and remember at the end of life.

Lyric: "Make me a channel of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me bring your love."

9. "The Lord is My Shepherd" (Psalm 23)

Often sung or recited during the liturgy, this psalm offers comfort with its depiction of God as a shepherd who guides and protects His flock. This hymn can also be read as a funeral prayer with its message of hope. 

Lyric: "The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want."

10. "How Great Thou Art"

Celebrating God's majesty and the wonder of His creation, this hymn is often chosen for its powerful message of faith and evocative melody.

Lyric: "Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee: How great Thou art, how great Thou art!"