The most popular funeral hymns
A hymn does something that no other part of a funeral can do: it gives everyone in the room something to do together. For a few minutes, people who may be struggling to hold themselves together can stand, open their mouths, and be carried by a melody they already know. That shared act — singing the same words at the same time — is quietly powerful. It holds people up when they most need it.
Families often ask us which hymns work best. The honest answer is that there is no single right choice, but certain hymns have proved themselves over generations. They keep being chosen because they do their job: they speak clearly, they sing well in a congregation, and they carry real feeling without tipping into sentimentality. Here are the ones we hear requested most often.
The hymns families choose most
Abide with Me
This is the hymn people reach for when they want something that feels honest about grief. Henry Francis Lyte wrote it while he himself was dying, and that sincerity shows. The melody (Eventide, by William Henry Monk) builds with a quiet, steady strength — it doesn’t rush, and it doesn’t pretend things are easy. It works beautifully as a closing hymn, when the weight of the service is fully felt.
The Lord’s My Shepherd (Crimond)
Probably the single most requested funeral hymn in the country. The tune Crimond is so deeply embedded in British life that even people who haven’t been to church in decades can sing it from memory. The words of Psalm 23 offer direct, uncomplicated reassurance, and the melody is gentle enough to let people sing through tears. It suits almost any funeral and sits well at any point in the service.
How Great Thou Art
A hymn with real grandeur. The Swedish melody has a sweep to it that lifts the room, and the words move from wonder at the natural world to personal faith. It tends to suit services where the family wants something uplifting and full-throated — a hymn that fills the space rather than sitting quietly in it. Congregations sing this one with conviction, even at funerals.
Amazing Grace
Familiar far beyond church walls, which is part of its strength. Almost everyone knows the first verse, and that recognition gives people confidence to sing. The words are personal and direct — they speak of weakness, rescue, and hope without overcomplicating things. It works well for both religious and less formal services, and it’s one of the few hymns that sounds equally at home with organ accompaniment or sung unaccompanied.
Jerusalem
Hubert Parry’s setting of Blake’s poem is stirring, bold, and unmistakably English. It doesn’t sound like a typical hymn — it sounds like a rallying cry, which is exactly why some families choose it. It suits people who lived with energy and purpose, and it gives the congregation permission to sing loudly at a moment when everything else feels subdued. Often chosen as an opening hymn to set a strong, courageous tone.
Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer
The tune Cwm Rhondda has a power that is hard to match. It surges forward with real momentum, and congregations tend to sing it with a kind of defiance that feels entirely right at a funeral. The words are about being led through difficulty, which resonates deeply when someone has died. It works particularly well in larger spaces and for services where the family wants the music to feel strong rather than delicate.
Make Me a Channel of Your Peace
Based on the prayer attributed to St Francis of Assisi, this hymn is gentler and more reflective than many on this list. The melody by Sebastian Temple is simple and singable, and the words focus on giving rather than receiving — comfort, understanding, hope. It suits services for people who were known for their kindness, and it works well as a middle hymn, a quieter moment between two stronger choices.
Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
The tune Repton (by Hubert Parry, again) is one of the most beautiful hymn melodies ever written. It has a calm, searching quality that draws people in rather than rousing them. The words ask for stillness and peace — “the silence of eternity, interpreted by love” — and they land with particular force at a funeral. A superb choice when the family wants something contemplative and deeply felt.
All Things Bright and Beautiful
Often chosen for people who loved the outdoors, who were gardeners, or who had a particular joy about them. It’s bright and uncomplicated, and the familiarity of the tune (Royal Oak) means that even children can join in. It can lighten the mood without being flippant — a celebration of the world the person loved. It works especially well at services with a tone of gratitude rather than solemnity.
Be Thou My Vision
An ancient Irish hymn with a melody (Slane) that has a lilting, folk-like quality unlike anything else on this list. The words are deeply personal — a prayer for guidance and closeness to God — and they sit well at funerals for people of quiet, steady faith. The melody is not as widely known as some others here, so it benefits from strong singing to lead the congregation. Our singers know it well and love performing it.
You can hear our musicians performing several of these hymns on our listening page.
Hymns with personal meaning
Not every family wants the well-known standards, and there is no reason they should. Some of the most moving choices we’ve encountered have been hymns that meant something specific to the person who died — a harvest hymn they loved as a child, a carol they always sang at Christmas, a piece from their school days that no one else in the room expected.
If a hymn matters to your family, it belongs in the service. The congregation may not know it, but that is what professional singers are for. Our musicians learn any hymn you choose and sing it with enough confidence to bring the room along. If you have something particular in mind, mention it when you get in touch — we’ll always make it work.
For services that lean more towards personal reflection than traditional worship, our guide to music for a celebration of life covers a wider range of options beyond hymns.
How many hymns should you have?
Two or three hymns is the norm for most funeral services. That number fits the natural rhythm of a service without making it feel like a concert.
If you choose three, a common pattern is: an opening hymn as the congregation settles and the service begins, a hymn in the middle (often after a reading or address), and a closing hymn before the commendation or as people leave. The opening hymn is usually the most robust — something people can sing with confidence before emotion takes hold. The middle hymn can afford to be gentler. The closing hymn often carries the most weight, because by that point people have heard the tributes and are feeling everything most keenly.
Two hymns works perfectly well too, especially in shorter services or at a crematorium where time is limited. One strong hymn near the start and one to close is a clean, simple structure that still gives the congregation those shared moments of singing.
Your officiant or funeral director will help you place the hymns within the order of service, and we coordinate with them to make sure everything flows.
Choosing the right hymns
We help families choose funeral hymns every week, and we’re always happy to talk it through. Sometimes a short conversation is all it takes to settle on the right combination. If you’d like broader advice on every aspect of funeral music — not just hymns but solo pieces, instrumental music, and music for before and after the service — our complete guide to choosing funeral music covers all of it.
When you’re ready, drop us a line or call us on 07356 042468. There’s no obligation, and we’re glad to help at any stage — even if you’re just beginning to think about what the music might be.