Picking funeral hymns for your dad is not easy. If he had a favourite hymn that he loved, then it practically chooses itself. But if not, then what do you pick? And even if he had one that was important to him, you may have to choose additional hymns since it’s quite common for a service to include several musical numbers.
Choosing the music for a funeral service can feel personal for you and your family, but the best way is to try and find hymns that remind you of the sort of a man he was. Was he an emotional man? Did he ooze strength? Would he appreciate traditional Catholic hymns or more modern music.
You may want to choose hymns that people are familiar with, especially if they will be singing along during the service. Choosing hymns that nobody knows leads to muted singing as guests struggle to sing to an unfamiliar tune.
Suggested Funeral Hymns for Dads
Amazing Grace
The Hymn of Joy
Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
Morning Has Broken
All Things Bright and Beautiful
Lord of All Hopefulness
Rock of Ages
Lord of the Dance
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.
Without a doubt, this is one of the most iconic Christian hymns ever written. The words were written in 1772 by the English poet and Anglican clergyman John Newton. The hymn is uplifting even though the circumstances of a funeral would try to deem it otherwise.
Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee,
God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flow’rs before Thee,
Op’ning to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
Drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness,
Fill us with the light of day!
“The Hymn of Joy” is often called “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee” after the first line and is a poem written in 1907 by Henry van Dyke. Again, this is an uplifting song and is considered a hymn of trust, joy, and hope.”
Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
Forgive our foolish ways!
Reclothe us in our rightful mind,
In purer lives Thy service find,
In deeper reverence, praise.
The words “Dear Lord and Father of Mankind” were adapted by Garrett Horder from a longer poem called “The Brewing of Soma” by American Quaker John Greenleaf Whittier. This hymn is one of the United Kingdom’s most popular.
Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the world.
The words to “Morning Has broken” were penned by English author Eleanor Farjeon and it was first published in 1931. Many years later, the hymn was made famous by singer Cat Stevens who recorded it. Just about everyone knows the tune and the words, and again, it is one of the most popular funeral songs chosen.
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.
Sung by many different Christian denominations, “All Things Bright and Beautiful” was first published in 1848 in Cecil Frances Alexander’s “Hymns for Little Children.” The melody is based on a much older English country dance tune.
Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy,
Whose trust, ever childlike, no cares could destroy,
Be there at our waking, and give us, we pray,
Your bliss in our hearts, Lord,
At the break of the day.
“Lord of All Hopefulness” is a very uplifting hymn written by the English writer Jan Struther. It was first published in 1931 and is a very popular choice for funeral services.
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Cleanse me from its guilt and power.
“Rock of Ages” is another very popular Christian hymn and was written by the Reverend Augustus Toplady in 1763, although it was not published until 1775.
I danced in the morning
When the world was begun,
And I danced in the moon
And the stars and the sun,
And I came down from heaven
And I danced on the earth,
At Bethlehem
I had my birth.
One of the far more modern hymns that gets chosen, “Lord of the Dance,” was written in 1963 by English songwriter Sydney Carter.
If you are using hymns, a celebrant may be able to advise you on song choice if you get stuck. You might be familiar with some of the hymns we’ve listed, but just in case you are not, the first verse of each hymn is included.
Choosing the Right Hymns for Dad
Choosing the right hymns for your dad’s funeral or memorial service isn’t something people think about in advance. And it’s painful to choose hymns when you are also coping with his passing. Remember that even if the final selection of hymns has fallen to you, that doesn’t mean you can’t seek advice or suggestions from other family members or friends.
The selection of hymns featured here are well known, making for a good choice for any service. This article will give you a starting point in finding the perfect hymns to play during for your father’s funeral service.