Featured Funeral Hymns

Awhile back I started a thread which was about hymns used in parting at end of service, etc. MennoSota's comment made me think about starting a thread on funeral hymns.

There have been quite a few funeral hymns written. John and Charles Wesley even have a collection called Funeral Hymns (I'm sure others do as well). Sometimes these tend to be "specific" -- that is, written for a brother, sister, child, elderly, "On the death of Mrs. A.C.," etc. I can't think of any funeral hymns that have entered into popular use at funerals, though there may be some.

In our area funeral hymns tend to fall into two categories -- old standards and favorites of the deceased. For example, we had a funeral Saturday which included "Amazing Grace" (an old standard) and "It's So Peaceful" (a favorite song of the deceased). The first category is generally "safe". With the second you never know what kind of song people may want.

One of Charles Wesley's funeral hymns that we sing quite a bit in memorial, but seldom at funerals, is:

1. Come, let us join our friends above
That have obtained the prize,
And on the eagle wings of love
To joys celestial rise.
Let all the saints terrestrial sing
With those to glory gone,
For all the servants of our King
In heav'n and earth are one.

2. One family, we dwell in Him,
One church above, beneath,
Tho' now divided by the stream,
The narrow stream of death.
One army of the living God,
To His command we bow;
Part of the host have crossed the flood,
And part are crossing now.



What songs do you hear at funerals? What are some hymns you would recommend?

 

We hear "The Old Rugged Cross" a good bit around here, but probably with less frequency than in the past. Beulah Land/Sweet Beulah Land by Squire Parsons is also popular.

I can't recall ever hearing a song played during visitation in our area -- except maybe in the context of something brief on those video tributes that are popular nowadays.

 

I wonder whether the songs/singing are live or canned at most funerals you attend (hope that is a good way to express it)? When I was younger most all songs at funerals were sung by family members, church members and so forth. I'd say the majority of songs I hear at funerals now are prerecorded and played from a sound system. I much prefer the live songs myself. In fact, I would love to see a move toward more congregational singing at funerals. We do that sometimes, but not too often.

That said, at my father's funeral we played one song that had been recorded at a singing convention. It was one of my father's favorite songs and he was leading it. His death and funeral came when several who might have sung were away at some geographical distance at a singing convention, and we opted to go that route rather than ask them to try to make it in for the funeral, or delay the funeral till they could be there. (We also had a couple of congregational songs, one of which he had written.) His funeral also reminds of something else not hymn related -- the playing of "Taps" at the graveside.

 

“Let the dead bury their dead” is not primarily a funeral/burial text. It is about the primacy of the claims of Christ on the believer over the claims of culture, tradition and family (Matthew 8:22; Luke 9:60). It nevertheless yields a measure of truth regarding the subject. Through it we understand that burial is a physical and temporal benefit, rather than a spiritual exercise. A notable funeral and fine burial may hide a wasted life, while lack of physical care for a body may accompany a treasured soul (Cf. Luke 16:22).

Burial is the common, dominant and preferred method of disposal of the dead recorded in the Bible. There is a consistent thread of preference for burial among God's people. God Himself buried Moses (Deuteronomy 34:5-8) and in His determinate counsel chose burial for His Son Jesus (Isaiah 53:9; John 19:40). Burial was performed by the early disciples for their own members. See Acts 5:6-10 and Acts 8:2. The great initiatory ordinance of baptism incorporates the allegory of a burial. (Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12).

T. J. Denson's Sacred Harp song ODEM uses a text that urges us to “give the roses” while a person is alive to appreciate them. That is a great sentiment and wonderful reminder (but shouldn't be taken to condemn providing a decent burial for the one we loved).

Wonderful things of men are said,
When they have passed away;
Flowers adorn the narrow bed
Over the lifeless clay.

Give me the roses while I live,
Something to cheer me on,
Useless the flowers you may give,
After the soul is gone.

Life is the time for words of praise
Hands clasp with friendly smile,
Blessings to cheer a pilgrim’s days,
Are always well worthwhile.

(Text by James Rowe; Led by Denson's grandson, Mike Hinton)

 

"At the request of the family" pretty much covers the "who" of the singing at most of our funerals. There are some who just seem to want an obligatory song and don't care how it is performed. I think "church house" vs. "funeral parlor" also tends to have some correspondence to whether the music is live or canned -- seems more likely to be live at the church house and canned at the funeral home (but there are plenty of exceptions to that). How active the family was in church affects this as well. Sometimes we run across persons who were quite active in church, yet the family as a whole has little knowledge of that part of their lives.

 

Barnone, welcome to the Baptist Board, and thanks for your comment. We have a Bar None Cowboy Church in our county (It is SBC).

 

rsr reminded me of this once popular song in our area, and which was used at funerals a fair amount of time among those who knew it.

(1) There is coming a day, When no heartaches shall come,
No more clouds in the sky No more tears to dim the eye;
All is peace forever more On that happy golden shore:
What a day, glorious day that will be.

Chorus: What a day that will be, When my Jesus I shall see,
And I look upon His face, The One who saved my by His grace;
When He takes me by the hand, And leads me through the Promised Land:
What a day, glorious day that will be

(2) There'll be no sorrow there, No more burdens to bear,
No more sickness, no pain, No more parting over there;
And forever I will be, With the One who died for me:
What a day, glorious day that will be.

Chorus:

Jim Hill, 1965