Spotify playlist for the hymns mentioned
The hymnals of our churches are a treasury of the music and poetry, the prayers and devotions that have been handed down from our fathers in the faith. Christians before us have face the threat of death and disease. They have awakened in the dark of night searching for the promises of God. They have suffered and watched as those they loved suffered. They prayed to their Good Shepherd to come and shelter them. They looked to His Word to see what blessings He had for people in need, and what hope He would give in the face of death.
These hymns are very frank about the realities of sin, suffering, death, and dying. But they are even more frank about the realities of salvation won by our Savior, who heals us with His stripes.
Here are some hymns of comfort for the days and weeks to come. They will not puff you up full of false, vain hope, but they will deliver the promises of Jesus who has conquered death by His death and by His rising again gives the assurance of eternal life.
–Behold a Host Arrayed in White
Behold a host, arrayed in white,
Like thousand snow-clad mountains bright!
With palms they stand; Who is this band
Before the throne of light?
These are the saints of glorious fame,
Who from the great affliction came
And in the flood of Jesus’ blood
Are cleansed from guilt and shame.
They now serve God both day and night;
They sing their songs in endless light.
Their anthems ring as they all sing
With angels shining bright. (Lutheran Service Book 676 v. 1)
–For All the Saints
For all the saints who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
And when the fight is fierce, the warfare long,
Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
And hearts are brave again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
The golden evening brightens in the west;
Soon, soon to faithful warriors cometh rest;
Sweet is the calm of Paradise the blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia! (Lutheran Service Book 677 v. 1, 5, 6)
–From Depths of Woe I Cry to Thee
From depths of woe I cry to Thee,
In trial and tribulation;
Bend down Thy gracious ear to me,
Lord, hear my supplication.
If Thou rememb’rest ev’ry sin,
Who then could heaven ever win
or stand before Thy presence?
Therefore my help is in the Lord
And not in mine own merit;
It rests upon His faithful Word,
To them of contrite spirit
That He is merciful and just;
This is my comfort and my trust.
His help I wait with patience. (Lutheran Service Book 607 v.1, 3)
–I Know that My Redeemer Lives
I know that my Redeemer lives;
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, He lives, who once was dead;
He lives my ever-living head.
He lives to silence all my fears;
He lives to wipe away my tears;
He lives to calm my troubled heart;
He lives all blessings to impart.
He lives and grants me daily breath;
He lives, and I shall conquer death;
He lives my mansion to prepare;
He lives to bring me safely there. (Lutheran Service Book 461 v. 1, 5, 7)
–In the Very Midst of Life
In the very midst of life
Snares of death surround us;
Who shall help us in the strife
Lest the foe confound us?
Thou only Lord, Thou only!
We mourn that we have greatly erred,
That our sins Thy wrath have stirred.
Holy and righteous God!
Holy and all merciful Savior!
Eternal Lord God!
Save us lest we perish
In the bitter pangs of death.
Have mercy, O Lord! (Lutheran Service Book 755 v. 1)
–In Peace and Joy I Now Depart
In peace and joy I now depart since God now wills it.
Serene and confident my heart; stillness fills it.
For the Lord has promised me that death is but a slumber.
Christ Jesus brought this gift to me, My faithful Savior,
Whom you have made my eyes to see by your favor.
Now I know He is my life, My friend when I am dying.
(Lutheran Service Book 938 vv. 1-2)
–Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart
Lord, let at last thine angels come,
To Abr’ham’s bosom bare me home,
That I may die unfearing.
And in its narrow chamber keep
My body safe in peaceful sleep
Until Thy reappearing.
And then from death awaken me,
That these mine eyes with joy may see,
O Son of God, Thy glorious face
My Savior and my fount of grace.
Lord Jesus Christ, my prayer attend, my prayer attend,
And I will praise Thee without end.
(Lutheran Service Book 708 v.3)
–Christ the Life of All the Living
Christ, the life of all the living,
Christ, the death of death, our foe,
Who, Thyself for me once giving
To the darkest depths of woe:
Through Thy suff’rings, death, and merit
I eternal life inherit.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be,
Dearest Jesus, unto thee. (Lutheran Service Book 420 v. 1)
–Christ Jesus Lay in Death’s Strong Bands
Bands: Christ Jesus lay in death’s strong bands
For our offenses given;
But now at God’s right hand He stands
And brings us life from heaven.
Therefore let us joyful be
And sing to God right thankfully
Loud songs of alleluia!
Alleluia!
It was a strange and dreadful strife
When life and death contended;
The victory remained with life,
The reign of death was ended.
Holy Scripture plainly saith
That death is swallowed up by death,
Its sting is lost forever.
Alleluia!
Here our true Paschal Lamb we see,
Whom God so freely gave us;
He died on the accursed tree—
So strong His love—to save us.
See, His blood now marks our door;
Faith points to it; death passes o’er,
And Satan cannot harm us.
Alleluia! (Lutheran Service Book 458 vv. 1, 4-5)
–Jesus Christ, My Sure Defense
Jesus Christ, my sure Defense
And my Savior, now is living!
Knowing this, my confidence
Rests upon the hope here given,
Though the night of death be fraught
Still with many an anxious thought.
I am flesh and must return
To the dust, whence I am taken;
But by faith I now discern
That from death I shall awaken
With my Savior to abide
In His glory, at His side.
Glorified, I shall anew
With this flesh then be enshrouded;
In this body I shall view
God, my Lord, with eyes unclouded;
In this flesh I then shall see
Jesus Christ eternally.
Then take comfort and rejoice,
For His members Christ will cherish.
Fear not, they will hear His voice;
Dying they will never perish;
For the very grave is stirred
When the trumpet’s blast is heard.
Laugh to scorn the gloomy grave
And at death no longer tremble;
He, the Lord, who came to save
Will at last His own assemble.
They will go their Lord to meet.
Treading death beneath their feet. (Lutheran Service Book 741 vv. 1, 4-7)
–For Me to Live is Jesus
For me to live is Jesus,
To die is gain for me;
So when my Savior pleases,
I meet death willingly.
?
For Christ, my Lord, my brother,
I leave this world so dim
And gladly seek another,
Where I shall be with Him. (Lutheran Service Book 741 vv. 1-2)
–God’s Own Child I Gladly Say It
God’s Own Child, I Gladly Say It: Death, you cannot end my gladness:
I am baptized into Christ!
When I die I leave all sadness
To inherit paradise!
Though I lie in dust and ashes,
Faith’s assurance brightly flashes:
Baptism has the strength divine
To make life immortal mine.
There is nothing worth comparing
To this lifelong comfort sure!
Open-eyed my grave is staring:
Even there I’ll sleep secure.
Though my flesh awaits its raising,
Still my soul continues praising:
I am baptized into Christ;
I’m a child of paradise! (Lutheran Service Book 594 vv. 4-5)
–I Am Jesus Little Lamb
Who so happy as I am,
Even now the Shepherd’s lamb?
And when my short life is ended,
By His angels host attended,
He shall fold me to His breast,
There within His arms to rest.” (Lutheran Service Book 740 v. 3)
–O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright
What joy to know, when life is past,
The Lord we love is first and last,
The end and the beginning!
He will one day, oh, glorious grace,
Transport us to that happy place
Beyond all tears and sinning!
Amen! Amen!
Come, Lord Jesus!
Crown of gladness!
We are yearning
For the day of Your returning! (Lutheran Service Book 395 v. 6)
–O Sacred Head Now Wounded
Be Thou my consolation,
My shield, when I must die;
Remind me of Thy passion
When my last hour draws nigh.
Mine eyes shall then behold Thee,
Upon Thy cross shall dwell,
My heart by faith enfold Thee.
Who dieth thus dies well. (Lutheran Service Book 449 v. 4)
–What God Ordains is Always Good
What God ordains is always good:
This truth remains unshaken.
Though sorrow, need, or death be mine,
I shall not be forsaken.
I fear no harm,
For with His arm
He shall embrace and shield me;
So to my God I yield me. (Lutheran Service Book 760 v. 6)
–When Aimless Violence Takes Those We Love
When Aimless violence takes those we love,
When random death strikes childhood’s promise down,
When wrenching loss becomes our daily bread,
We know, O God, You leave us not alone.
Through long grief-darkened days help us, dear Lord,
To trust Your grace for courage to endure,
To rest our souls in Your supporting love,
And find our hope within Your mercy sure.
(Lutheran Service Book 764 vv. 1, 5)
–When Peace Like a River
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way;
When sorrows, like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trails should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hat shed His own blood for my soul.
It is well with my soul, it is well, it is well with my soul.
(Lutheran Service Book 763 vv. 1-2)
–This Body in the Grave We Lay
This body in the grave we lay
There to await that solemn day
When God Himself shall bid it rise
To mount triumphant to the skies.
And so to earth we now entrust
What came from dust and turns to dust
And from the dust shall rise that day
In glorious triumph o’er decay
The soul forever lives with God,
Who freely hath His grace bestowed
And through His Son redeemed it here
From ev’ry sin, from ev’ry fear.
All trials and all griefs are past,
A blessed end has come at last.
Christ’s yoke was borne with ready will;
Who dieth thus is living still.
We have no cause to mourn or weep;
Securely shall this body sleep
Till Christ Himself shall death destroy
And raise the blessed dead to joy.
Then let us leave this place of rest
And homeward turn, for they are blest
Who heed God’s warning and prepare
Lest death should find them unaware.
So help us, Jesus, ground of faith;
Thou hast redeemed us by Thy death
From endless death and set us free.
We laud and praise and worship Thee.
(Lutheran Service Book 759)
Other Appropriate Hymns:
+Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me
+ Amazing Grace
+ Beautiful Savior
+ How Great Thou Art
+ Holy, Holy, Holy
+ Crown Him with Many Crowns
+ Glory Be to Jesus, Who In Bitter Pain
+ Just As I Am
+ My Hope is Built on Nothing Less
+ Chief of Sinners Thou I Be
+ For All the Saints
+ Children of the Heavenly Father
+ Precious Lord, Take My Hand
+ I’m But a Stranger Here, Heaven is My Home
+ Be Still My Soul
+ O Bless the Lord, My Soul
+ Lift Hight the Cross
+ Abide With Me
+ At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing
