Funeral Hymns & Organ Voluntaries
I love to play funerals. While this may seem strange, if you think about it, it makes sense. At a funeral we see sin at its worst, with no hope left. But we also know that they have passed through death and are now feasting with the Lamb in His kingdom that shall have no end. Death has been swallowed up in victory, or as Pastor Weedon put it at the Higher Things conference this past summer (I paraphrase: Christ has torn open Shelob’s (death) belly, where it can no longer hold Christians. (Weedon said it much more eloquently.) So the music will be solemn and reflective, as well as joyful and triumphant.
I thought I’d list some of my favorite funeral hymns, as well as voluntaries. You can add your favorites in the comments. I look forward to reading them.
This is not an exhaustive list, but merely some of the hymns and pieces I like for funerals. It is in no particular order.
Hymns (all hymn numbers are from Lutheran Service Book):
708 Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart
677 For All the Saints
656 A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
645 Built on the Rock
450 O Sacred Head No Wounded (especially st. 7)
467 Awake, My Heart, with Gladness
476 Who Are You Who Walk in Sorrow
490 Jesus Lives! The Victory’s Won
578 Thy Strong Word
670 Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones
672 Jerusalem the Golden
676 Behold a Host, Arrayed in White
594 God’s Own Child, I Gladly Say It
596 All Christians Who Have Been Baptized
Organ Voluntaries:
Lift High the Cross – Charles Ore
Rejoice, O Pilgrim Throng – Charles Ore
Ein Fest Burg (A Mighty Fortress) – Helmut Walcha
The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, is Ended – Jeffrey Blersch
The list got a little long, but I hope it is helpful and maybe will even produce some discussion.
Southern Lutheran Kantor 
We sang the TLH version of 676 for my grandmother’s funeral. It needs singing beyond funerals just because people apparently aren’t using to singing it now.
My faves are 645, 578, and 490.
This shall be my confidence. :)
I’d much rather play for a funeral than a wedding. (I’ve been practicing for a wedding the last few days).
Your list includes most of my favorites. I would also add:
For Me to Live is Jesus LSB 742
I Know That My Redeemer Liver LSB 461
The Strife is O’er, the Battle Done LSB 464
Favorite Voluntaries:
Lord, Thee I Love With All My Heart – Settings by Krebs and J.G. Walther
Sheep May Safely Graze – J.S. Bach
God’s Own Child I Gladly Say It – Hildebrand & Blersch
I Know That My Redeemer Lives – Burkhardt & Callahan
It seems to be a common theme that musicians would rather play at funerals than weddings.
The funeral “honoree” is not as apt to complain about the music. I’m not an organist, but I love funeral music.
An outside-the-box hymn would be LSB 878, Abide with Me. It is comforting to the grieving and affirms the hope of the cross and resurrection in the final verses.
I also like LSB 633, At the Lamb’s High Feast.
LSB 594, God’s Own Child, is excellent, but my congregation is slow to learn this one. Perhaps if I am blessed with a soloist I can work it in.
I’ll play any funeral if at all possible, and I don’t normally get a stipend for them. I don’t play weddings anymore. No amount of $ can compensate me for all that stress!
I reconsidered the wedding issue a few years back when the mother of the bride came into rehearsal at a Lutheran Church and said, “Jill is going to sing Ave Maria, right?”
Abide With Me is another great one that I forgot. I love the final stanza: “Hold Thou Thy Cross before my closing eyes, Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies, Heaven’s morning breaks and earth’s vain shadows flee, In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.” Great stuff!
And 633 is another one that is great that I neglected to put in. It speaks of just where the person is, at the Feast of the Lamb who was slain and who lives for us eternally.
Thanks for all the comments!
All songs above are excellent. I would add two more contemporary songs that speak to the resurrection and our heavenly home: “I Will Rise” by Chris Tomlin, Louie Giglio, Matt Maher, and Jesse Reeves; and “There Will Be a Day” by Jeremy Camp
I am not familiar with either. Could you point me to the texts of these? I would like to see them. Thanks!
For “I Will Rise”, here’s where you can find the lyrics and audio.
For “There Will Be a Day”, here’s where you can find the lyrics and audio.
Nathan, Here they are. These songs are not really organ material but “I Will Rise” could possibly be sung and played with a organ, certainly a piano.
Both songs can be purchased through ITunes for around a dollar and sheet music goes for about $3.50 online.
“I Will Rise” by Chris Tomlin, Louie Giglio, Matt Maher, and Jesse Reeves ©sixsteps Music/ worshiptogether.com
There’s a peace I’ve come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There’s an anchor for my soul
I can say “It is well”
Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead
[Chorus:]
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles’ wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise
There’s a day that’s drawing near
When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear
And my faith shall be my eyes
Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead
[Chorus:]
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles’ wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise
And I hear the voice of many angels sing,
“Worthy is the Lamb”
And I hear the cry of every longing heart,
“Worthy is the Lamb” [x2]
[Chorus:]
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles’ wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise
“There Will Be a Day” by Jeremy Camp ©2008 Stolen Pride Music/THirsty Moon Publishing
I try to hold on to this world with everything I have
But I feel the weight of what it brings, and the hurt that trys to grab
The many trials that seem to never end, His word declares this truth,
that we will enter in this rest with wonders anew
But I hold on to this hope and the promise that He brings
That there will be a place with no more suffering
There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears
There will be a day when the burdens of this place, will be no more, we’ll see Jesus face to face
But until that day, we’ll hold on to you always
I know the journey seems so long
You feel your walking on your own
But there has never been a step
Where you’ve walked out all alone
Troubled soul don’t lose your heart
Cause joy and peace he brings
And the beauty that’s in store
Outweighs the hurt of life’s sting
I can’t wait until that day where the very one I’ve lived for always will wipe away the sorrow that I’ve faced
To touch the scars that rescued me from a life of shame and misery this is why this is why I sing….
There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears
There will be a day when the burdens of this place, will be no more, we’ll see Jesus face to face
There will be a day, He’ll wipe away the stains, He’ll wipe away the tears, He’ll wipe away the tears…..there will be a day.
Semper Fidelis, PC Christian
Chris,
Here’s another beautiful hymn that is perfect for the piano.
Chris Rice – Untitled Hymn (Come To Jesus) Lyrics
Weak and wounded sinner
Lost and left to die
O, raise your head, for love is passing by
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus and live!
Now your burden’s lifted
And carried far away
And precious blood has washed away the stain, so
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus and live!
And like a newborn baby
Don’t be afraid to crawl
And remember when you walk
Sometimes we fall…so
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus and live!
Sometimes the way is lonely
And steep and filled with pain
So if your sky is dark and pours the rain, then
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus and live!
O, and when the love spills over
And music fills the night
And when you can’t contain your joy inside, then
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus and live!
And with your final heartbeat
Kiss the world goodbye
Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory’s side, and
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus and live!