Learning all 144 Secular Hymns

The Secular Hymns are a free, shared resource used by choirs everywhere. Often used as sight-reading material, these simple little hymns are like musical vitamins. They help build strong choirs, quartets, family singers, and even soloists. These are the same famous hymn tunes that we all know and love. The words have been thoughtfully changed so that singers in public choirs can enjoy them outside the church walls. Learn all 144 Secular Hymns and you'll be an expert in hymn tunes!

Sure, you can buy the actual books. But it's really not necessary because you can learn all 144 Secular Hymns right here online by clicking on the titles in the Correlation Table below. You can also download the clean, beautiful .PDF files to print out or use on your tablet.

 

CORRELATION TABLE

Secular Hymn Title
Traditional Hymn Title(s)
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Eternal Father Strong to Save
The Solid Rock
Melita
At the Cross
In Heavenly Love Abiding
Penlan
O Jesus I Have Promised
Abide With Me
To God Be The Glory
Just a Closer Walk with Thee
Oh Worship the King
Lyons
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
Marines Hymn
Gendarmes' Duet
(from the "Candelescence" opera)
Faith of Our Fathers
Holy, Holy, Holy
Wye Valley
At The Name Of Jesus
(from the "Candelescence" opera)
Coronation
All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name
Jesus Christ is Risen Today
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Nettleton
My Jesus I Love Thee I Know Thou Art Mine
Salve Regina
Hail Holy Queen Enthroned Above
It is Well With My Soul
When Peace Like a River
Sutra Hymn
Warrenton
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
At the Lamb's High Feast
Salzburg
There is a Balm in Gilead
Pleading Savior
Sing of Mary
Still, Still With Thee
We Cannot Measure How You Heal
Ye Banks and Braes
30. For What I've Done (SOL-FA)
Come Holy Ghost
O God of Bethel By Whose Hand
Dundee
I To The Hills Will Lift My Eyes
God Moves in a Mysterious Way
Since Jesus Came Into My Heart
Rock of Ages
Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus
Lord of All Being
Breathe On Me
Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief
Here is Love, Vast as the Ocean
My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less
How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds
Immaculate Mary (Lourdes Hymn)
42. I Surrender (SOL-FA)
I Surrender All
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
44. I Think I'm Right (SOL-FA)
Come to the Savior Make No Delay
And Can It Be?
Shall We Gather at the River
Old Hundredth / Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow
Blessed Assurance
49. Informed People (SOL-FA)
Lo He Comes With Clouds Descending
Helmsley
The Day Thou Gavest Lord Is Ended
O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go
Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
Repton
O For a Thousand Tongues
God Be With You Till We Meet Again
55. Just Because (SOL-FA)
He Who Would Valiant Be
56. Land of Gray (SOL-FA)
Alleluia! Sing to Jesus
Our Great Savior
Praise the Lord, Ye Heavens
Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
Come Thou Almighty King
In the Garden
I Vow to Thee My Country
His Eye is on the Sparrow
Tell Me the Old Old Story
Alpha and Omega
Meine Hoffnung Stehet Feste
All My Hope On God is Founded
Day of Judgment! Day of Wonders!
How Firm a Foundation
Jesus Shall Reign Where'er the Sun
O Perfect Love
We Plough the Fields and Scatter
Redeemed
All in the April Evening
Take My Life and Let It Be
St. Thomas
Oh Bless the Lord, My Soul!
I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord
Come We That Love the Lord
71. Ojalá (SOL-FA)
Holy God We Praise Thy Name
Onward Christian Soldiers
Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken
O Sacred Head, Sore Wounded
Have Thine Own Way, Lord
Wondrous Love
What Wondrous Love is This
Lead Us Heavenly Father Lead Us
What a Friend We Have in Jesus
Peace Like a River
Jesus Lover Of My Soul
Aberystwyth
Fairest Lord Jesus
Beautiful Savior
Praise to the Lord
Lobe Den Herren
I Need Thee Ev'ry Hour
84. Rise and Shine (SOL-FA)
Holy Manna
Brethren, We Have Met To Worship
Nearer My God To Thee
Westminster Abbey
Christ is Made the Sure Foundation
Praise to the Holiest in the Height
Billing
We Have an Anchor
Will Your Anchor Hold
Blest Be The Tie That Binds
90. Someone Should (SOL-FA)
Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah
Were You There?
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
93. Step by Step (SOL-FA)
Jesus Loves Me This I Know
St. Helen
Lord, Enthroned in Heavenly Splendor
Fight the Good Fight
96. Swapping Shoes (SOL-FA)
For the Beauty of the Earth
Dix
Praise to God, Immortal Praise
The King of Love My Shepherd Is
Jerusalem
And Did Those Feet in Ancient Time
Be Still My Soul
Finlandia (Sibelius)
We Rest on Thee
Our God Our Help In Ages Past
From All That Dwell Below the Skies
Jesus Paid It All
Hark! Tis the Shepher's Voice I Hear
Bring Them In
Diademata
Crown Him With Many Crowns
Soldiers of Christ, Arise
Make Me a Captive, Lord
The Church's One Foundation
The Old Rugged Cross
107. There's a Better Way (SOL-FA)
Blessed Be the Name
All Praise To Him Who Reigns Above
Royal Oak
All Things Bright and Beautiful
Revive Us Again
Ye Servants of God
Hanover
Now Thank We All Our God
For All the Saints
Sine Nomine
Regent Square
Angels From the Realms of Glory
Christ is Made the Sure Foundation
Lo He Comes With Clouds Descending
114. Tis a Gift (SOL-FA)
Simple Gifts
Lift High the Cross
Deus Tuorum Militum
O Love, How Deep
Bless Thou the Gifts
The Lord is King, Lift Up Thy Voice
Ring Out the Old, Ring In the New
What Thanks and Praise to Thee We Owe
There is a Green Hill Far Away
Horsley
Majestic Sweetness Sits Enthroned
I Bind Unto Myself Today
St. Patrick's Breastplate
Come Down O Love Divine
Down Ampney
Trust and Obey
Rejoice, The Lord Is King
Darwall's 148th
Join All The Glorious Names
122. Together for So Long (SOL-FA)
Lenox
Arise, My Soul, Arise!
The Jubilee (Blow Ye Trumpet, Blow)
Joyful, Joyful (Beethoven's Ode to Joy)
Going Home
Largo from Dvorak's "New World Symphony"
Noel Nouvelet
Ebenezer
Come O Spirit, Dwell Among Us
Thy Strong Word Did Cleave the Darkness
Ton-y-Botel
O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus
Singing Songs of Expectation
Once To Every Man and Nation
How Can I Keep From Singing?
Wachet Auf
Wake, Awake, For Night Is Flying
O God of Loveliness
Angel Voices Ever Singing
I Will Sing the Wondrous Story
132. We Can Be Tolerant (SOL-FA)
Be Thou My Vision
Let Us Break Bread Together
The Solid Rock
I Cannot Tell
Londonderry Air
Danny Boy
136. We're Not At Our Best (SOL-FA)
Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise
Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory
Thine Be The Glory
I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say
O Sing a Song of Bethlehem
Kingsfold
140. When I Am Down (SOL-FA)
Down to the River to Pray
Come Let Us All Go Down
How Great Thou Art
142. Who's My Neighbor? (SOL-FA)
The Strife is O'er
Lauda Anima
Praise My Soul the King of Heaven
144. You Took the One Road (SOL-FA)
Loch Lomond

 

The "SOL-FA" designation is given to those special hymns that are purely diatonic - all the notes in all the voices belong to the same 7-note family with no exceptions. They are great for singing with solfege syllables (Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, Ti, Do) because you won't have to deal with altered syllables (such as "Di", "Ra", or "Ri").

The 24 songs in red boxes are regularly sung by the St. Louis Peace Choir.

(A commission is being offered to choral groups that upload recordings of their SATB performances)

Interested in researching the hymn tunes found in the Secular Hymnal?
The hymnary.org website has nicely organized them: http://www.hymnary.org/hymnal/SH2014

 


 

Secular Hymnal Books

Secular Hymnal OR Solo Edition

The Secular Hymnal is available in 6 inexpensive versions. Each version contains all 144 Secular Hymns:
Secular Hymnal (328 pages - perfect-bound paperback - SATB) ($12)
Secular Hymnal (328 pages - spiral-bound - SATB) ($18)
Secular Hymnal (digital edition - SATB) ($10)
"Solo" Secular Hymnal (182 pages - perfect-bound paperback - "lead-sheet" format - comfortable range) ($10)
"Solo" Secular Hymnal (182 pages - spiral-bound - "lead-sheet" format - comfortable range) ($14)
"Solo" Secular Hymnal (digital edition - "lead-sheet" format - comfortable range) ($8)

 

In the past our famous hymns were off-limits to many teachers because the verses were written for religious worship. But now those same familiar melodies support alternative lyrics that are rich, respectful, and inclusive to all people.

These famous tunes have echoed from the churches for ages. The purpose of the Secular Hymnal is to allow the rest of us access to this treasure trove of music so that our lives too may be enriched by the beauty of hymns.

 


If you like the Secular Hymns, you'll certainly enjoy the Jo Puma songs. They're based on the famous "Sacred Harp" songs. Although their new egalitarian lyrics have been given the same care as the hymns have been given, the music is a LOT wilder! Click on the book to go there:


 

The Secular Hymns were first introduced in a series of "Roadway" booklets pictured below. Although some of the old booklets may still be around, the hymns have been reworked, numbered, alphabetized and compiled into a single large volume simply titled "Secular Hymnal".


Small Secular Hymnal 1.Small Secular Hymnal 2.Small Secular Hymnal 3.

Small Secular Hymnal 4.Small Secular Hymnal 5.Secular Hymnal 6.

Secular Hymnal 7 Cover.Secular Hymnal 8.Secular Hymnal 9.

Secular Hymnal 10.Secular Hymnal 11.Secular Hymnal 12.