Original Hymns for Worship
A growing collection of hymn texts inspired by scripture, the Christian year, and the landscapes of Ireland. Many are suitable for congregational singing and church worship.
These hymns may be freely used for non-commercial worship with acknowledgement.
Indexing is in progress.
By Liturgical year
Advent
Christmas
At midnight, when the church is still
Metre: CM
Theme: Christmas, Organ
Christ, whose star still burns with mercy
Metre: 87 87 87
Tune: St Thomas
Theme: Holy Innocents, Christmas
In Bethlehem's still shining night
Metre: LM
Theme: St Egwin, Christmas,
O Christ, the Light ever every year
Metre: CM
Tune: St Peter
Theme: St Sylvester, New Year’s Eve, Christmas
O Word of God, in darkness born
Metre: CM
Tunes: St Columba, Ballerma
Theme: St John the Evangelist, Christmas
The Christ-child comes in lowly grace
Metre: CM
Tune: St Stephen
Theme: St Stephen, Christmas
Lent
By stony paths in desert lands,
Metre: DLM
Lent 3 - Year A
Forty days the path before us
Metre: 87 87 D
Lent
God of fields and flowing plenty
Metre: 87 87 D
Tune: Rustington or Pleading Saviour
Theme: Provision, Stewardship, and Justice
From dust of earth and breath of God,
Metre: DLM
Ash Wednesday and Lent
I waited in the winter rains
Meter: Double Long Metre
Tune: St Patrick
Themes: Psalm 40, Exodus 9:13-35, Hebrews 12:14-29, Lent
In the quiet of the garden
Metre: 87 87 D
Lent 1 - Year A
O God who gathers us in love
Metre: CM
Tune: St Anne
Theme: Mothering Sunday
O Christ, who rode through Zion’s gate
Metre: Common Metre
Tune: St Peter
Theme: Palm Sunday, Holy Week
On this shore, you break the bread, Lord
Metre: 87 87 D
Tune:
Theme: Maundy Thursday, Eucharist, Presence,
Spirit, lead us through the valley
Metre: 87 87 D
Tune: Everton
Theme: Lent 5, Ezekiel: 37: 1-14, Psalm 130, Romans 8: 6-11, John 11: 1-45
The sky grows dark on Calv’ry’s hill
Metre: DCM
Tune: Third Mode Melody
Theme: Good Friday
You call us out to unknown paths,
Metre: CM
Lent 2 - Year A
Easter
Across the hills where skylarks rise
Metre: LM
Tune: Duke Street
Theme: Ascension Day, Celtic spirituality gatherings, The Quiet and Particular, Creation and Instinct,
Scriptural Resonance: Acts 1:9; Ephesians 4:10; Matthew 28:20; Psalm 139:7–10; Job 12:7–10; Jeremiah 8:7; Psalm 104:24–27; Genesis 8:22; 1 Kings 19:11–12; Psalm 19:1–4; Habakkuk 2:20
At altar-stone Your work is shown
Metre: CM
Tune: St Columba or Ellacombe (2 verses per tune)
Theme: Easter 5
O God Who rises, veiled in light
Metre: DLM
Tune: St Patrick
Themes: Liturgical/Seasonal: Sunday after Ascension, The In-Between Time/Waiting, Expectation of Pentecost, Communion/Eucharist, Pastoral Ministry/The Good Shepherd.
Creation & Ecology: Celtic Spirituality, Sacred Landscape (River Barrow), Wildlife as Metaphor (Otters, Goldcrests), Flora (Hawthorn, Ash, Alder), Creation’s Praise.
Internal Life & Healing: Inner Skies/Interiority, Divine Peace/Sanctuary, Guidance in Trials, Community Unity, Gentle Mission/Healing the Hidden.
On the hillpaths swept by heather
Metre: 87 87 D
Tune: Ebenezer or Blaenwern
Theme: Easter 6, Creation,
Pentecost
Spirit, flame upon the heather
Metre: 87 87 D
Tune: Salley Gardens, or Nettleton
Theme: Pentecost, Holy Spirit,
St Patrick and Irish Saints
By Glendalough’s cold waters stood
Metre: CM
Feast: St Kevin of Glendalough
From wells where ancient saints once prayed
Metre: DCM
Tune:
Theme: Mission, Anglican Communion,
O God of Patrick, Still Our Guide
Metre: CM
Feast: St Patrick’s Day
O God, whose grace once walked this land
Metre: CM
Feast: St Mel of Ardagh
We walk Saint Brigid’s way today
Metre: CM
Feast: St Brigid of Kildare
General Saints
Christ, the Path of ancient blessing
Text: Michael McFarland Campbell
Metre: 87 87 D
Tune:
Theme: SS Philip & James.
God of wild and urgent Gospel
Text: Michael McFarland Campbell
metre: 87 87 D
Theme: St Mark
Hail, Mary, full of morning light,
Metre: DCM
Theme: The Annunciation, The Blessed Virgin Mary
In Bethlehem's still shining night
Metre: LM
Theme: St Egwin,
In England's Nazareth we stand
Metre: CM
Tune: Ballerma
Theme: Our Lady of Walsingham
In Kildare’s fields at break of day
Metre: DCM
Tune: Third Mode Melody, Kingsfold, or Clonmel
Theme: Healing Services, Lenten reflections, Celtic spirituality gatherings,
Scriptural Resonance: Psalm 139
O Christ, the Light ever every year
Metre: CM
Tune: St Peter
Theme: St Sylvester
O God of Rome’s first faithful ones
Metre: CM
Feast: St Agatha
O Word of God, in darkness born
Metre: CM
Tunes: St Columba, Ballerma
Theme: St John the Evangelist, Christmas
The Christ-child comes in lowly grace
Metre: CM
Tune: St Stephen
Theme: St Stephen, Christmas
Through Cornwall’s cliffs, where breakers road
Metre: DCM
Tune: Kingsfold
Theme: St Joseph of Arimathea, Glastonbury, Cornwall
When saints are called in hidden ways
Metre: CM
Tune: Billing, Dundee, or Bangor
Theme: St Matthias
Inspired by Psalms
Psalm 54: O God, attend my cry,
Metre: 5.5.5.4 D
Psalm 91: Beneath Your wings, O Holy One
Metre: CM
Psalm 98: Sing a new song to our High King,
Metre: DCM
Psalm 115: Not to us be glory given
Metre: 87 87 D
Tune: Blaenwern.
Psalm 116: I love the Lord who heard my cry,
Metre: DLM
Tune: Before the throne of God above or St Patrick
Psalm 128: Blessèd are all who walk God’s way
Metre: DCM
Psalm 129: Long have burdens pressed upon us,
Metre: 8.7.8.7 D
Psalm 141: O Christ, receive our evening prayer
Metre: DLM
General hymns
Across the bog and standing stone,
Metre: DCM
Theme: 1 John 4:18
Along the bog-road, dawn alights
Metre: CM
Theme: Redeemed by Grace. Isaiah 52:3
Across the hills of heathered gold
Metre: DCM
Theme: Romans 16, Women in Ministry
Along the hawthorn-bordered fields
Metre: DCM
Theme: Joshua 24:15, Church Unity, Eucharist
At morning light, though scattered far,
Metre: DCM
Before Your holy altar, Christ, or
Metre: CM
Theme: The Eucharist
Christ calls us to the table here,
Metre: DCM
Theme: The Eucharist
Christ feeds his saints in every age,
Metre: 88 88 88
Theme: The Eucharist
Christ in the quiet places waits,
Metre: CM
Theme: Healing
Christ in the waiting days,
Metre: 66 66
Theme: Grief
Christ, Keeper of our quiet days
Metre: CM
Theme: Christian Hope
Christ, Priest beyond all passing time
Metre: DCM
Theme: Hebrews 7:11-end. Priesthood
Christ who calls us through the waters,
Metre 87 87 D
Theme: Holy Baptism
For mornings soft with gentle light,
Metre: CM
Theme: Thanksgiving for Medicine
Forty days the rain was falling,
Metre: 87 87 D
Theme: Biblical Forty
Here the fields of Erin whisper
Metre: 87 87 D
Theme: The Eucharist
I stand beside the quiet stream
Metre: CM
Theme: Creation
In quiet parks at break of day,
Metre: CM
Theme: Creation
In whispered winds You speak again
Metre: CM
Theme: Hebrews 8, The New Covenant.
O Holy Spirit, come with fire,
Metre: DLM
Theme: Church unity
Today I rise across the land,
Metre: DLM
Theme: The Knot of Grace
Upon the hill where grasses bend
Metre: DCM
Tune: Ellacombe
Theme: The Eucharist
Where Christ walks through our city streets
Metre: CM
Tune: Dunlap’s Creek, St Columba
Theme: Christ in the streets, Inclusion
Where Western seas keep watch and pray
Text: Michael McFarland Campbell
Metre: CM
Tune: Kilmarnock, Bangor, Ballerma
Theme: Church of Ireland, Scottish Episcopal Church, Church in Wales, Episcopacy, Mission
Where Tiber winds through ancient streets
Metre: CM
Tune:
Theme: Ecumenical relations
Write your Word upon our hearts,
Metre: 77 77 D
Theme: Proper 4 - YearA
Your grace is found in quiet ways
Michael McFarland Campbell
Metre: Common Metre
Tune: Bangor
Theme: God’s grace freely given
Recently added hymns
The sky grows dark on Calv’ry’s hill
Metre: DCM
Tune: Third Mode Melody
Theme: Good Friday
O God who gathers us in love
Metre: CM
Tune: St Anne
Theme: Mothering Sunday
Across the hills of heathered gold
Metre: DCM
Theme: Romans 16, Women in Ministry
Beneath Your wings, O Holy One
Metre: CM
Theme: Psalm 91, Compline
For mornings soft with gentle light,
Metre: CM
Theme: Thanksgiving for Medicine
O God of Patrick, Still Our Guide
Metre: CM
Feast: St Patrick’s Day
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