10 Christian Funeral Songs

When a Christian goes home to be with the Lord, it can be a celebration. Sure we that are left behind will miss the presence of our beloved until we are reunited with them in Heaven, but it is a “home-going” for the beloved. It is great to sing Christian songs at their funeral, memorial service and even at the graveside. I remember quite a few times singing Christians songs before we ended the service. Here are some good songs that you might consider at a funeral for a believer. Give some thought to it now and record your wishes so that your loved ones can remember you when it is time for them to celebrate your graduation to be with the Lord.

Featured Song:

Hello After Goodbye (Jim Brady)
This great Southern Gospel ballad is a tribute to the late Roger Bennett who went to be with the Lord in 2007. Jim Brady of the Booth Brothers was inspired by something Roger once said and then wrote this song for the Legacy Five to sing. Roger was well known in the Southern Gospel community. He was a pianist, song writer and co-founder of the gospel quartet Legacy Five. Before Roger formed Legacy Five he was with the Cathedrals for 20 years. This song is a lovely song to listen to and meditate upon the lyrics. It reminds us that when our loved ones go on before us that in the end “we will be with them for longer than we were without…”, when we have that blessed reunion in heaven. As believers, keeping our focus on the future home will help us to rejoice when one precedes us to our heavenly home. View and listen to the video in the upper right of this page, you will be so glad you did!

All My Tears (Julie Miller)

This song, written by Julie Miller, has been recorded by a several people. I especially like a rendition by the contemporary group Selah. The tribal feel to the song is much like their older recordings that were inspired by the years that they spent as missionaries on the Congo in South Africa. Take a look at the lyrics and then view the video below. It is a great reminder of life after death.

Sample Lyrics:

When I die don’t cry for me
In my father’s arms I’ll be

The wounds this world left on my soul
Will all be healed and I’ll be whole

Sun and moon will be replaced
With the light of Jesus face

And I will not be ashamed
For my Saviour knows my name

It don’t matter where you bury me
I’ll be home and I’ll be free

It don’t matter where I lay
All my tears be washed away

Gold and silver blind the eye
Temporary riches light

Come and eat from Heavens store
Come and drink, and thirst no more

So weep not for me my friend
When my time below does end

For my life belongs to Him
Who will raise the dead again

It don’t matter, where you bury me
I’ll be home and I’ll be free

It don’t matter, where I lay
All my tears be washed away

It don’t matter, they’re washed away
It don’t matter, they’re washed away
It don’t matter, they’re washed away

Yeah, yeah, yeah
It don’t matter where you bury me
Yeah, yeah, yeah
They’re washed away
They’re washed away

Amazing Grace (John Newton)

This beloved hymn of faith has been popular at funerals for years and years. I especially like the last verse in this hymn as it reminds us of eternity. Looking forward and realizing our love for the Lord will be no less than ever and we will continue to worship Him.

Sample Lyrics:

When we’ve been there ten thousand years.

Bright shining as the sun.

We’ve no less days to sing Gods Praise

Then when we’ve first begun.

Going Home (Bill & Gloria Gaither)

It is no secret that Mark Lowry is a hilarious comedian, but he is also a wonderful singer. He sang with the Gaither Vocal band once and then came back and did it again. Take a look at this video where he sings the lovely “Going Home” song that concentrates on that permanent home in Heaven.

Heaven Song (Phil Wickham)

Sample Lyrics:

You wrote a letter and You signed your name
I read every word of it page by page
You said that You’d be coming, coming for me soon
Oh my God I’ll be ready for You

I want to run on greener pastures
I want to dance on higher hills
I want to drink from sweeter waters
In the misty morning chill
And my soul is getting restless
For the place where I belong
I can’t wait to join the angels and sing my heaven song
I hear Your voice and I catch my breath
‘Well done my child, enter in and rest’
Tears of joy roll down my cheek
It’s beautiful beyond my wildest dreams

I want to run on greener pastures
I want to dance on higher hills
I want to drink from sweeter waters
In the misty morning chill
And my soul is getting restless
For the place where I belong
I can’t wait to join the angels and sing
No, I can’t wait to join the angels and sing my heaven song

I Can Only Image (Bart Millard)

One of my favorite songs about heaven was written by Bart Millard of the group MercyMe. Bart wrote it as he pondered heavenly things when his father died. Take a look at these powerful lyrics:

Sample Lyrics:

I can only imagine

What it will be like

When I walk

By your side

I can only imagine

What my eyes will see

When you face

Is before me

I can only imagine.

[Chorus:]

Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel

Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still

Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall

Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all

I can only imagine

When that day comes

And I find myself

Standing in the Son

I can only imagine

When all I will do

Is forever

Forever worship You

I can only imagine

[Chorus]

I can only imagine [x2]

I can only imagine

When all I will do

If forever, forever worship you

Save A Place For Me (Matthew West)

This nice song by Matthew West is one that I can imagine singing to my own Daddy. He went on to be with the Lord not so many years ago and I often think how nice it will be to see him again. It was my great honor to be at my Daddy’s bedside when he drew his last breath this side of Heaven and I remember whispering just those words to him in the wee hours of the morning when I knew his time was near. I said “Go be with Jesus Daddy, and save a place for me.” It seems like it was yesterday. When I first heard this song, I cried and then I smiled as I recalled the day my Daddy went home to be with our Father. Enjoy the video and think of heaven, there is room there for you.

Untitled Hymn (Chris Rice)

This is a great song about a sinner, saved by grace. It speaks of the turns and twists in the road that many of us face growing in grace and then finally flying home to be with Jesus. Here are the lyrics:

Sample 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 you 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

Victory In Jesus (Eugene Monroe Bartlett, Sr.)

This great Southern Gospel song is enjoyed at many Christian funerals. I found some good history of this song at Sharefaith. Of course, it speaks of how we can have victory over death, just as Jesus did. He paid our sin wage when he suffered, was buried and showed victory over death when he was risen from the dead three days later. Here are the lyrics, go ahead – sing it A cappella, you know it well!

Sample Lyrics:

I heard an old, old story,
How a Savior came from glory,
How He gave His life on Calvary
To save a wretch like me;
I heard about His groaning,
Then I repented of my sins;
And won the victory.

Refrain:
O victory in Jesus,
My Savior, forever.
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him,
And all my love is due Him,
He plunged me to victory,
Beneath the cleansing flood

Refrain

I heard about His healing,
Of His cleansing power revealing.
How He made the lame to walk again
And caused the blind to see;
And then I cried, “Dear Jesus,
Come and heal my broken spirit,”
And somehow Jesus came and brought
To me the victory.
Chorus:

Refrain

I heard about a mansion
He has built for me in glory.
And I heard about the streets of gold
Beyond the crystal sea;
About the angels singing,
And the old redemption story,
And some sweet day I’ll sing up there
The song of victory.

Refrain

What A Day That Will Be (Jim Hill)

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” (Revelation 21:4) That is the verse that inspired Jim Hill to write this lovely song. I like how the Gaither Vocal Band does it in the video below. Enjoy!