Most are free-to-use, ie public domain or copyright-free, meaning the words can be copied and sung to at least one tune with no concerns about copyright or performance licensing.
It has been complied in honour of Creation Time (1 September - 4 October) and espeically the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation (1 September). This event was introduced to the Catholic Church by Pope Francis in 2015, and it was already practised by the Orthodox Church. It
"offers to individual believers and to the community a precious opportunity to renew our personal participation in this vocation as custodians of creation, raising to God our thanks for the marvelous works that He has entrusted to our care, invoking his help for the protection of creation and his mercy for the sins committed against the world in which we live."In the northern hemisphere, this complements the existing Harvest Festival celebrations that occur around this time.
Hymns about creation vs care for creation
There are many hymns which thank and praise God for creation, and offer insights into the nature of God based on the wonders of the natural world. However most treat the natural world as something to be exploited. A few of the latter are included in the free-use list, because they are so well-known. But in general these list have hymns that focus on repentance for exploiting creation or developing respect and care for the earth. Because of this, the selection of hymns that are still copyright is larger than usual - these sentiments generally aren't included in older hymns.See Hymns for Harvest Festival for suggestions that are specifically about giving thanks for the fruits of the earth.
Free-use hymns
- All Creatures of our God and King
- All Good Gifts (We plough the fields and scatter)
- All Things Bright and Beautiful
- As the Sun Doth Daily Rise
- Benedicite
- Dakota Hymn (Many and Great)
- Fairest Lord Jesus (Beautiful Saviour)
- For the Beauty of the Earth
- I Sing the Mighty Power of God
- Immortal, Invisible God only Wise
- Joyful Joyful we Adore Thee
- My Soul Thy Great Creator Praise
- This Is My Father’s World - Babcock
- With Wonder, Lord, we see your Works
Hymns that are or may still be copyright
- A Prayer for the Earth - Hazzan Steve Klaper and Br. Al Mascia, OFM - adapted from Pope Francis
- Above the Moon Earth Rises - Troeger
- All the Ends of the Earth - Dufford
- Canticle of the Sun - Haugen
- Come Rejoice Before your Maker - Baughen
- Creation sings! Each plant and tree - Leckebusch
- Day of Delight and Beauty Unbounded - Dufner
- Earth and All Stars - Brokering
- For the Beauty of the Earth - Pierpoint
- For the Fruits of This Creation - Pratt-Green
- For the Healing of the Nations - Kaan
- God Folds the Mountains Out of Rock - Troeger
- God Has Given us the Earth - Sexton
- God in his Love for us Lent us this Planet - Pratt Green
- God Of The Poor (Beauty for brokenness)
- God’s Will for Creation - Bell
- God's World - Couchman
- Here I am Lord (I the Lord of sea and sky) - Schutte
- In His Presence There Is Joy (Holy Ground) - Davis (P&W genre)
- Laudato Sii - Lundy
- Laudato Si’! Be Praised, O God - Manalo (ref)
- Litany for the Earth - Bridge (ref)
- Lord Bring the Day to Pass - Fraser
- Lord of all Life and Power - Dudley-Smith
- O God Creator of all Things - Gilette
- O Lord all the World Belongs to You - Appleford
- O Lord, our Lord, Throughout the Earth - Bell
- On Holy Ground - Pená
- Sing Out Earth and Skies - Haugen
- Song at the Centre (From the Corners of Creation) - Haugen
- Tend the Ground - Curtis (about ...)
- Thank You God for Water, Soil and Air - Wren
- The Blue Green Hills of Earth - Oler
- The God who set the Stars in Space - Dudley-Smith and Hartig
- The Works of the Lord are Created in Wisdom - Idle
- The World Abounds with God’s Free Grace - Mehrtens
- Think of a World Without any Flowers - Newport
- This is Holy Ground - Beatty
- The Works of the Lord Are Created in Wisdom - Idle
- Touch the Earth Lightly - Murray
- We Stand in Wonder of Creation - Alonso
- When God made the Garden of Creation - Booth
- When your Father made the World - Rose and Conlon
- Where are the Voices for the Earth - Murray
Thank you for the website & info: will be useful in the upcoming school year & pre-wedding jitters!
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