LiturgyTools.net: Hymns for the 1st Sunday of Advent, Year A (30 Nov 2025)

A selection of free-to-use (ie public domain or copyright-free) hymns and songs, based on themes from the Revised Common lectionary for the first Sunday of Advent in Year A.

"Free-to-use" means the words can be copied and sung to at least one tune with no concerns about copyright or performance licensing - sometimes in a limited setting. Many of these hymns are old / traditional - but where possible a variety of styles and genres are included.

A small selection of hymns that are still copyright may also be included, if they are particularly appropriate.

1st Sunday of Advent, Year C

Reign of Christ, Year C

2nd Sunday of Advent, Year A

Readings

First: Isaiah 2: 1-5 - Isaiah's vision about Jerusalem: the mountain of the Lord's temple with tower above other mountains - people will go to it. and be taught God's ways ... they will hammer their swords into ploughshares ... and live in the eternal peace of God's kingdom.

Psalm 121 : I rejoiced when I heard them say "let us go to God's house" / It is there that the tribes go up / For the peace of Jerusalem pray / For the love of my brethren and friends

Second: Romans 13: 11-14 - Keep the commandments - wake up, our salvation is near ... live in the light.

Gospel: Matthew 24:36-44 - Stay awake, because you do not know the day when you master is coming.

Art for this week

See lectionary art for this Sunday for suggested pictures and art-works based on today's readings.

Themes

The day of the Lord - being ready, prepared for him to come. Stay awake.

Free-use hymns

Abide O Dearest Jesus (Among us with your grace)
Abide with us our Savior - Josua Stegmann (1588-1632)
All Praise to Our Redeeming Lord - Wesley
Awake My Soul And With the Sun - Ken
Battle Hymn of the Republic (Mine eyes have seen the coming)
Behold the Mountain of the Lord - Logan / Brude
Blest are the Pure in Heart - John Keble (1792-1866)

Come Thou (O) Long Expected Jesus
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Come we that Love the Lord - Isaac Watts
Come Ye that Love the Lord - Watts
Come, Quickly Come, Dread Judge of All - Lawrence Tuttiett (1825-1897)
Comfort, Comfort Ye my People - Winkworth
Creator of the Starry Height - John Mason Neale (1818-1866)
Crown Him With Many Crowns
Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
Dona Nobis Pacem - Unknown
Drop Down Ye Heavens From Above - Unknown

Forth in Thy Name O Lord I Go - Charles Wesley (1707-1788)
Freedom Is Coming - Unknown
God Be with You Till we Meet Again - Rankin (1828-1904)
God of Mercy God of Grace - Lyte
Hail to the Lord's Anointed
Hark a Herald Voice is Calling
Hark the Glad Sound the Saviour Comes - Doddridge
Hark What A Sound and Too Divine For Hearing - Myers
Hills of the North Rejoice
How Glad I was to Hear Men Say - from the Scottish Psalter, 1650
How Good is the God We Adore - Hart (1712-1768)

I Cannot Tell (why he whom angels worship)
I Know Whom I have Believed (I know not why God’s wondrous grace) - Whittle
I Want to be Ready (The great day is nearing) - Blackmer
Jerusalem the Golden - John Mason Neale (1818-1866)
Jesus Calls us O’er the Tumult - Alexander
Jesus Priceless Treasure - Catherine Winkworth
Jesus Where'er Thy People Meet - Cowper
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence (Alleluias of St James)
Let There be Light - Marriot
Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates - Winkworth
Lo He Comes with Clouds Descending
Lord of Our Life and God of Our Salvation - Philip Pusey (1799-1885)
Love Divine all Loves Excelling

My Lord, What a Morning - unknown
O Come O Come Emmanuel
O God of Earth and Altar
O Happy Day When we Shall Stand - George Taylor Rygh (1860-1942)
O Little Town of Bethlehem - Brooks
O Lord, How Shall I Meet Thee - Winkworth
Oft In Danger, Oft In Woe - Henry Kirke White (1785-1806)
On Opening a Place of Social Prayer (Great shepherd of Thy people hear) - Newton
Prepare the Royal Highway - Franzen
Rejoice O Land in God Thy Might - Bridges
Rejoice the Lord is King

Saviour of the Nations, Come - Reynolds
Sing to the King (Sing we the King who is coming to reign) - Horne
Soldiers of Christ Arise - Wesley
Sound the Trumpet (loud and long) - Kate Sumner Burr (1842-1902)
Stand Up Stand Up for Jesus - Duffield (1818-1888)
The Advent of our God - Chandler
The Day Is Surely Drawing Near - Philip A. Peter
The God of Abraham Praise - Olivers
The King Shall Come when Morning Dawns
The Lord Will Come and Not be Slow - Milton
The Vine and Fig Tree - Unknown
There's a Light Upon the Mountains - Alfred Henry Burton (1840-1930)
Thy Kingdom Come O God - Hensley

Wake Awake for Night is Flying (Zion Hears the Watchmen / Sleeper’s Awake)
Watchman Tell Us of the Night - Bowring
We’ve a Story to Tell to the Nations - Nichol
When Morning Gilds the Skies - Caswall
Ye Servants of the Lord - Doddridge

Hymns that may still be copyright

Advent Candles Tell their Story - Mark Earey (b. 1965)
Another Son Is Killed - Gillette (ref)
Arise Shine (Darkness like a shroud) - Graham Kendrick (b. 1950)
Awake O Sleeper - Ike Ndolo
Awake, Awake, Fling off the Night - Peacey
Behold a Broken World - Timothy Dudley-Smith (1926-2024)

Christ be our Light - Farrell
Christ is the World's True Light - Briggs
Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord
Creator of the Earth and Skies - Hughes
Darkness like a Shroud covers the Earth - Kendrick
God has Spoken to his People, Hallelujah

I Rejoiced When I Heard Them Say - Bernadette Farrell (b. 1957)
Jerusalem our home, Alleluia - Michael Wentzell (1939-73), Albert McPherson (b 1927)
Light of the World
Light One Candle - Sleeth
O Day of God, Draw Nigh - Scott (1899-1987)
O Day of Peace that Dimly Shines - Daw
O God of Every Nation - Reid (esp verse 4)
Soon and Very Soon - Crouch
Stay with me Remain here with Me - Communaute de Taizé