LiturgyTools.net: Hymns and songs about the Beatitudes

A list of English-language hymns that are based on The Beatitudes.

The list is grouped into two sections:

Free-use (either copyright has expired, or the author has allowed them to be freely used)
Still subject to copyright and so can only be used if you are covered by a copyright license.

Both children's and adults hymns / songs are included in each list.

About The Beatitudes

The Beatitudes are a set of eight blessings spoken by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, which is detailed in Matthew 5:3–12.

Each is a proverb-like proclamation, in which Jesus names a group of people normally thought to be unfortunate and pronounces them blessed.

Some scholars suggest that the Beatitudes also include four blessings followed by four woes which mirror them, from the Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6:20–26).

Blessing statements are also found in Matthew 11:6, Luke 7:23, and John 20:29.

The name Beatitudes

In the Latin translation of the Bible, each of the blessings starts with the word beātī, which means happy", "rich", or "blessed". So "Blessed are the poor in spirit" comes from the Latin phrase, beātī pauperēs spīritū.

Latin includes a noun, beātitūdō which describes a state of blessedness. Some publications used this word in chapter headings for Matthew 5 in printed versions of the Vulgate bible. Later, the word was anglicized to "beatytudes". Over time, it came to be spelled as "beatitudes"

What do the Beatitudes mean?

Jesus' lack of interpretation has given bible-scholars and theologians plenty to consider. The Beatitudes can be seen a statements of the ideal disciple, or statements about social justice and Jesus' view of how the world should be organized. Or perhaps they show Jesus intention to establish the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.

Which hymns are included

The songs suggested below take a broad view of what it means for song to be "based on" an English translation of "The Beatitudes", in terms of which statements of blessing and how they are phrased and how many are included.

So far, very few older hymns have been found. If you know of others, please leave a message in the Comments box near the bottom of the page.

Songs and hymns which may be freely used

Blest are the Poor in Heart

Blest are the Humble Souls that See - Watts

Hymns and songs which may still be copyright

As a Tree by Streams of Water - Haugen

Beatitudes (Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who seek to know you) - Boniwell

Beatitudes (Blessed. O blessed indeed are you) - Toolan

Beatitudes Hymn (Gracious Lord, our hands are empty)

Behold Now the Kingdom (A multitude followed a man, a prophet who spoke words of wisdom ) - Talbot

Blessed: A Beatitudes song-cycle - Bates

Blessed are the Humble - Kendrick

Blessed are the poor in spirit; all God's realm is surely theirs - Gillette

Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who see the sin in their hearts - The McKameys - video

Blessed are the Persecuted - Bergen

Blessed are they who follow God's law - Edward Walker

Blessed are Those - Grant (ref)

Blessed are You (Do you know how blessed you are) - Hart

Blessed are You (Blessed are you the poor ones) - Tice / Brody

Blessed are You / Mapapalad Kayo - Manalo /Manibusan

Beatitudes (Blest are you the poor who trust) - Balhoff/Ducote AKA The Dameans - video

Beatitudes (Blest are you, O poor in spirit) - Quinn

Happy is the Man

How Happy are the Poor in Spirit - Mike Anderson - video

Jesus Sat With His Disciples - Starke

Lead me Lord

O How Blessed - Schutte

O How Blest Are the Poor in Spirit - Marsh

Rejoice Be Glad - Tice

Rejoice in the Promise of Jesus - Dufner

The Beatitudes (Blessed are the poor in spirit) - Kearney

The Beatitudes (Blessed are the poorest ones) - Hillsong - video

The Beatitudes (The kingdom of heaven is yours) - Mike Anderson - video

The Beatitudes - Wilson (video)

Hey My Love - Bell / Maule ( ref)

We are the Light of the World (Blessed are they who are poor in spirit)

You who are Weary (Beatitudes version) - Baty