LiturgyTools.net: Hymns for Proper 17 / Ordinary 22 in Year B (15th Sunday after Pentecost, 1 September 2024)

A selection of hymns and songs, based on themes from the Revised Common lectionary for the Sunday of Proper seventeen / Ordinary twenty-two, in Year B.

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. Many such hymns are old/traditional - but where possible a variety of styles / genres are included. A small selection of hymns which are, or may be, still copyright are also included where they are a particularly good for for the theme(s).

Suggestions about other free-to-use hymns that could be included are welcome: leave a message in the Comments box near the bottom of the page.

Readings

First:

Song of Solomon 2:8-13 - the song of the beloved - Look, he comes, leaping upon the mountains, bounding over the hills, saying "Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away, for .. the flowers appear on the earth ..."

Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9: "You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it; that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you."

Psalm: 14 - The just will live in the presence of the Lord / Lord who shall dwell on your holy mountain

Second: James 1:17-27 - live true to the true Law

Gospel: Mark 7:1-8, 14-15,21-23 - The Pharisees challenge Jesus because his disciples don't follow their interpretation of the law. Jesus condemns them for their hypocrisy and use (abuse) of God's Law to oppress people. He lists the things that defile people, knowing that some of these sins were being committed by his listeners.

Themes

God's Law is wisdom and truth, doing God's will rather than human traditions. Keeping the commandments - living by God's word.

Free-use artworks

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

Free-use hymns

A Mighty Fortress is Our God - Hedge, trans from Luther
A Mighty Stronghold Is Our God - Swartz, trans from Luther
A Tender Conscience - Wesley
Abide with Me
All my Hope is Firmly Grounded - Jacobi, trans from Neander
All my Hope On God is Founded
An Evening Hymn (All praise to Thee my God this night) - Ken (1637-1711)
An Eye Single to the Glory of the Lord (Behold the servant of the Lord) - Wesley
And are We Yet Alive - Charles Wesley
As the Sun Doth Daily Rise - Horatio Nelson (1823-1913)

Battle Hymn of the Republic (Mine eyes have seen the coming)
Be Thou my Vision
Behold What Love (What manner of love) - M. S. S. details unknown, pre 1892
Blessed be the Ties that Bind / Blest be the Tie that Binds
Blest are the Pure in Heart
Blest be the Dear Uniting Love - Wesley
Breathing after Holiness (O that the Lord would guide my ways) - Isaac Watts, (1674-1748)

Christ in You, the Hope of Glory - Wesley, trans from Gerhardt
Come let us Sing of a Wonderful Love - Walmsley
Come my Way my Truth my Life - Herbert
Come Thou all Victorious Lord - Charles Wesley (1707-1788)
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Come Ye Faithful Raise the Strain - John Mason Neale (1818-1866)

Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
Exhortation to Worship (Before Jehovah's awful throne) - Isaac Watts (1674-1748)
Fairest Lord Jesus - Unknown
Faith of our Fathers
Fight the Good Fight with all thy Might
Fold to Your Heart Your Sister and Your Brother - Whittier (1807-1892)
From Thee All Skill and Science Flow - Kingsley (1819-1875)

Give Me the Faith Which Can Remove - Wesley
God be in my Head (the Sarum Prayer)
Great is Thy Faithfulness - free use in the USA only
Hail to the Lord's Anointed
Happy Are They - Robert S. Bridges (1844-1930)
Happy the Home When God Is There - Henry Ware (1794-1843)
Have Thine own way Lord
Holy Spirit Truth Divine - Longfellow
How Brightly Beams the Morning Star - Winkworth

I Am His, and He Is Mine (Loved with everlasting love) - George Wade Robinson (1838-1876)
I Sing the Mighty Power of God
I’ll Praise my Maker While I’ve Breath - Wesley / Watts
Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise

Jesus Joy of Our Desiring - Robert Bridges, translatef from Martin Janus (1661)
Jesus Lover of my Soul - Charles Wesley (1707-1788)
Jesus Loves Me this I Know - Warner (1824-1915)
Jesus the Very Thought of Thee - Caswall
Jesus Thine All-Victorious Love - Charles Wesley (1707-1788)
Joyful Joyful we Adore Thee
Just as I Am Without One Plea
King of Glory King of Peace

Let Us Plead for Faith Alone - Charles Wesley (1707-1788)
Lift up Your Heads you Mighty Gates - Winkworth
Lift up your Hearts (We lift them, Lord, to Thee) - Henry Montagu Butler (1833-1918)
Lord Dismiss us with Thy Blessing - Fawcett (1740-1817)
Lord I Want to be A Christian - Unknown - Afro/American
Lord Jesus Think on Me
Lord Keep us Steadfast in Thy Word - Winkworth
Lord Thy Word Abideth - Baker

May the Mind of Christ my Saviour - Wilkinson
May We Thy Precepts, Lord, Fulfill - Edward Osler (1798-1863)
My God Accept my Heart This Day
My Heart is Full of Christ - Charles Wesley (1707-1788)
Now that the Daylight Fills the Sky - John Mason Neale (1818-1866)

O Breathe on Me O Breath of God
O Brother Man Fold to Thy Heart Thy Brother - John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892)
O For A Heart to Praise my God - Wesley
O Jesus I Have Promised
O Lord of Heaven and Earth and Sea - Wordsworth
O Love that Wilt Not Let Me Go - Matheson
O Morning Star How Fair and Bright - Winkworth, tr from Nicolai
O Perfect Love all Human Thought Transcending - Gurney
O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus - Francis (1834-1925)
O Young and Fearless Prophet - Harlow (1885-1972) - free use in the USA only
Open my Eyes that I May See - Scott

Praise Him On the Trumpet - John Kennett (1981)
Speak Lord in the Stillness - Crawford (1864-1927)
Spirit of Faith Come Down - Wesley
St Patrick's Lorica (I Bind Unto Myself Today) - Cecil Frances Alexander (1818-1895)
Stand Up Stand Up for Jesus
Strengthen For Service Lord The Hands - Humphreys, Dearmer - trans from St. Ephraem, Syrus

Take my Life and Let it Be
Take Time to be Holy
Teach Me my God and King - Herbert
Tell Me the Stories of Jesus - Parker
The Act of Consecration - Wesley
The Church's One Foundation
The God of Abraham Praise - Olivers
The Lily of the Valley - Charles W Fry (1837-1882)
The Lord is King Lift up Your Voice - Conder
The Promised Rest (God of all power, and truth, and grace) - Charles Wesley (1707-1788)
The Unspeakable Gift - Charles Wesley (1707-1788)