LiturgyTools.net: Hymns about hope

This is a selection of hymns and songs about Christian hope, and the characteristics associated with hopefulness.

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 are old/traditional - but where possible a variety of styles / genres are included. A small selection of hymns which are very specifically about hope, but which are not yet free use, may also be included.

Suggestions about other hymns that could be included are welcome: leave a comment below.

Hymns about hope?

In everyday English, hope is belief or desire that things will be better in the future than they are now.

Christian hope is hope based in the person, actions and promises of Jesus Christ.

Looking into the difference between faith and hope quickly leads to complicated theological discussion, which often feel circular. Despite this, the sense of many Christians is that there is a difference.

One approach is to say that faith, ie belief in God, adds certainty to hope: If I believe in God, I am certain that heaven exists and that my desire to get there can be fulfilled in some circumstances (by grace, because I believe, have done good works, with self-sacrifice etc).

Another is to note that doubt is a normal part of human faith-experience: very few people are gifted with absolutely unwavering faith. So hope is the gift that sustains us even when faith wavers.

Viewed this way, many, perhaps almost-all, Christian hymns are about hope: Abide with Me, It is Well with my Soul, I'll Fly Away, Amazing Grace, O Come Divine Messiah, Be Not Afraid have all been identified as hopeful hymns even though they don't mention hope - because many people find hope in the faith-statements that they express.

But there are some hymns that focus on hope, or name Jesus as the source of hope. This is a list of these hymns. It will probably be updated regularly as the Jubilee 2025 year, which has the motto "Pilgrims of Hope" proceeds, and musical-artists are inspired to write new work.

Do you know other hymns about hope? Please leave a message in the Comments section near the bottom of the page.