A library of resources for funerals

Jesus, Keep Me Near The Cross

Frances Jane van Alstyne (Fanny Crosby) (1820-1915)

Jesus, keep me near the Cross;
There a precious fountain,
Free to all, a healing stream,
Flows from Calvary's mountain.
In the Cross, in the Cross,
Be my glory ever;
Till my raptured soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.

Near the Cross, a trembling soul,
Love and mercy found me;
There the bright and morning star
Shed its beams around me.
Refrain

Near the Cross: O Lamb of God,
Bring its scenes before me;
Help me walk from day to day,
With its shadow o'er me.
Refrain

Near the Cross I'll watch and wait,
Hoping, trusting ever,
Till I reach the golden strand,
Just beyond the river.
Refrain

Jesus Lives! Thy Terrors Now

Christian Fuerchtegott Gellert (1715-1769), Frances Elizabeth Cox (1812-1897)

Jesus lives! thy terrors now
can O death, no more appal us;
Jesus lives! by this we know
thou, O grave, canst not enthral us.
Alleluia.

Jesus lives! henceforth is death
but the gate of life immortal:
this shall calm our trembling breath,
when we pass its gloomy portal.
Alleluia.

Jesus lives! for us he died;
then, alone to Jesus living,
pure in heart may we abide,
glory to our Saviour giving.
Alleluia.

Jesus lives! our hearts know well,
naught from us his love shall sever;
life nor death nor powers of hell
tear us from his keeping ever.
Alleluia.

Jesus lives! to him the throne
over all the world is given:
may we go where he is gone,
rest and reign with him in heaven.
Alleluia.

Jesus Loves Me! This I Know

Anna B Warner (1827-1915)

Jesus loves me! this I know,
for the Bible tells me so;
little ones to him belong;
they are weak, but he is strong.
Yes! Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! he who died
heaven's gate to open wide;
he will wash away my sin
let his little child come in.
Chorus

Jesus loves me! he will stay
close beside me all the way;
then his little child will take
up to heaven, for his dear sake.
Chorus

Jesus, our hope, our heart’s desire

Jesu nostra Redemptio, Anonymous Latin, translated by John Chandler (1806-1876) and others

Jesus, our hope, our heart's desire,
Thy work of grace we sing;
Redeemer of the world art Thou,
Its Maker and its King.

How vast the mercy and the love,
Which laid our sins on Thee,
And led Thee to a cruel death,
To set Thy people free!

But now the bonds of death are burst;
The ransom has been paid;
And Thou art on Thy Father's throne,
In glorious robes arrayed.

O may Thy mighty love prevail
Our sinful souls to spare!
O may we stand around Thy throne,
And see Thy glory there!

Jesus, our only joy be Thou,
As Thou our prize wilt be;
In Thee be all our glory now
And through eternity.

All praise to Thee who art gone up
Triumphantly to heaven,
All praise to God the Father's name
And Holy Ghost be given.

Jesus Shall Reign Where'er The Sun

Isaac Watts (1674-1748)

Jesus shall reign where'er the sun
does his successive journeys run;
his kingdom stretch from shore to shore
till moons shall rise and set no more.

People and realms of every tongue
declare his love in sweetest song,
and infant voices shall proclaim
their early blessings on his name.

Blessings abound where Jesus reigns -
the prisoner leaps to lose his chains,
the weary find eternal rest,
and all who suffer want are blessed.

To him shall endless prayer be made,
and princes throng to crown his head;
his name like incense shall arise
with every morning sacrifice.

Let all creation rise and bring
distinctive honours to our King;
angels descend with songs again
and earth repeat the loud 'Amen!'

Jesus Take Me As I Am

David Bryant

Jesus take me as I am,
I can come no other way.
Take me deeper into You,
Make my flesh life melt away.
Make me like a precious stone,
Crystal clear and finely honed,
Life of Jesus shining through,
Giving glory back to You.

Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam

Nellie Talbot (fl.c.1900)

Jesus wants me for a sunbeam,
To shine for him each day,
In every way try to please him,
At home, at school, at play.
A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam;
A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
I'll be a sunbeam for him.

Jesus wants me to be loving
And kind to all I see,
Showing how pleasant and happy
His little one may be.
Chorus

I will ask Jesus to help me
To keep my heart from sin;
Ever reflecting his goodness,
And always shine for him.
Chorus

I'll be a sunbeam for Jesus,
I can if I but try,
Serving him moment by moment,
Then live with him on high.
Chorus

Jesus, Good Above All Other

Jesus noster, Jesus bonus Adam of Saint Victor (12th Century) tr John Mason Neale (1818-1860) adapted by Percy Dearmer (1867-1936)

Jesus, good above all other,
Gentle child of gentle mother,
In a stable born our brother,
Give us grace to persevere.

Jesus, cradled in a manger,
For us facing every danger,
Living as a homeless stranger,
Make we thee our king most dear

Jesus, for thy people dying,
Risen master, death defying,
Lord in heaven, thy grace supplying,
Keep us to thy presence near.

Jesus, who our sorrows bearest,
All our thoughts and hopes thou sharest,
Thou to man the truth declarest;
Help us all thy truth to hear.

Lord, in all our doings guide us;
Pride and hate shall ne'er divide us,
We'll go on with thee beside us,
And with joy we'll persevere!

Jesus, The Very Thought Of You

Edward Caswall (1814-1878)

Jesus, the very thought of you
makes every moment blessed,
until we come where all is new
and in your presence rest.

No ear can hear, no voice proclaim,
nor can the heart recall
a sweeter sound than Jesus' name,
the saviour of us all.

Hope of each contrite, humble mind,
joy of the poor and meek;
to those who falter, you are kind,
and good to those who seek!

But what to those who find? Ah, this
no tongue nor pen can show!
The love of Jesus - what it is
none but his loved ones know.

Jesus, be all our glory here,
our joy and prize alone;
our all-in-all when we draw near
to your eternal throne.

Jesus, These Eyes Have Never Seen

Ray Palmer (1808-87)

Jesus, these eyes have never seen
that radiant form of thine;
the veil of sense hangs dark between
thy blessed face and mine.

I see thee not, I hear thee not,
yet art thou oft with me;
and earth hath ne'er so dear a spot
as where I meet with thee.

Yet, though I have not seen, and still
must rest in faith alone,
I love thee, dearest Lord, and will,
unseen, but not unknown.

When death these mortal eyes shall seal,
and still this throbbing heart,
the rending veil shall thee reveal
all glorious as thou art.

Jesus, Thou Joy Of Loving Hearts

Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153), tr Ray Palmer (1808-87)

Jesus, thou joy of loving hearts,
thou fount of life, thou light of men;
from the best bliss that earth imparts
we turn unfilled to thee again.

Thy truth unchanged hath ever stood;
thou savest those that on thee call;
to them that seek thee thou art good,
to them that find thee, all in all.

We taste thee, O thou living bread,
and long to feast upon thee still;
we drink of thee, the fountain-head,
and thirst our souls from thee to fill.

Our restless spirits yearn for thee,
where'er our changeful lost is cast,
glad when thy gracious smile we see,
blest when our faith can hold thee fast.

O Jesus, ever with us stay;
make all our moments calm and bright;
chase the dark night of sin away;
shed o'er the world thy holy light.

Jesus’ hands were kind hands

Margaret Cropper (1886-1980)

Jesus' hands were kind hands,
Doing good to all,
Healing pain and sickness,
Blessing children small,
Washing tired feet and
Saving those who fall.
Jesus' hands were kind hands,
Doing good to all.

Take my hands, Lord Jesus,
Let them work for you.
Make them strong and gentle,
Kind in all I do.
Let me watch you, Jesus,
Till I'm gentle too;
Till my hands are kind hands,
Quick to work for you.

Joy to the world, The Lord has come

Isaac Watts (1674-1748)

Joy to the world, the Lord has come!
Let earth receive her King;
let every heart prepare him room,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the earth, the Saviour reigns!
Your sweetest songs employ;
while fields and streams and hills and plains
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness,
the wonders of his love,
the wonders of his love,
the wonders, wonders of his love.

Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

Henry van Dyke (1852-1933)

Joyful, joyful, we adore thee,
God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before thee,
Hail thee as the sun above!
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
Drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness,
Fill us with the light of day.

All thy works with joy surround thee,
Earth and heaven reflect thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around thee,
Centre of unbroken praise;
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
Flowering meadow, flashing sea,
Chanting bird and flowing fountain
Call us to rejoice in thee.

Thou art giving and forgiving,
Ever blessing, ever blest,
Well-spring of the joy of living,
Ocean-depth of happy rest!
Thou the Father, Christ our Brother,
All who live in love are thine;
Teach us how to love each other,
Lift us to the joy divine.

Mortals join the mighty chorus,
Which the morning stars recall;
Father-love is reigning o'er us,
Kindred love binds each to all;
Ever singing march we onward,
Victors in the midst of strife;
Joyful music lifts us sunward
In the triumph song of life.

Jubilate, Everybody

Jubilate, everybody,
Serve the Lord in all your ways,
And come before His presence singing,
Enter now His courts with praise.
For the Lord our God is gracious,
And His mercy's everlasting.
Jubilate, Jubilate, Jubilate Deo.

Just As I Am, Without One Plea

Charlotte Elliott (1789 – 1871)

Just as I am, without one plea
but that thy Blood was shed for me,
and that thou bidd’st me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come.

Just as I am, though tossed about
with many a conflict, many a doubt,
fightings within, and fears without,
O Lamb of God, I come.

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind,
sight, riches, healing of the mind,
yea, all I need, in thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come.

Just as I am, thou wilt receive,
wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve:
Because thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come.

Just as I am (thy love unknown
has broken every barrier down),
now to be thine, yea, thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come.

Just as I am, of that free love
the breadth, length, depth, and height to prove,
here for a season, then above,
O Lamb of God, I come.

King Of Glory, King Of Peace

George Herbert (1593-1633)

King of Glory, King of Peace,
I will love thee;
And that love may never cease
I will move thee.
Thou hast granted my request,
Thou hast heard me;
Thou didst note my working breast,
Thou hast spared me.

Wherefore with my utmost art
I will sing thee,
And the cream of all my heart
I will bring thee.
Though my sins against me cried,
Thou didst clear me;
And alone, when they replied,
Thou didst hear me.

Seven whole days, not one in seven,
I will praise thee;
In my heart, though not in heaven,
I can raise thee.
Small it is, in this poor sort
To enrol thee:
E'en eternity's too short
To extol thee.

King Of Kings, Majesty

King of kings, majesty,
God of heaven living in me,
Gentle Saviour, closest friend,
Strong deliverer, beginning and end,
All within me falls at your Throne.

Your majesty, I can but bow.
I lay my all before you now.
In royals robes I don’t deserve,
I live to serve your majesty.

Earth and heaven worship you,
Love eternal, faithful and true,
Who bought the nations, ransomed souls,
Brought this sinner near to your throne;
All within me cries out in praise.

Your majesty, I can but bow.
I lay my all before you now.
In royals robes I don’t deserve,
I live to serve your majesty.

Kum Ba Yah

Kum ba yah, my Lord,
kum ba yah
Kum ba yah, my Lord,
kum ba yah!
Kum ba yah, my Lord,
kum ba yah!
O Lord, kum ba yah!

Someone’s crying, Lord
kum ba yah!
Someone’s crying, Lord
kum ba yah!
Someone’s crying, Lord
kum ba yah!
O Lord, kum ba yah!

Someone’s singing, Lord
kum ba yah!
Someone’s singing, Lord
kum ba yah!
Someone’s singing, Lord
kum ba yah!
O Lord, kum ba yah!

Someone’s praying, Lord
kum ba yah!
Someone’s praying, Lord
kum ba yah!
Someone’s praying, Lord
kum ba yah!
O Lord, kum ba yah!

Lead Us, Heavenly Father, Lead Us

James Edmeston (1791 – 1867)

Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us
o’er the world’s tempestuous sea;
guard us, guide us, keep us, feed us,
for we have no help but thee;
yet possessing every blessing,
if our God our Father be.

Saviour, breathe forgiveness o’er us:
All our weakness thou dost know;
thou didst tread this earth before us,
thou didst feel its keenest woe;
lone and dreary, faint and weary,
through the desert thou didst go.

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