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Welcome! This web site is the home of
the Open Hymnal Project to create a freely distributable, downloadable
database of Christian hymns, spiritual songs, and prelude/postlude
music. I am doing my best to create a final product that is
"Hymnal-quality", and could feasibly be used as the basis
for a printed church hymnal. This music is to be distributed as
complete scores (words and music), using all accompaniment parts, in
formats that are easily accessible on most computer OS's and which
can be freely modified by anyone.
"
Freely you received, so freely give." - Matthew 10:8 (WEB)
15 Mar 2017
Changed the setting for
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, due to a concerned raised about its sourcing.
30 Nov 2015
Added three new hymns,
He Keeps Me Singing,
Jesus Is All the World To Me,
and
Rescue the Perishing.
27 Sep 2015
Added a new hymn,
Moment By Moment.
13 Jan 2015
Added a new hymn by modern hymnwriter Rev'd Can. Bola Omodun. Ilori,
Ascribe To the Lord Honor.
It is based on Psalm 29.
09 Nov 2014
Added a new hymn,
A Child of The King, contributed by Tobin Strong.
10 Aug 2014
Added a new hymn,
Lord Of Our Life.
01 Aug 2014
Please pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are persecuted around the world for the faith. Especially, now, pray for those in Syria and Iraq who are under tremendous levels of persecution. Suggestions from the Open Hymnal for prayer services include:
Some good articles may be found
here.
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"The cross is widely recognized as the major symbol of Christian faith. In its original context, there was nothing noble about it: It served as a frightening reminder of the shameful execution reserved for the worst of criminals and enemies of the state. There is something profound about it being a special sign with which we as Christians have been marked at our Baptism. It does mark the shape of our Christian life. What is it? “Indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12). All. No exceptions. Persecution for the faith is not something that should catch any baptized off guard: It is inherent in the very nature of Christian faith." -- Pr. Alexey Streltsov |
07 Jul 2014
Added a new hymn,
My Savior's Love, contributed by Tobin Strong. Thanks!
22 Jun 2014
Updated large pdf version of the hymnal.
08 Jun 2014
After a bit of an absence, added a new hymn,
Of The Father's Love Begotten.
23 Mar 2014
Added a new hymn,
Praise The Lord, Ye Heavens Adore Him.
10 Mar 2014
Added two new hymns,
Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken (contributed by Tobin Strong)
and
None Other Lamb.
16 Feb 2014
Added a new hymn,
Hark, Hark, My Soul! with a new lyrical arrangement by Mike Hosken. Thanks, Mike!
26 Jan 2014
Added a new hymn,
My Soul, Now Praise Thy Maker.
12 Jan 2014
Added the last arrangement of
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
by Tobin Strong. Also added two new hymns,
I Sing the Mighty Power of God and
The Love of God. All of these are contributions by Tobin Strong. Thanks!
05 Jan 2014
Added two new arrangements of "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" contributed by Tobin Strong. One more arrangement is still to come. They can be found here:
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
and
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross. Thanks, Tobin!
06 Dec 2013
Updated the Christmas Edition for 2013.
05 Dec 2013
Added two new hymns,
Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates
and
All My Heart This Night Rejoices.
12 Nov 2013
Added a new hymn,
Twas In The Moon of Wintertime.
06 Nov 2013
Fixed numerous spelling errors and added the "
All Lyrics" page.
13 Oct 2013
Added a new hymn,
Jesus Sinners Doth Receive.
20 Sep 2013
Added a new hymn,
Come, Ye Disconsolate.
27 Aug 2013
The site is being updated to output UTF-8 web pages. Also added a web page for the metrical index (which used to only exist in the printed version).
26 Aug 2013
Added a new hymn,
From Nazareth.
14 Jul 2013
Added a new hymn,
The Winds and Billows Loudly Roar.
17 Jun 2013
The individual hymn pages now have a built-in audio player. The direct download links are still there, and it still does NOT auto-play.
02 Jun 2013
Added a new hymn,
We Know Thee Who Thou Art.
29 May 2013
Added a new modern hymn by Anthony Robertson,
O Lord, My God, I Thirst For You.
23 May 2013
Added a new hymn,
The Lily of the Valley.
13 May 2013
Added a new hymn,
To Avert From Men God's Wrath.
06 May 2013
Added a new hymn,
To God Be The Glory.
02 Apr 2013
We're on the new server now. If you have any problems, let us know!
31 Mar 2013
Happy Easter! Christ is Risen! He Is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!
Some may have noticed that the site has been up and down for a few days: some server issues have caused a bit of grief. The crew is working on it and we appreciate their efforts.
Added a new hymn,
Lord of Life, All Praise Excelling.
18 Mar 2013
Added a new hymn,
Rejoice, O Pilgrim Throng.
17 Mar 2013
Added two new hymns,
Were You There?
and
Within the Father's House.
10 Mar 2013
Added two new hymns,
The Lord's My Shepherd
and a second translation of
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, using the isorhythmic version of the tune.
10 Feb 2013
Added a new hymn,
Every Morning Mercies New.
05 Feb 2013
Multiple changes today. I've added the "Choral Edition" and also the "Editions" web page to guide you through the various available editions of the Open Hymnal.
Also fixed a bug in the presentation of one hymn and in the general index for another.
14 Jan 2013
Added a new (modern) hymn,
Yet Before We See Your Plans. Special thanks go to Greg Paul and to Pastor Todd Liefer for helping to make it happen!
11 Jan 2013
Added a new logo, seen in the upper left of the web page. It's supposed to indicate that what you should see when you look inside the Open Hymnal is Christ's work for you.
07 Jan 2013
Added a new hymn,
Abide, O Dearest Jesus.
02 Jan 2013
Added a new hymn,
On What Has Now Been Sown.
31 Dec 2012
I've been planning out the work for 2013, and the Open Hymnal will see some changes. Firstly, it has grown sufficiently that the choral and instrumental pieces will be moved to a separate edition of the Open Hymnal. Then, an effort will be made to round it out for actual congregational use. I will be looking at whether there are the right numbers of the right types of hymns to cover an entire Church Year. The Open Hymnal will be compared against a handful of common lectionaries to make sure that sermon hymns will be available for each week (probably assuming that the sermon will be from the Gospel lesson of the day). Lastly, I will look at whether the Open Hymnal has sufficient hymns appropriate for mid-week congregational gatherings (weddings, funerals, Ash Wednesday services, Ascension day services, special memorial and prayer services, mid-week Lenten and Advent services, etc.). Pray for guidance in 2013!
25 Dec 2012
“Glory to God in the highest,
on earth peace, good will toward men.” This Christmas day, may you have real peace ... true peace ...
heavenly peace. The peace that can only be brought by Immanuel ... God with us.
12 Dec 2012
Added two hymns,
God Himself is Present
and
O Holy Spirit, Enter In.
14 Nov 2012
Added a new hymn,
O Father, All Creating.
22 Oct 2012
I've updated the Christmas Edition for 2012.
14 Oct 2012
I've updated the large PDF hymnal, making version 2012.10. Enjoy!
11 Oct 2012
Added a new hymn,
Lamp of Our Feet.
30 Sep 2012
Added a new hymn,
One Thing's Needful.
06 Aug 2012
Added a new hymn,
God Will Take Care of You.
28 Jul 2012
Added two hymns,
Blessed Jesus at Thy Word
and
O Holy, Blessed Trinity.
02 Jul 2012
Added a modern hymn by Anthony Robertson
The Apostle Looked and Heard a Voice. Check it out! Thanks Tony!
04 Jun 2012
Added the hymn
Blind Bartimaeus
16 Apr 2012
Small fix to the lyrics of 'O For a Thousand Tongues'. We love bug reports!
06 Mar 2012
Added two new hymns. The first is a nearly-lost gem,
The Galilean Fishers Toil. Thanks to the folks at
Finest Of The Wheat for digging up this one!
The other is a classic and uses two tunes:
Blest Be The Tie That Binds (Boylston)
and
Blest Be The Tie That Binds (Dennis).
05 Mar 2012
Added two new hymns,
I Need Thee Every Hour
and
No, Not One!, both contributed by Samuel Cantrell - thanks!
19 Feb 2012
Added three new hymns,
Where He Leads Me
and
More Love to Thee
and
Whiter Than Snow, which were contributed by Samuel Cantrell - thanks!
11 Feb 2012
Added two new hymns,
Not Worthy, Lord, to Gather Up the Crumbs
and
The Comforter Has Come, which was contributed by Samuel Cantrell - thanks!
Very Old News
