Hymns at weddings

Hymns at a wedding are one of the most atmospheric parts of a church wedding. Before a church wedding, you should agree on which hymns are to be sung. There is a wide range to choose from, and it may be a good idea to think carefully about which hymns you would like to include in the wedding service before you meet the vicar. Here are suggestions for seven classic wedding hymns.

• HYMN 82
  O God, look with mercy upon these two
  whom we see standing
  here before You, vowing to share joys and sorrows together in life and in death
  .
  
  They have now, at this very moment
  , entered into a sacred covenant of love.
  In your mercy, O Lord, abide
  with them and grant them your blessing.
  
  Life here is not spent solely in a rose garden,
  and many trials may prove harsh;
  keep them then, O gracious Lord,
  in the love that gives comfort and courage.
  
  May Your Spirit guide them
  and be a guest in their home,
  so that quiet joy and sweet peace
  may dwell there with Him.
  
  O God, we bow before You,
  who are our God for ever and ever,
  our hope, our joy, our peace, our counsel;
  bless us and grant us grace.
  
  Words: J. L. Runeberg
  Music: Strassburg
• PSALM 83
  Like the clearest streams
  of water from the hard rock of the desert,
  like herbs and grass from the soil
  , and blossoms from the bare branch
  , so burst forth from a woman’s womb
  the reflection
  
  of God’s essence. O Christ, you were born of a woman
  ; bless woman and man
  , and teach us always to serve
  and love one another
  faithfully. And grant to the flame
  of our love the fire that is pure and true
  
  . Yes, guide us through storm and peril
  with the light of your truth
  . Let our working days be filled
  with the sound
  of lively songs. And make our humble bodies
  , O God, your temple
  
  . When fate and time flow
  like rushing streams
  , you bind generation to generation
  as quietly as day to day
  . Ah, let us give and create
  , O God, according to your will
  
  Just as the flame leapt from the wood
  , just as the grain of wheat is allowed to grow
  So let us, from our love, rise
  up in honest and Christian faith
  , and let us one day dwell
  
  together in your courts
  Words: K-G Hildebrand 1936, 1983
  Music: G Aulén 1936
• PSALM 84
  We lift up our hearts to you,
  O our Father,
  in thanksgiving, praise
  and prayer for these two.
  We pray that they may entrust
  themselves into your hands
  and help them to keep the vow
  they have made to one another.
  
  We give thanks for the joy
  you have bestowed upon them.
  Bless their future,
  bless their home.
  Thank you, Father, for the love
  that made them one,
  the greatest gift
  and responsibility you have given us.
  
  Words: A. Frostensson
  Music: M. Teschner
• PSALM 85
  Just as the man and woman stood together in joy
  when life was first brought into being,
  we stand here today before the Lord of
  creation in prayer and song
  
  . We pray that you may take our fellowship and
  our strength into your service – without thought of reward – and let our lives
  become a worship service on earth, a service of prayer.
  
  Our home, what we own, our joy and security
  – we have been entrusted to manage these for those who live in loneliness,
  worry and anxiety, and without a home.
  
  We have been given our lives to live together,
  to reflect your heavenly light, to grow in love,
  to open our door and our light to others.
  
  Words: J. A. Hellström
  Music: K-O Robertsson
• HYMN 199
  The season of blossoms now draws
  near, full of joy and splendour.
  You draw near, sweet summer,
  when grass and crops spring forth.
  With gentle and lively warmth
  , the sun’s rays draw near to all that has been dead,
  
  and all is reborn.
  
  The beautiful flower-meadows
  and the noble grain in the fields,
  the rich herb-beds
  and the green trees of the grove—
  they shall remind
  us of the richness of God’s goodness,
  that we may reflect on
  the grace that lasts throughout the year.
  
  We hear the birds singing
  in a multitude of voices;
  shall not our tongues
  then praise the Lord God?
  My soul, exalt God’s glory;
  raise your song of joy to Him
  who wishes to draw us near and bring us joy at the same time.
  
  O Jesus, you who save us,
  you are the shield of the weak.
  To you, sun of joy, we give our greeting.
  Warm the coldness of our hearts.
  Grant love to the heart
  that knows no love.
  Turn away all sorrow and pain
  , you friend who can do all things.
  
  Bless this year’s harvest
  and water our land.
  Give all people food;
  bless the lake and the shore.
  Bless the day’s toil
  and the evening’s hour of rest.
  Let the fountain of life flow
  from the deep wellspring of the Word.
  
  Text: In Kolmodin 1694
  , JO Wallin, B G Hallqvist 1979
  Music: Swedish folk song 1693
• HYMN 200
  In this lovely summertime
  , go forth, my soul, and rejoice
  in the gifts of the great God.
  Behold how beautifully the earth is adorned;
  behold how, for you and me, she yields
  such marvellous harvests!
  
  The branches are full of rich foliage,
  and the earth has covered its black soil
  with lovely green garments.
  The abundance
  of fair blossoms delights you with greater splendour and glory
  than Solomon’s.
  
  Now the grain grows for the time of harvest,
  and young and old rejoice then
  and ought to praise God’s goodness,
  who in lavish measure wishes to bestow upon us humans
  so much good every day and every hour.
  
  When I hear the thrush’s clear song,
  when the lark rejoices all day long
  high above fields and hills,
  then I cannot remain silent.
  My God, as long as I live
  , I give You thanks.
  
  Ah, if it is already so beautiful
  here on this earth, so wonderfully green,
  how much more so must it be in heaven,
  where God has prepared
  what no one here in the world has seen
  and which words cannot describe.
  
  Ah, if only I were already standing there
  before Your throne, O dear Lord,
  bearing my palm branches.
  I would then, like
  the angels, join in your praise and glory
  with a thousand beautiful psalms.
  
  Just as a tree in sun and rain
  , so let my soul, in the Spirit’s care
  , grow all the days of that summer
  which, by grace, I am to experience.
  God, let me bear fruit this year,
  the fruit that pleases You.
  
  Keep me for Your paradise,
  and let me flourish in Your gardens as the faithful do
  .
  Let me serve You alone,
  in true faithfulness, in pure love;
  I wish for nothing more.
  
  Text: P Gerhardt 1653, 1 von Düben 1725 CO,
  Angeldorff 1855, BG Hallqvist 1980
  Music: N Söderblom 1916
• HYMN 944 (formerly 864)
  Behold, now the sun rises from the sea’s embrace; air
  and waves glow, and forest and shore,
  trembling with joy, a breathless moment,
  whilst the light lands upon the world’s shore.
  
  Thank you for letting me meet you, summer’s day;
  let me surrender to you, take you into my arms,
  feel the wind, the sky, the sea and the earth,
  breathe in a living word
  
  of creation. Once I am alone on the sea in the darkness of night,
  yet without fear of death or the grave.
  The God of life protects me; I am His child,
  entrusting to His hands the life He gave.
  
  Behold, the sun rises and dawn breaks.
  All the shadows of death flee for ever.
  The light has found its home after an endless journey.
  Reflected in its splendour stands a newborn world.
  
  Lyrics: A Frostenson
  Music: Siv Lindström

Once you have chosen your favourite hymns, it may be a good idea to book a professional soloist to enhance the music even further. Find the right musician in our directory of wedding performers.

Would you like to read the full lyrics to all the verses? You can find the complete digital hymn book here.