# What is your favorite Hymn? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 21, 2016, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-hymn/743772 "2016-01-21T13:14:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-hymn/743772/21 "2016-01-21T16:47:42Z")
I’m tempted to offer “[Atheists Don’t Have No Songs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wogta8alHiU)” The serious answer is “How Great Thou Art”. Poor recording quality (looks like maybe a hand held iPhone), but I like [IIIrd Tyme Out](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdv8dFXGjMI)’s version. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-hymn/743772/22 "2016-01-21T16:59:18Z")
I always like Amazing Grace (my wife doesn’t care for it, though) Just As I Am, Without One Plea How Great Thou Art Battle Hymn of the Republic Silent Night Beautiful Savior A Mighty Fortress Is Our God The Navy Hymn - Eternal Father, Strong to Save (For Those In Peril on the Sea) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-hymn/743772/23 "2016-01-21T17:10:50Z")
my top four are 1. Be Thou My Vision 2. O How I Love Jesus 3. Amazing Grace 4. Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus grew up in the Baptist church. Turn Your Eyes was the song they played when the Pastor invited people to come forward for Baptism or to join the church. I used to love Will the Circle be Unbroken. That’s changed as my mom reached her eighties. If you’re familiar with the lyrics you know why that song doesn’t appeal to me anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-hymn/743772/24 "2016-01-21T17:36:45Z")
Picking a favorite hymn would be like picking a favorite child - it’s impossible. The ones that come off the top of my head: _Praise My Soul the King of Heaven_ _The King of Love my Shepard Is_ _Drop, Drop Slow Tears_ _Be Thou My Vision_ _Eternal Father Strong to Save_ My congregation sings 4-5 hymns every week and there is always at least one that makes me nudge my wife and say “I love this one!” ETA: Is _May the Circle be Unbroken_ really a hymn? I always think of it as a gospel song. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it in a hymnal, but I hear it on the Grand Ole Opry all the time. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-hymn/743772/25 "2016-01-21T17:40:07Z")
“I Bind Unto Myself Today” aka St. Patrick’s Breastplate ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-hymn/743772/26 "2016-01-21T17:47:01Z")
[Holy, Holy, Holy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8RFxRsrgRU) [Angels We Have Heard on High](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHWqj6gKS9g) ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-hymn/743772/27 "2016-01-21T18:02:44Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Make you to shi-ine like the SUUUUUUN! 😃 I grew up in the 70s too and love all those songs. My best childhood friend died when we were 20 (~1987) and they were featured in his funeral, particularly On Eagle’s Wings. As far as content, Aquinas’s Adoro Te Devote can’t be beat. > **[Saint Thomas Aquinas Hymns](http://www.rosarychurch.net/mystic/aquinas.html)** > > Traditional Catholic Mass, Doctrine, and Moral Teaching - Don't do without them - Don't accept one without the others! ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-hymn/743772/28 "2016-01-21T18:09:08Z")
_Amazing Grace_ and _And Can It Be_ for me. Dunno if it counts but I like _Were You There?_ when sung acapella (it’s an African Spiritual style). I dislike _A Mighty Fortress_. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-hymn/743772/29 "2016-01-21T18:12:51Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > “I Bind Unto Myself Today” aka St. Patrick’s Breastplate I love that one! > [@Deeg](#): > > _And Can It Be_ for me. I love that one! See what I mean? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-hymn/743772/30 "2016-01-21T18:31:45Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > ETA: Is _May the Circle be Unbroken_ really a hymn? I always think of it as a gospel song. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it in a hymnal, but I hear it on the Grand Ole Opry all the time. 🙂 There are two sets of lyrics. The original was a hymn. The later one has the mother references. ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-hymn/743772/31 "2016-01-21T18:34:20Z")
> [@Deeg](#): > > I dislike _A Mighty Fortress_. Blasphemy! ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-hymn/743772/32 "2016-01-21T18:38:46Z")
> [@Deeg](#): > > _Amazing Grace_ and _And Can It Be_ for me. Dunno if it counts but I like _Were You There?_ when sung acapella (it’s an African Spiritual style). > > I dislike _A Mighty Fortress_. Were You There is a good one. Solemn, somber. I’ll vote for that also. ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-hymn/743772/33 "2016-01-21T18:42:53Z")
> [@Doyle](#): > > Blasphemy! Sorry! I was fairly surprised at how popular it is here. I’m not quite sure why I dislike it; it sort of makes me think of stuffy, stale churches. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-hymn/743772/34 "2016-01-21T18:52:38Z")
_Praise God from Whom All Blessing Flow._ ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-hymn/743772/35 "2016-01-21T18:55:36Z")
“Built On The Rock” from the Presbyterian hymnal. Never seen it anywhere else. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-hymn/743772/36 "2016-01-21T19:00:27Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > I always like > > The Navy Hymn - Eternal Father, Strong to Save (For Those In Peril on the Sea) A running joke in the Navy for the entire 23 years of my service was: “Let’s sing him the Navy Hymn: (everyone responds) Him, him. . .fuck him!” Usually reserved for superiors who made poor decisions. I now return you to your more respectful Dopers. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-hymn/743772/37 "2016-01-21T19:01:03Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > ETA: Is _May the Circle be Unbroken_ really a hymn? [Wikipedia says yes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_the_Circle_Be_Unbroken%3F). The other set of lyrics **jsgoddess** refers to is properly called **Can _The Circle Be Unbroken_**. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-hymn/743772/38 "2016-01-21T19:01:21Z")
I grew up in a southern baptist church family. Most of the songs I liked had different renditions from choir to choir. My favorites are probably _Sam Cooke and the Soul Stirrers_. _Touch the hem of his garment Wade in the water Heavy load_ eta: I’m atheist but I think good music is good music. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-hymn/743772/39 "2016-01-21T19:10:26Z")
My favorites are as follows: Jesus Christ is Risen Today (for Easter) One version of Psalm 119 Angels We Have Heard on High (Christmas) Silent Night (Christmas) Amazing Grace (they can play this at this heathen’s funeral) Ode to Joy (I love performing this on a church organ) I grew up RC in the sixties and seventies, but have served as an organist-for-hire in protestant churches over the years and in choirs in the RC and Unitarian churches. While I don’t believe, some of the music is lovely. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-hymn/743772/40 "2016-01-21T19:11:34Z")
After _ **Be Thou My Vision** _, it’s _ **We Gather Together** _. And _ **Silent Night** _ and _ **O Little Town of Bethlehem** _, American version. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-hymn/743772.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-hymn/743772.md?page=3)