LiturgyTools.net: Hymns and songs for the 4th Sunday of Lent, Year C

A selection of hymns and song suggestions based on themes from the Revised Common lectionary for the forth Sunday of Lent, Year C.
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 such hymns are raditional - but where possible a variety of styles / genres are included.

Seasonal note

In Lutheran and Anglican traditions, the fourth Sunday in Lent is commonly known as Laetare Sunday. The word "laetare" means rejoice in Latin, and this idea is taken from the entrance-antiphon for the liturgy, which starts "Rejoice, O Jerusalem...". Falling roughly at the half-way point in the Lenten season, this is a Sunday when traditional Lenten austerity is relaxed, and we have a reminder of the joyous resurrection to come. The day's liturgical colour is rose, instead of the usual purple of the Lenten season.

This is also Mother's Day in some countries.

3rd Sunday of Lent, Year C

5th Sunday of Lent, Year C

Readings

First: Joshua 5: 9-12 - The Israelites kept the Passover when they entered the Promised Land.

Psalm: Psalm 32 - Happy is the man who's sins are forgiven

Second: II Corinthians 5: 16-21 - For anyone in Christ, there is a new creation ... God through Christ reconciled the world to himself.

Gospel: Luke 15: 1-3, 11-32 - Parable of the prodigal son.

Themes

Welcoming sinners - reconciliation through Christ - faithfulness

Free-use artworks

See lectionary art for this Sunday for suggested pictures and art-works based on today's readings.

Free-use hymns

A Mighty Fortress is Our God - Hedge, trans from Luther
Alas and Did my Savior Bleed - Watts
All Depends on our Possessing - Catherine Winkworth, trans from Anonymous (1676)
All For Jesus, All for Jesus - Mary D James (1810-1883)
All Good Gifts (We plough the fields and scatter) - We Thank Thee Then O Father
All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name
All my Hope is Firmly Grounded - Jacobi, trans from Neander
All People that on Earth do Dwell
All Who Believe and Are Baptized - George Taylor Rygh (1860-1942)
Amazing Grace

Be Thou my Vision
Before the Throne of God Above (The Advocate) - Charitie Lees Smith Bancroft (1841-1923)
Behold the Amazing Gift of Love - Isaac Watts (1674-1748)
Bread of Heaven, On Thee We Feed - Conder (1789-1855)
Brotherly Love - Wesley

Christ For the World we Sing - Wolcott
Come let us Sing of a Wonderful Love - Walmsley
Come Let us to the Lord Our God - Morrison
Come Sinners to the Gospel Feast - Wesley
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Come Unto me Ye Weary
Come Ye (You) Sinners Poor and Needy (I will arise and go to Jesus)
Communion with Christ and with Saints - Isaac Watts (1674-1748)

Deck Thyself my Soul with Gladness - Winkworth, trans from Franck
Eternal Father Strong to Save (The Navy Hymn)
Eternal Light Eternal Light - Thomas Binney (1798-1874)
Evening and Morning - Richard Massie (1800-18877), trans from Paul Gerhardt
Faithful Shepherd Feed Me - Pollock
Father of Heaven Whose Love Profound - Cooper
Father, Again in Jesus' Name We Meet - Lady Lucy Whitmore (1792-1840)
For the Beauty of the Earth

Give me Oil in my Lamp / Give me Joy in my Heart / Sing Hosanna - Unknown
God of Grace and God of Glory - Fosdick (1878-1969) - free use in the USA
God is Love His the Care
God of Mercy and Compassion
God of Our Fathers, Whose Almighty Hand - Roberts (1876)
Grace Greater Than Our Sin - Johnston
Great is Thy Faithfulness - free use in the USA
Guide me O Thou Great Redeemer / Jehovah (Bread of Heaven)
Hail Thou Once Despised Jesus - Toplady
How Can a Sinner Know - Wesley
How Firm A Foundation - Keith / Keen

I am not Worthy Holy Lord - Baker
I Cannot Tell (why he whom angels worship)
I Will Sing the Wondrous Story - Rowley (1854-1952)
I'm so Glad Jesus Lifted Me - Unknown
In Christ there is no East or West
Jesus Calls us O’er the Tumult - Alexander
Jesus Came the Heavens Adoring - Thring
Jesus my Lord my God my All
Jesus United By Thy Grace - Wesley
Just as I Am Without One Plea

King of Glory King of Peace
Living For Jesus - Chisholm (1866-1960) - free use in the USA
Lord I was Blind - William T. Matson (1833-1899)
Lord I'm Coming Home
Lord of all Hopefulness
Lord Who at thy First Eucharist Did'st Pray
Love Divine all Loves Excelling
My Song is Love Unknown
New Every Morning is the Love - Keble (1792-1866)
Now I have Found the Ground Wherein - Rothe

O Bread to Pilgrims Given - Ray Palmer (1808-1887)
O Come and Dwell in Me - Wesley
O Food to Pilgrims Given - Riley - trans from Aquinas
O Lord Your Tenderness - Kendrick
O Love Divine, What Hast Thou Done - Wesley
O Love How Deep How Broad How High - Webb, trans from á Kempis
O Love that wilt not Let Me Go - Matheson
O Spirit of the Living God - James Montgomery (1771-1854)
O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus - Francis (1834-1925)
O Zion Haste - Thomson
On This Day the First of Days - Baker
One There Is Above All Others - Newton (1725-1807)

Praise my Soul the King of Heaven
Put all Your Trust In God - Wesley
Rejoice Ye Pure in Heart - Plumbtree
Sing Praise to the Lord - Henry Williams Baker (1821-1877)
Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling
Somebody's Knocking at Your Door
Soul Adorn Yourself With Gladness - Winkworth, trans from Franck
Standing on the Promises of Christ my King - Carter

The Church's One Foundation
The Good Shepherd (The Lord my pasture shall prepare) - Joseph Addison (1672-1719)
The King of Love my Shepherd Is - George Herbert (1593-1633)
There's a Wideness in God's Mercy (Souls of men, why will ye scatter) - Faber
Thine For Ever God of Love - Maude
Through all the Changing Scenes of Life - Unknown - from Tate and Brady's New Version, 1696, 1698
To God be the Glory

We Come Unto our Fathers’ God - Thomas Hornblower Gill (1819-1906)
We Sing the Praise of Him Who Died - Kelly
What Wondrous Love
When we Walk with the Lord (Trust and Obey)

Hymns which may still be copyright

Ballad of the Prodigal Son - Winter
Change my Heart O God - Espinosa
Come Back Quickly to the Lord - Chun

Father I have Sinned - O'Reilly
Father we have Sinned - Getty
Father, We Have Sinned Against You - Geoff Twigg (b. 1951)
Forgive Our Sins As we Forgive - Herklots
Forgive us Lord (for shallow thankfulness) - Reid, snr (1890-1983)
Freely Freely - Owens

God How Can We Comprehend? - Gillette
God with Humanity made One - David Fox (1956-2008)
Hear me O Lord in my Distress (Give ear to my despairing plea) - David G. Preston (1939-2020)
Here on the Threshold of a new Beginning - Dudley Smith