Hymns about the baptism of Jesus

This is a selection of hymns and songs about Jesus' baptism in the River Jordan, by John the Baptist.  It doesn't include hymns about topics which could be implied from this, only ones that are specifically about it in at least one verse.

The list is grouped into:
  • Free-use: copyright has expired, or the author has allowed them to be freely used)
  • Still copyright  so can only be used if you are covered by a copyright license.

Both children's and adults hymns / songs are included in each list - because except for the youngest of children, it is is hard to make a distinction between them.

About the baptism of Jesus

Jesus' baptism is described three places in scripture:
  • Matthew 3: 13-17
  • Mark 1:4-11 
  • Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 
The events in each one are similar:   John is baptising and teaching that someone greater than him is coming.  After he baptises Jesus, the Spirit descends like a dove, and God proclaims "You are my Son, the Beloved, my favour rests on you".

The Gospel of John does not include the baptism of Jesus.  But it notes that the place where the baptism happened, Bethany Beyond the Jordan, is where Jesus started his public ministry started.

Image source - CC0


Songs and hymns which may be freely used



Hymns and songs which may still be copyright

  • Baptism (video - of children)
  • Baptism of Jesus (source - for children, set to "What a friend we have in Jesus) - Patsy Stevens 
  • Baptism of Jesus · The Fairfield Four  / James Hill (video)
  • Christ When for us You were Baptized - Bland Tucker (1895-1984)
  • Crashing Waters At Creation - Cross
  • Down by the Jordan - Gillette (source)
  • Down Galilee's Slow Roadways - Sylvia Dunstan (1955-1993)
  • Jesus to Jordan's Waters Came - Michael Joncas
  • Justice and Mercy | The Baptism of Jesus | A Song of Compassion and Grace (video)
  • Lord When You Came to Jordan  - Brian Wren
  • Mark how the Lamb of God's Self-Offering - Carl P Daw (b. 1944)
  • O Radiant Christ Incarnate Word - Ruth Duck
  • O Seas and Rivers, Bless the Lord  (source) - Kathleen Pluth
  • Out of the Flowing River - Leith Fisher (d. 2009)
  • The Baptism of Jesus - Peg Angell (video)
  • The Sinless one to Jordan Came - Timms
  • To Jordan Came the Christ Our Lord - Elizabeth Quitmeyer(1911-1988), trans from Martin Luther
  • To Jordan Jesus Humbly Came - Alan Hommerding (b. 1956)
  • To Jordan's River Came Our Lord - James P. Tiefel (b. 1949)
  • Water, River, Spirit, Grace,  Thomas H. Troeger (1945-2022)
  • When Jesus Christ was Baptised  (video - author unknown) 
  • When Jesus Came to Jordan - Fred Pratt Green (1903–2000) - video
  • When Jesus Comes to be Baptized - the Benedictines of Stanbrook Abbey (1971/74)
  • When John Baptized by Jordan's River - Timothy Dudley-Smith (1926-2024)


See also ...



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