Looking for hymns for your Easter morning church service? Here are the best Easter hymns and songs to celebrate Resurrection Sunday!
Growing up, I knew my favorite Easter songs by heart, like Christ the Lord is Risen Today and I Know that My Redeemer Lives. Once I got older, I also enjoyed adding in more “modern” Easter worship music like In Christ Alone by the Gettys to my list of favorites.
The best Easter songs are those that draw our hearts to Jesus and not to ourselves. The amazing grace that Christ showed by His death on the cross and glorious resurrection is what brings us hope, no matter what is happening around us.
Here are 27 of the best Easter hymns and songs for celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. These songs may be familiar to you, but there may be some that you’ve never heard before.
For your consideration, I’ve included:
- Traditional Easter hymns
- Lesser-known Easter hymns
- Palm Sunday hymns
At the end of this post, I also include a few more recent Christian worship songs that you can sing this time of year. These songs are biblically sound and also very beautiful and worshipful!
Included are YouTube links to performances of some of the hymns.
You can also learn a bit more about the history of some of these hymns below each name.
To find sheet music, check out the website Hymnary.org. They have a lot of the music mentioned in this post. Otherwise, consult your grandmother’s hymnal! :)
Traditional Easter Hymns for Easter Sunday Worship
These are great Easter hymns that most people already know how to sing. But even if they don’t, the tunes are easy to pick up on and sing along.
1. I Know that My Redeemer Lives
This traditional Easter hymn was written by Samuel Medley, a sailor in the Royal Navy who had been injured and nearly needing his leg amputated. During that experience, he became a Christian after listening to a sermon and decided to become a preacher. He wrote “I Know That My Redeeemer Lives” in 1775 while he was a minister at a church in Liverpool, England.
The words of the hymn are originally taken from Job 19:25, where Job says, “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth.”
Listen to a beautiful organ rendition below and don’t forget to check Hymnary.org for the sheet music if needed.
2. Alleluia! Jesus Lives!
You can find a recording of this hymn HERE. This song is fairly easy to sing and can be found in several Lutheran hymnals if you are having trouble finding sheet music. A great, simple reminder of power of the Resurrection of Christ.
3. Jesus Christ is Risen Today
One of the most well-known Easter hymns, the inspiration for this classic hymn can be traced back to one written in Latin in the 14th century. In the early 1700s, that song was translated into English and published as “Jesus Christ is Risen Today.” Charles Wesley added a fourth verse later on.
4. Ended His Strife, the Battle Done (also called The Strife is Over, the Battle Done)
This great hymn is a declaration of the good news that Jesus’ resurrection has won the victory over sin and death.
Find the sheet music HERE.
Listen to a recording HERE.
5. Christ the Lord is Risen Today
Charles Wesley wrote this hymn, which is often sung to the same tune as Jesus Christ is Risen Today, but can also be sung with this melody. This is one of the most well-known Easter morning songs. It’s an upbeat Easter song and perfect for an opening hymn.
6. Old Rugged Cross
Though less commonly used, this is still a powerful and appropriate hymn for Easter Sunday church worship services. This song was written by George Bennard, a traveling evangelist, who was troubled by young peoples’ disregard for the gospel and wanted to write a hymn that reflected on the work of Christ on the cross. It was a song used at many evangelistic meetings throughout the years and eventually made its way into church services!
This was my great-grandmother’s favorite song and we sang it for her at her last birthday when she turned 104!
Listen to Alan Jackson sing it HERE.
7. Low in the Grave He Lay (Up from the Grave He Arose)
This would be a great song for church choirs because it is a fairly “complex” hymn. If you listen to it, you’ll see what I mean. This is a beautiful hymn for the end of your Easter service and the congregation can sing along with the choir!
8. Good Christian Friends, Rejoice and Sing!
Different than the Christmas song Good Christan Men, Rejoice, this is a very regal, beautiful song, that is great for an offering piece, especially if you have some instrumental accompaniment and an organ player. Rejoice in the eternal life we have in Christ with this hymn.
Lesser Known Easter Hymns
9. That Easter Day with Joy was Bright
This is a not-so-well-known hymn, composed back in the 1500s to Latin text from the fourth century. This hymn has a really unique sound and would be a great one to be sung as a congregational hymn with a violin and piano accompaniment.
You can find sheet music at Hymnary.org.
10. Come Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain
12. Now all the Vault of Heaven Resounds
Watch another, simpler rendition of this hymn here, performed virtually by a church choir and orchestra, each in their own homes. Very nice!
13. The Resurrection of Christ – an Easter hymn by Isaac Watts
14. Wonderous Cross
This might be a familiar song to some people using this tune, made popular by the Gaithers, but can also be sung as a traditional choral arrangement to this lesser-known tune.
15. Because You Live, O Christ
Great Palm Sunday Hymns
For sheet music, check Hymnary.org
Palm Sunday is always a fun worship service during the Easter season for our kids because they get to walk through the church waving palm branches while we sing. Here are a few song ideas for your Palm Sunday church worship services.
18. Ride On, Ride On, O Savior King
19. Ride On, Ride On, In Majesty
21. Blessed be the Name of the Lord
Christian Worship Songs for Easter Sunday
Try adding one of these worship songs to the middle of your Resurrection Sunday service. It’s nice to mix in some “modern” songs (i.e. songs written after the 1800s) to celebrate this glorious day too!
22. O Happy Day – This song is classic and would be an exceptional choice if you have a great soloist and big choir!
23. Lamb of God – We sang this song in college in our small group ensemble. Such powerful words!
24. Christ Alone by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend – This song has become so well-known, I’d almost consider it a modern hymn.
25. Ancient of Days by CityAlight
26. Because He Lives by Matt Maher – love this song!
27. He Lives from Chris Tomlin
BONUS: How Deep the Father’s Love for Us by Stuart Townend, arranged by Selah
I hope these suggestions are helpful to you as your church family proclaims the forgiveness of sins and great victory found in Christ’s Resurrection on Easter Sunday!
Pray through Scripture for the 40 Days of Lent!
