Twenty-five hymns for Lent

There are many Lenten hymns, from some that are very old to others that have been written in the last few years. The hymns included below are mostly suitable for use throughout the season of Lent. They can be found either in one, or both, of the two main hymn books in use in England and Wales, ‘Laudate‘ and ‘Celebration Hymnal For Everyone‘, or in the very useful book ‘Resurrexit‘, published by Decani Music. Of course, the music is universal, so you will find most of the songs in a variety of other hymnals.

For the Gospel Acclamation, you will find a simple setting here and further suggestions here.

Title	Composer	CFE	Laudate	Resurrexit	Comments
Again we keep this solemn fast	St Gregory the Great		199
All ye who seek a comfort sure	18th Century	31	212
As earth that is dry	Conway		203
As the deer longs	Hurd	53	214		Also suitable for the Easter Vigil as one of the psalms.
Attende domine	Latin tr Wright	251	196
Be merciful O Lord	Joncas			p6	One of the common psalms for Lent
Call to worship: This is the time of fulfilment	Chepponis		179
Crucem tuam	Taize		222
Forty days and forty nights	Smyttan	185	206
From ashes to ashes (general version)	Brown			p10
From ashes to the living font	Hommerding		182
Give me a new heart O God	Walker		195
Grant to us O Lord, a heart renewed	Lucien Deiss	400	220
Hold us in your mercy	Parce Domine arr Daigle		183		Title is ‘penitential litany’ but it is probably best to be sung at a time other than the actual peniential rite.
Kyrie eleison	Haugen			p22	Assembly have refrain of Kyrie eleison while the cantor sings verses over the top. Better used as a ‘hymn’ rather than the penitential rite.
Led by the spirit	Hurd		180
Lent Communion song – Not on bread alone			191		Verses are from psalm 32/33
Like as the deer	Tamie	370	219		Also suitable for the Vigil as one of the psalms.
Lord Jesus as we turn from sin	Wright		202
Lord Jesus think on me	Synesius of Cyrene	384	204
Lord, who throughout these forty days	Hernaman	392	205
Misericordias Domini	Taize	489
Return to God	Haugen	905	193
We rise again from ashes	Conry		198
Your love is finer than life	Haugen	564	213

Find suggestions for individual Sundays here.