LiturgyTools.net: Hymns for Pentecost Sunday (Whitsunday), Year B

A selection of hymns and songs, based on themes from the Revised Common lectionary for Pentecost Sunday, Year B.

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 old/traditional - but where possible a variety of styles / genres are included. A small selection of hymns which are, or may be, still copyright are also included where they are a particularly good for for the theme(s).

Suggestions about other free-to-use hymns that could be included are welcome: leave a message in the Comments box near the bottom of the page.

Pentecost Sunday, Year A

Ascension, Year B
or
Seventh Sunday of Easter

Trinity Sunday, Year B

Pentecost Sunday, Year C

Readings

First: Acts 2:1-21 - The Holy Spirit comes to the apostles, they receive the gift of speaking in many languages and the on-lookers are amazed to hear the apostles speak in then.

Psalm 104 - O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.

Second: Romans 8:22-27 Creation has been groaning - we too groan waiting for the redemption of our bodies. We hope for what we do not see ... that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.

Gospel: John 15:26-27, 16:4b-15 - Jesus tells the disciples that the Spirit of truth will come to them and lead them to the complete truth.
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Themes

Witnessing to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. God's love. The coming of the Holy Spirit. God's Spirit living in us. Truth.

Free-use artwork

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

Free-use hymns

All Things Bright and Beautiful
At the Name of Jesus Every Knee Shall Bow
Blessed Jesus at Your Word

Christ From Whom All Blessings Flow - Wesley
Come Divine Interpreter - Wesley
Come Down O Love Divine
Come Holy Ghost Creator Blest / Come O Creator Spirit Blest
Come Holy Ghost God and Lord - composite, translated from Luther
Come Holy Ghost our Souls Inspire - Cosin (1594-1672), trans from Rabanus Maurus
Come Holy Ghost our Souls Inspire (And lighten with celestial fire) - Cosin
Come Holy Spirit Come (Let Thy bright beams) - Hart (1712–1768)
Come Thou Almighty King -the Italian Hymn
Come Thou Holy Spirit Come - Caswall
Come, O Come, Thou Quickening Spirit - Schaeffer (1813-1896) trans from Heinrich Held (1620 – 1659)
Covenant Prayer (Lord, I am not mine, but yours alone) - John Wesley (1703-1791)
Creator Spirit Heavenly Dove - Massie (1800-1887), trans from Luther

Eternal Father Strong to Save (The Navy Hymn)
Every Time I Feelthe Spirit - Unknown
Father of Everlasting Grace - Wesley
Father of Heaven Whose Love Profound - Cooper
For all the Saints - How

God of Grace and God of Glory - Fosdick (1878-1969) - free use in the USA only

God whose Almighty Word - Marriott
Gracious Spirit Holy Ghost - Wordsworth
Great is Thy Faithfulness - free use in the USA only

Hail Thee Festival Day - composite trans, from the English Hymnal 1906
Help us to Help Each Other Lord - Wesley
Holy Spirit Ever Dwelling - Rees( 1874-1939)
Holy Spirit Truth Divine - Longfellow
Holy Spirit Wind of Heaven - Garnaas-Holmes

I Know Whom I have Believed (I know not why God’s wondrous grace) - Whittle
I Love Thy Kingdom Lord - Dwight
I’ll Praise my Maker While I’ve Breath - Wesley / Watts
I’m Goin’a Sing When the Spirit says Sing - Unknown
Jesus Thine All-Victorious Love - Charles Wesley (1707-1788)
Kum ba ya / Kumbayah

Let it Breathe on Me - Lewis-Butts (1880-1949)

Light of the Lonely Pilgrim's Heart - Denny (1796-1889)
Longing to be Established in Love ( My God, I know, I feel Thee mine) - Charles Wesley (1707-1788)
Lord God the Holy Ghost / Spirit Blest - Montgomery (1771-1854)
Lord, Teach Us How to Pray Aright - Montgomery (1771-1854)
My Hope is Built on Nothing Less (On Christ the Solid Rock) - Mote
Now Thank we all our God

O Breath of Life Come Sweeping Through Us - Head (1850-1936)
O Breathe on Me O Breath of God
O For A Heart to Praise my God - Wesley
O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing - Wesley
O Spirit of Life - Mattes (1876-1948), translate from Niedling
O Spirit of the Living God - Montgomery
O Thou Who Camest From Above - Wesley
O Thou Who this Mysterious Bread - Charles Wesley (1707-1788)
O Worship the King (all glorious above) - Grant
Open my Eyes that I May See - Scott
Our Blest Redeemer - Auger (1773-1862)

Revive Your Church O Lord - Midlane (1825-1909)
See How Great A Flame Aspires - Wesley
Spirit Divine Attend Our Prayers - Reed
Spirit of Faith Come Down - Wesley
Spirit of God Descend Upon my Heart - Croly

The Church's One Foundation
The Leadings of the Spirit - Browne
The Spirit's Quickening Influences (Come now, everlasting Spirit,) - Charles Wesley

Hymns which are or may still be copyright

As A Fire is Meant for Burning - Duck
Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song) - Eaton / Grant

Come Holy Spirit - Maranatha - Bell / Maule
Come Holy Spirit (O how we need you) - Houghton (b 1971)
Come Holy Spirit I Need You - Gaither / Gaither
Come O Holy Spirit Come - Alstott
Come, Spirit-Friend (When our master Jesus went away) - Colvin (1925-2000)
Crashing Waters At Creation - Cross
Creation Sings (Creation sings the Father’s song) - Townend
Creation Sings Each Plant and Tree - Leckebusch (b 1962)

Enemy of Apathy - Bell / Maule
Eternal Light Shine in My Heart - Idle (b 1938), from Alcuin

Filled with the Spirit's Power
God of the Tempest God of the Whirlwind - Stuempfle (1923-2007)
God Whose Love is Always Stronger - Gillette
Gracious Creator of Sea and of Land - Thornburg (b. 1954)
Great God, your Spirit, Like the Wind - Gaunt (1935–2023)

Holy Breath of God - Markin
Holy Holy - Owens
Holy Spirit Come Confirm Us - Brian Foley (1919-2000)
Holy Spirit Come to Us - Berthier (1923-1994)
Holy Spirit Fall On Me - Kevin Joncas (unknown)
Holy Spirit Gift Bestower - Williams
Holy Spirit Rain Down On - Fragar (TBA)
Holy Spirit, Come with Power (Ven, Espíritu, cual viento) - Rupp (1932-2020)

In the Beginning Was Darkness and Nothing - Beeching (b. 1979)
It Was A New Beginning on the Day the Spirit Came - Dobson (1940 - )
Jesus Stand Among Us - Kendrick

Let Every Christian Pray - Pratt Green (1903–2000)
Let It Rise - Davis (b 1971)
Like the Murmur of the Dove's Song - Daw
Lord Of the Church We Pray For Our Renewing - Dudley-Smith
Loving Spirit, Loving Spirit - Murray (1931 -2020)

Many Gifts One Spirit - Carmines (1936-2005)
More Love More Power - Del Hierro

O Holy Spirit Root of Life - Janzen (b 1933)
O the Glory of Your Presence - Fry (b, 1954)
Of All the Spirit's Gifts to Me - Pratt Green (1903–2000)
Open Our Eyes - Cull

Praise for the Spirit of God (Christians lift your hearts) - Bowers (1923-2019)
Praise the Spirit in Creation - Hewlett (1916-2000)
Rain Down - Cortez (b. 1963)

Set Loose the Tongues the Tongues of Flame - McCoan ()
She Comes Sailing on the Wind - Light (1944- )
Shine Jesus Shine (Lord the Light of your Love is Shining)
Silent Surrendered Calm and Still - Rizza (b. 1929
Spirit now Live in Me - Leech (1931-2015)
Spirit of God(source) - Arnold
Spirit of God in the Clear Running Water
Spirit of God Unleashed On Earth - Arthur (1922-1980)
Spirit of God Unseen As the Wind - Old
Spirit of God Within Me - Dudley-Smith (b 1926)
Spirit of Holiness - Idle (b 1938)
Spirit of the Living God fall afresh on me - Iverson - Inverson
Spirit of the Lord Come Down - White
Spirit Song (O Let ths Son of God Enfold You)
Spirit Who Broods - Murray (1931-2020)
Spirit, Spirit of Gentleness
Spirit-Friend (God sends us the Spirit to befriend and help us) - Colvin (1925-2000)
Surely the Presence of the Lord Is In This Place - Wolfe
Sweet Sweet Spirit - Akers

The Lord is Present in His Sanctuary - Cole
The Spirit Came As Promised - Seddon (1915-1983)
The Spirit Sends us Forth to Serve - Dufner
There's A Spirit in the Air - Wren

We Have A Gospel to Proclaim - Burns
When God the Spirit Came - Dudley-Smith (b. 1926)
Where the Spirit of the Lord Is - Adams (b 1943)
Wind Who Makes all Winds That Blow - Troeger (1945-2022)