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7 Great Hymns For A Wedding Ceremony

April 04, 2016

7 Great Hymns For A Wedding Ceremony

Here are seven great hymns or Christian songs that would be great for a wedding.

O Perfect Love

The hymn or song “O Perfect Love” written by Dor­o­thy F. Gur­ney have lyrics that are perfectly suited for a wedding ceremony, as they sing, “O per-fect Love, all human thought transcending, Lowly we kneel in prayer before Thy throne, That theirs may be the love which knows no ending, Whom Thou forevermore dost join in one” which fits perfectly with the biblical theology that comes straight from Genesis 2:23; which says “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.  Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Gen 2:24). 

Heart to Heart

The song “Heart to Heart” was written by Emmylou Harris and Paul Kennerley and sang by Emmylou Harris where she sings about the deep, heart to heart connection a man and a woman have when they marry.  She sings “Heart to heart, we'll hold together. Hand in hand, we'll find a way. Oh, the storms of life may blind us. But with the loving vows that bind us.”  This song reminds the couple that it won’t always be smooth sailing in life as a couple because of what life brings their way but “The years cannot take. What's between you and me. We'll stand here together. For the whole world to see.”

God be with Them

The Christian hymn, “God Be With Them” seems appropriate for a wedding since it references God and the joining together of husband and wife.  Written by Archbishop W.D. Maglagam, it says “God be with them! While the stand. Heart in heart as hand in hand. Breathing first to heaven above, Holy vows of faith and love” and finally, “Looking then for deathless love, In the better home above” which points the couple to their ultimate destination; the kingdom of God.

Love Divine, All Love Excelling

The wedding song, “Love Divine, All Love Excelling,” by Charles Wesley,  one of the greatest Christian hymn writers of all time, includes such lovely lines as “Love divine, all loves excelling, Joy of heaven to earth come down; Fix in us thy humble dwelling; All thy faithful mercies crown! “  This song celebrates the joining together of two to become one but still focuses on their desire to “Visit us with Thy salvation; Enter every trembling heart.” This powerful song is found almost universally in general collections of the past century, including not only Methodist and Anglican hymn books and has been used at thousands of weddings.

As Man and Woman We Were Made

The only English hymn that is frequently used for weddings in Great Britain, “As Man and Woman We Were Made” have lyrics that are perfect for a wedding ceremony as the author, Brian A. Wren, writes  “As man and woman we were made that love be found and life begun: the likeness of the living God, unique, yet called to live as one” but still keeps our focus on Jesus as he writes, “Now Jesus lived and gave his love to make our life and loving new so celebrate with him today.” This song was written in 1973 has been used very frequently since at many wedding ceremonies around the world in English speaking nations.

Come to a Wedding

The wedding song, “Come to a Wedding,” written by Shirley Erena Murray is a touching song that focuses on “Love is the gift, And love is the giver, Love is the gold that, Makes the day shine” and shines the light on the love that “holds us together, Parent and child, and lover and friend; Thanks to the God, Whose love is our centre, Source of compassion, knowing no end” so it glorifies God, focuses on His love, and is relevant for any Christian wedding.

We Pledge to One Another

The wedding song, “We Pledge to One Another,” written by Jill Jenkins, is both beautiful and biblical with lyrics that say “We pledge to one another, before the Lord above, entire and whole and perfect, this union of our love” as the song turns to a prayer, singing “pray that God will guide us through all the years to be, our lives be shaped by courage, hope and serenity.”  Can you think of any better song for a wedding or for a prayer as a couple weds and the two become one? 

Conclusion

Jesus said “a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?  So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matt 19:5-6) and the author of Hebrews adds, “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous” (Heb 13:4).  The wedding of a man and a woman in a holy matrimonial ceremony and union is symbolic of the union that Jesus has with the church and someday, perhaps soon (who knows?), we will sing “Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready” (Rev 19:7) and “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God” (Rev 19:9). 

Article by Pastor Jack Wellman

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