Eight-Bell Hymns (General)
We’ve arranged at least 100 hymns for eight bells. Many of them have both “standard” and “Surprisingly Easy”™ versions as well. That means you can almost certainly find something that will work for you (if you don’t find something but have a suggestion, you’re welcome to tell us via our contact page).
Our list of hymn arrangements has lots of information about the hymn arrangements here:
- Hymn title. This, most often, is one of the titles matched with the actual hymn tune that’s been arranged; hopefully, we’ve used the one that’s familiar to you. If we’ve found that the hymn texts are not in the public domain but the hymn tune is, then we’ve published the arrangement by its hymn tune.
- Hymn tune. This is the (traditional) name assigned to the hymn tune. It’s at least as helpful as the title attached to the hymn text, because there are many, many cases of multiple texts being matched with the same hymn tune, and multiple hymn tunes being matched with the same text. The Welsh melody HYFRYDOL, for example, probably has been paired with dozens of texts. If you aren’t yet friends with the indices in your hymnal, now is the time to make your acquaintance – then you can see whether we’ve arranged a particular hymn tune (rather than “just” the title)!
- Standard version availability. There’s an “x” in the third column of the list if we’ve published a “standard” arrangement of the hymn.
- “Surprisingly Easy”™ version availability. There’s an “x” in the fourth column of the list if we’ve published a “Surprisingly Easy”™ arrangement of the hymn.
- Accompaniment available. If our eight-bell hymn arrangement comes with accomampaniment, there’s an “x” in the fifth column.
Almost all of our eight-bell hymn arrangements are published in “dual-range”™ form. This means that there are at least two transpositions. The first is the G5-based one that we play in the demo videos. The F5-based version provides for quartets that prefer to play with “space left, line right” assignments (such as FG5, AB5, CD6, EF6). The exceptions to this are pieces where there didn’t seem to be a benefit from the second transposition, and for accompanied eight-bell pieces (so the accompanist doesn’t have to learn a different accompaniment).
Here’s a quick list of our eight-handbell scores of hymns (with estimated difficulty levels). Each title is a link to the corresponding webpage. TITLE HYMN TUNE Standard “Surprisingly Easy”™ Accompaniment available In Collection ABC | DEF | GHI | JKLM | NOP | QRS | TUV | WXYZ A Mighty Fortress is …
Martin Luther wrote A Mighty Fortress is Our God in the sixteenth century. It’s been a faith-anchoring hymn for many Christians, reminding them that the bedrock of faith is the transcendent God of the universe. The words are remarkably powerful both in German and in English. A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never …
Abide wth Me is a hymn of comfort and consolation; it frequently is selected for memorial services and funerals. More personally, believers remember it when they feel like the whole world is against them, and remember that God is always ready to draw them close. Abide with me: fast falls the eventide; The darkness deepens; …
The Latin plainchant Adoro Te Devote dates back to the 13th century. It is one of the five Eucharistic hymns composed and set to music for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, instituted in 1264 by Pope Urban IV. This solemn feast occurs on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday (the first Sunday after Pentecost). Adoro te …
Johann Crüger wrote the music for Ah, Holy Jesus, a Good Friday hymn that remembers the sacrifice Jesus offered for our salvation. The singer raises the question of whether Jesus had done anything to deserve crucifixion, and comes to the necessary conclusion that it was their own sin that led to the Savior’s willing sacrifice …
Hugh Wilson arranged a tune of anonymous origin, MARTYRDOM, as a setting for Isaac Watts’ words Alas, and did my Savior bleed, and then added a refrain. It’s a hymn that is important to many Christians at Easter. Alas! and did my Savior bleed / And did my Sovereign die? Would He devote that sacred …
All Creatures of Our God and King reflects on the various aspects of the life that surrounds us. Each verse comes to same conclusion: Regardless of where we are or what happens, we are called to praise God for His greatness and goodness. All creatures of our God and King, lift up your voice and …
All Glory, Laud, and Honor is one of the great Palm Sunday hymns. St. Theodulph wrote the text in the seventh century, and Melchior Teschner composed the tune we know about a millennium later. All glory, laud, and honor to You, Redeemer, King, To whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring. You are …
We often sing All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name at Easter, because it proclaims the greatness of our Lord and the salvation he has won for us. The lyric has been set to a number of hymn tunes; this arrangement for eight handbells uses the CORONATION melody. All hail the power of Jesus’ name! …
Fanny Crosby wrote some of America’s most beloved hymns in the nineteenth century. All the Way My Savor Leads Me is one of her songs of faith and devotion to God. “Standard” and “Surprisingly Easy”™ versions for eight handbells are available. All the way my Savior leads me / What have I to ask beside? …
Cecil Frances Alexander wrote All Things Bright and Beautiful in 1849. The joyous text and its happy melody are perfectly matched! Our arrangement for eight handbells comes with piano accompaniment. All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all. Each little flow’r that …
Written in 1849 by Cecil Frances Alexander, this joyous text and its happy melody are perfectly matched. All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all. Each little flow’r that opens, each little bird that sings, He made their glowing colors, He made …
Amazing Grace is one of the best-known hymns of all time. John Newton wrote it in the eighteenth century, and from then till today it still brings forth the message of soul saved and life changed. “Standard” and “Surprisingly Easy”™ eight-handbell versions are available. Amazing grace! How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like …
I think of America the Beautiful as a “wannabe national anthem”, because it says so much about what matters in the country where I live. The videos below show the portability of this eight-bell arrangement! O beautiful for spacious skies / For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties / Above the fruited plain! …
William Chatterton Dix composed the hymn tune that goes by his surname, DIX. We sing it to the Christmas carol As with Gladness Men of Old, and also is used for the hymn our eight-handbell arrangement of the hymn For the Beauty of the Earth. Purchasing this 8-bell arrangement gives you permission to print and …
Isaac Watts wrote At the Cross about three centuries ago, and it still is a relevant statement of the Christian faith. This hymn is a reflection on Cbrist’s sacrifice for us. Both “standard” and “Surprisingly Easy”™ arrangements for eight handbells are available. Alas, and did my Savior bleed And did my Sovereign die? Would He …
The plainchant Draw Near, O Lord has a double origin, with its Latin text from the 10th century and its melody from the 19th century. It is often referred to as the “Lent[en] Prose”. Here is the Latin text and a translation as presented at the Thesaurum Precum Latinarum. Hearken, O Lord, and have mercy, …
Be Thou My Vision, usually sung to the hymn tune SLANE, is a heartfelt and eloquent prayer by a believer who wants to follow the path God offers. Our accompanied eight-handbell version has an optional CDEbF5 part if you want to expand it to twelve bells. Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart …
The Sacred Harp from the nineteenth century has been a popular source of music for American hymnody. We have “standard” and “Surprisingly Easy”™ eight-bell arrangements of BEACH SPRING, which paired with these other hymn texts: Come, All Christians, Be Committed As a Fire is Meant for Burning God of Day and God of Darkness Come …
Beautiful Savior / Fairest Lord Jesus, sung to ST. ELIZABETH, goes back more than a few years, dating to the Crusades. While we’re not into the militaristic part of that bit of history now, Jesus Christ is still just as wonderful and lovely as ever. We have “standard” and “Surprisingly Easy”™ eight-bell scores for this …
Blessed Assurance is one of Fanny Crosby’s all-time classic hymns. It speaks of faith, dependence, and triumph through having an absolute reliance on God and His power. Our arrangement is for eight handbells and piano (with optional flute part), and will be a welcome addition to your ensemble’s repertoire. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O …
You or your children have probably sung (the translation of) Children of the Heavenly Father. We have “standard” and “Surprisingly Easy”™ score versions available. Children of the heavenly Father Safely in His bosom gather; Nestling bird nor star in heaven Such a refuge e’er was given. Neither life nor death shall ever From the Lord …
Many Easter Sunday services include Christ the Lord is Risen Today in the order of worship; the congregatants wouldn’t have it any other way! Eight handbells Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia! Earth and heaven in chorus say, Alleluia! Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia! Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia! Love’s …
Charles Wesley was a prolific eighteenth-century hymnwriter, producing over 6,000 hymns over most of a century. Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies speaks of the brightness and glory in a life with the Savior, and reminds us of the darkness and despair of existence without Him.Eight handbells Christ, whose glory fills the skies, Christ, the …
Come Down, O Love Divine is one of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ compositions. The lyric speaks of the believer’s need to rely on the Holy Spirit for guidance and strength through all of life.Eight handbells Come down, O Love divine; seek out this soul of mine, and visit it with Your own ardor glowing. O Comforter, …
We gather each week to celebrate the greatness of the God who has saved us. Here’s our eight-bell arrangement of this Come, All You People, Praise Our God, set to the tune ODAWA.eight handbells Come, all you people, praise our God and tell his glorious works abroad, who holds our souls in life; who never …
Come, Christians, Join to Sing reminds us of our responsibilities before God to sing – well, ring – before Him! We think this eight-handbell arrangement will also make you dance! Come, Christians, join to sing / Alleluia! Amen! Loud praise to Christ our King / Alleluia! Amen! Let all, with heart and voice / Before …
Come, Thou Almighty King is a grand hymn about our need for the Lord to have our loyalty. The tune ITALIAN HYMN was written in 1769 by Felice de Giardini, who had a thoroughgoing musical career as a violinist and composer.eight handbells Come, thou almighty King / help us thy name to sing / help …
John Wyeth or Asahel Nettleton wrote the lovely hymn tune NETTLETON back in 1813, and the message of the text Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing that are set to it continues to comfort and inspire Christians today.eight handbells Come, thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace; Streams of mercy, …
Come, Ye Thankful People, Come is most often sung in the United States at Thanksgiving. It’s a harvest-is-over song that uses bringing the crop from the fields as an illustration of God bringing His saints home after they’ve completed their earthly responsibilities.eight handbells This is our arrangement of this hymn for eight handbells and piano. …
Count Your Blessings which reminds us of all the wonderful things God does for us. Here’s our arrangement for eight handbells and piano! It’s a relatively easy piece (for the bells, definitely, and not too difficult for the pianist) that’s fun to play. When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed, when you are discouraged, …
Jesus Christ is so incredibly far above everything else in this universe that He deserves all of our love and worship. The hymn Crown Him with Many Crowns gives a small idea of what this means, but His greatness still exceeds any description we can muster. It’s fitting that the eight-handbell score is set to …
Dona Nobis Pacem is an ancient three-part canon whose title translates “Lord, give us peace”. This arrangement is provided as a “dual-range”™ PDF. In addition, we’ve also provided transpositions in Bb, C, D, F, and G to give you more options. Hymn Tune: DONA NOBIS PACEM Download This Freebie! Downloading this free arrangement gives you …
The Doxology (“Praise God from whom”) is sung in churches around the world, often as a congregational response to the presentation of tithes and offerings. We have two versions in our score package based on the hymn tune OLD HUNDREDTH so that you can use the one which is more familiar to your church family.eight …
David N. Johnson wrote Earth and All Stars in 1968. Despite the short span of time since then, this hymn has become a favorite to some with its ability to fit into the most grandiose and awe-inspiring of worship. It’s our pleasure to make the eight-bell version of this hymn available! Earth and all stars, …
The hymn tune ENGELBERG has been used with several texts: eight handbells All Praise to Thee, for Thou, O King Divine When in Our Music God is Glorified We Know that Christ is Raised No matter which one you’re singing, it’s an inspiring melody! Hymn tune: ENGELBERG Find metrically-matched hymn texts “Surprisingly Easy”™ Version: ”Dual-Range”™ …
The Christian faith is all about continuity. God has made the Church so that it grows and lives by believers telling other people about His infinite grace and the salvation they can have. Many of us can trace a bit of our “spiritual lineage” through those who made it possible for us to come to …
Ralph Vaughan Williams wrote the music for this hymn in 1906. Strangely (or not!), the hymn tune is SINE NOMINE, which is Latin for “without name”. Whether or not it actually has a name, therefore, is for the philosophers to sort out… but the hymn is probably most often used on All Saints’ Day when …
The hymn tune DIX is usually sung with the texts For the Beauty of the Earth and As with Gladness Men of Old (the latter most often at Christmas). eight handbells For the beauty of the earth, For the glory of the skies, For the love which from our birth Over and around us lies. …
Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken is a grandiose hymn that also serves as the national anthem of Germany. Haydn composed the melody (possibly with a Croatian song as source material), and today it still inspires Christians around the world. eight handbells Glorious things of thee are spoken, Zion, city of our God. God, whose …
Richard Redhead was a vocalist and an organist in Sussex in the nineteenth century. He also spent a career building the next generation of church musicians. In the nineteenth century, he published a book of hymns, and the tune name of this eight-bell arrangement of Go to Dark Gethsemane includes his surname. Go to dark …
From the hymn Great is Thy Faithfulness, it’s marvelous and wonderful to know that God is absolutely faithful. He’s faithful to His character, and to His promises, and to His children – and that means we can count on Him no matter what happens. eight handbells “Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father, There …
Fanny Crosby wrote Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah, which is sung as a prayer to God for leading and strength. eight handbells Guide me, O my great Redeemer / pilgrim through this barren land; I am weak, but Thou art mighty / hold me with Your powerful hand. Bread of heaven, bread of heaven …
Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise is a hymn of rejoicing over the resurrection of Christ and how our eternity relies on Him. The tune was composed by Robert Williams, a Welshman who demonstrated remarkable musical abilities despite being blind. It’s said that he could write out a tune after just one hearing! eight …
“Anointing”, as you may know, is an action that blesses or consecrates someone (or even something) to a special purpose. Jesus Christ, the Lord’s Anointed, is so in every possible way – another hymn declares Him to be “Prophet, and Priest, and King”. No one else has ever been worthy of holding all three of …
He Keeps Me Singing is a lively nineteenth-century hymn that expresses the overwhelming joy that can fill our lives when Jesus is in our spiritual vision. We have both “standard” and “Surprisingly Easy”™ versions for eight handbells! There’s within my heart a melody; Jesus whispers sweet and low, “Fear not, I am with you, peace, …
The hymn He Leadeth Me tells us that making progress in the Christian life isn’t about hacking our own path through the jungle; it’s about following the path God lays our for us.eight handbells He leadeth me: O blessed thought! / O words with heavenly comfort fraught! Whate’er I do, where’er I be, / still …
When the prophet Isaiah heard God saying, “Whom shall I send?”, he responded “Here I am, Lord – send me!”. Dan Schutte wrote this popular song about dedication to God in 1981. I, the Lord of sea and sky / I have heard my people cry All who dwell in dark and sin / My …
Franz Schubert wrote lots of music in his short lifespan of just thirty-one years. Holy is the Lord actually is liturgical in nature, but fits well in the classical category with so many of Schubert’s other works.eight handbells Holy, holy, holy, Holy is the Lord. Holy, holy, holy, Holy is the Lord. Holy is the …
The Southern Harmony hymn tune HOLY MANNA, often pairs with the texts Brethren, We Have Met to Worship and God, Who Set the Star-Spangled Heavens. Our arrangement uses eight handbells in the range C5-C7. We think of a sparkling stream where all of our cares are washed away by God’s love and care, and want …
Hosanna to the Living Lord is a nineteenth-century hymn that’s often sung on Palm Sunday. Interestingly, the text also covers Advent and the coming Kingdom as well, pointing out that the meaning of “hosanna” – “Lord, save us!” – is for us to contemplate and appreciate all year round. eight handbells Hosanna to the coming …
Our faith stands because of the Jesus Christ, our Foundation. Nothing can undermine or shake that bedrock on which our eternity relies! We have two “standard” eight-bell arrangements of How Firm a Foundation. Version 1 has plenty of exciting sixteenth-note trimmings, while version 2 works well when you have a bit less preparation time. You …
The popular Welsh tune Hyfrydol was composed by Rowland Prichard and has been matched to many hymn texts. It’s almost certain that you’ll find it as the melody in more than one place in your hymnal! eight handbells Hymn Tune: HYFRYDOL Find metrically-matched hymn texts “Surprisingly Easy”™ Version: ”Dual-Range”™ Score Package (PDF): $ US G5-based …
I Greet Thee, Who My Sure Redeemer Art is a thoughtful, meditative hymn about the power and grace of the Lord who holds us in His hands from everlasting to everlasting. eight handbells I greet Thee, who my sure Redeemer art, My only Trust and Savior of my heart, Who pain didst undergo for my …
I Need Thee Every Hour is a look at one of the key parts of the Christian life: dependence on God. Each verse starts with “I need Thee”, and looks at a different aspect of that need. The bottom line, of course, is that no matter what life throws at us, we always need Him.eight …
The Bible says that it is the Person and power of the Lord Jesus Christ that holds the universe from falling apart. That’s true not only in physics, but also in our own lives as well. This eight-bell arrangement of I Sing the Mighty Power of God has some delightful counterpoint that will challenge and …
I Stand Amazed was one of my favorite congregational hymns when I was a teenager. The trend today is to sing this beloved hymn in a quiet, meditative style – but in past decades, it was more of a marching song for the Church – and this eight-bell arrangement is written with that in mind! …
Judson Van DeVenter, the writer of I Surrender All, shared a heartfelt message that Christians have expressed time and time again for centuries. William S. Weeden write the hymn tune, SURRENDER, that many of us know well.eight handbells All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give; I will ever love and trust …
Gustav Holst fitted his THAXTED melody to Cecil Spring-Rice’s patriotic/worship poem. This profound hymn is most often sung in England as I Vow to Thee, My Country. The melody, also, is combined with the hymn O God, Above All Praising.eight handbells I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above, entire and whole and …
I Want Jesus to Walk with Me is an eighteenth century Negro spiritual. It expresses our need for the Lord as we navigate the difficult times in life. The description of a “pilgrim journey” is remarkably apt, since a pilgrim’s path usually is uncharted terrain.eight handbells I want Jesus to walk with me; I want …
Hymns have long been a means of trying to understand the unfathomable nature and Person of God. Immortal, Invisible God Only Wise, to the tune ST. DENIO, speaks of how God is beyond our comprehension who reaches to us from His throne.eight handbells Immortal, invisible, God only wise, In light inaccessible hid from our eyes, …
In Babilone is a traditional eighteenth-century Dutch hymn. It’s paired with various texts, one of which is There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy.eight handbells There’s a wideness in God’s mercy, like the wideness of the sea. There’s a kindness in God’s justice, which is more than liberty. There is welcome for the sinner, and more …
In the Garden is an early twentieth-century Gospel song by C. Austin Miles. It’s about those solitary times when we find the Savior waiting for us in a peaceful place, and spend time rejoicing in His presence. This is one of the most popular hymns of all time!eight handbells I come to the garden alone …
The peaceful hymn In the Sweet By and By has been a comfort to Christians for over 150 years. It speaks of the eternal destination of believers, and how they will all reunite in a place beyond all the difficulties they experienced in this life. eight handbells piano There’s a land that is fairer than …
The story behind It is Well with My Soul by Horatio Spafford and Philip Bliss – look it up – testifies of the incredible peace God gives through our faith in Him, and how He continues to give that comfort to believers today. It’s amazing how one man’s experience and faith can touch the hearts …
Jacob, the father of the Israelites, had a vision of angels ascending and descending a ladder reaching to heaven (Genesis 28). This vision is remembered in the hymn Jacob’s Ladder, where the believer celebrates the spiritual life as an ever-upward journey toward God.eight handbells We are climbing Jacob’s ladder, We are climbing Jacob’s ladder, We …
Jesus es Me Rey Soberano (translated: “Jesus is my sovereign King”) is a Mexican hymn by Vicente Mendoza. It conveys the sense of amazement that Jesus Christ wants to be our King, and that He draws us into His heavenly family.eight handbells Jesús es mi Rey soberano, Mi gozo es cantar su loor; Es Rey, …
Jesus Loves Me quite possibly is the best known of all the hymns that children sing in church. It has a simple tune and lyrics made of words that even the youngest can understand, yet in its entirety presents a phenomenally deep message: “Jesus loves me” (and you, and everyone else as well).eight handbells Jesus …
The message of Jesus Paid It All goes far beyond the title. True enough, He gave Himself to pay the penalty of our sins, but the hymn text also intimates that we have an infinite debt to Him that goes along with receiving the free gift that He offers. Of course… it’s impossible to repay …
Jesus is Lord, Son of God, King, Prince of Peace, Lamb of God, and many other titles given in the Bible. Those names ascribe him the infinite worth He possesses, and Jesus Shall Reign provides us a means to express them!eight handbells Jesus shall reign where’er the sun does its successive journeys run, his kingdom …
The heritage of American hynmnody includes many Negro spirituals. Many of these originated with the slaves in the Deep South. Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley, like others, was a source of comfort to them as so many of them lived miserable existences which would have been utterly despair-permeated… but for the promise of a wonderful …
Beethoven wrote nine symphonies. He was an amazing composer, creating wonderful music during his later years even though he had gone deaf. One of his best known symphonic melodies in the choral world is the “Ode to Joy” from his final symphony, the tune for the hymn Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee.eight handbells Joyful, joyful, …
Charlotte Williams wrote Just as I Am in 1840. It’s been used for altar calls with tremendous frequency, but it also is a poignant solitary meditation of faith.eight handbells Just as I am, without one plea, But that Thy blood was shed for me, And that Thou bidd’st me come to thee, O Lamb of …
The English tune KINGSFOLD has been matched with many hymn texts. Its solemn/meditative feel lends itself well to thoughts of great depth. One such text is O Sing A Song of Bethlehem; the metrical index search link below provides a way to identify other lyrics matched with the tune.eight handbells O sing a song of …
The Welsh tune ASH GROVE is most frequently associated with the text Let All Things Now Living. It can be used as service music throughout the year, but for some has a favorite place on World Communion Sunday and at Thanksgiving.
Lift High the Cross undoubtedly is most frequently sung in churches at Easter (and maybe on through Pentecost), but the message of salvation through Christ rings true the whole year round. This eight-handbell arrangement will be a welcome addition to your repertoire. Refrain: Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim till all the …
LLANGLOFFAN is a thoughtful Welsh tune that fits many hymn texts, such as:eight handbells All Glory, Laud and Honor I Need Thee, Precious Jesus O Jesus, I Have Promised O Sacred Head, Now Wounded Hymn Tune: LLANGLOFFAN Find metrically-matched hymn texts Standard Version: ”Dual-Range”™ Score Package (PDF): $ US G5-based practice MP3: $ US F5-based …
Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending announces the coming of the Savior in glory.eight handbells Lo, he comes, with clouds descending, once for our salvation slain; thousand thousand saints attending swell the triumph of his train: Alleluia! Alleluia! Christ the Lord returns to reign. Now redemption, long expected, comes in solemn splendor near; all the …
Lucerna Laudoniae translates “light of the Lothians”, which refers to a Franciscan monastery at Haddington, East Lothian (destroyed in 1355) or to the church that replaced it in the fifteenth century.Choraegus arrangement of “” (hymn tune ) for eight handbells. Church Calendar: Harvest/Thanksgiving Hymn Tune: LUCERNA LAUDONIAE Find metrically-matched hymn texts Standard Version: ”Dual-Range”™ …
This triumphant Tanzanian hymn Mfurahini Haleluya might be in your hymnal with the title Christ is Arisen, Alleluia!.eight handbells Swahili: Mfurahini, haleluya, mkombozi amefufuka. Amefufuka, haleluya, msifuni sasa yu hai. Tumwimbie sote kwa furaha. yesu ametoka kaburini. Kashinda kifo, haleluya; haleluya, Yesu yu hai. English: Christ has arisen, alleluia. Rejoice and praise Him, alleluia. For …
The traditional Gaelic tune BUNESSAN is better known to most of us as the music to the popular hymn Morning Has Broken (popularized by Cat Stevens in the 1970s).eight handbells Morning has broken like the first morning, Blackbird has spoken like the first bird. Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning! Praise for them, …
One hymn text paired with the tune MORNING SONG is The King shall come when morning dawns.eight handbells The King shall come when morning dawns and light triumphant breaks, when beauty gilds the eastern hills, and life to joy awakes. Not as of old a little child to bear, and fight, and die, but crowned …
My Faith Looks Up to Thee by Lowell Mason is a thoughtful contemplation on the nature of trust in God and confidence in His promises. Looking upward is a huge part of faith; it’s a physical representation of God being above us, and around us, and higher than we are. Our need for now and …
My Jesus, I Love Thee presents the truth of salvation simply: Christ’s giving Himself on the cross for our sins offers us everlasting life, but also demands our complete devotion when we accept that marvelous gift. The hymn also states that truth elegantly; the easy-to-understand words allow the deep truth of God’s love to come …
The tune for My Song is Love Unknown, RHOSYMEDRE, is named for the village where John D. Edwards, the composer, served as vicar for the last twelve years of his life.eight handbells My song is love unknown, my Savior’s love to me; love to the loveless shown, that they might lovely be. O who am …
Nearer, My God, to Thee is a meditation on what the end of life means to the Christian. For that reason, it’s been used frequently in memorial services and funerals. eight handbells Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee! E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me, still all my song shall be, …
Negro spirituals are a vibrant and poignant expression of faith from over a century ago. This one speaks of complete reliance on a Savior who cares and comforts even in the most difficult of circumstances.eight handbells Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen / Nobody knows but Jesus Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen / Glory, …
In the U.S., Now Thank We All Our God is one of the hymns that makes an annual appearance in November (because of the national Thanksgiving holiday, of course)… but it really can (should?) be played all year round!eight handbells “Now thank we all our God with heart and hands and voices, Who wondrous things …
This arrangement is dual-purpose – it can be played for Christmas or Easter! So… if you already have our eight-bell version of “Sing We Now of Christmas”, you don’t need to buy it again! eight handbells Now the green blade rises from the buried grain, Wheat that in the dark earth many years has lain; …
O Give the Lord Wholehearted Praise first appeared in W. Gardiner’s Sacred Melodies in 1815. eight handbells O give the LORD wholehearted praise. / To him thanksgiving I will bring; with all his people I will raise / my voice and of his glory sing. His saints delight to search and trace / his mighty …
Gustav Holst fitted his THAXTED melody to Cecil Spring-Rice’s patriotic/worship poem. This profound hymn is most often sung in England. The melody, also, is combined with the hymn O God, Above All Praising. eight handbells I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above, entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love: …
O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go is a lovely hymn that reminds us of the infinitely deep peace and protection that God offers those who trust Him.eight handbells O love that wilt not let me go, I rest my weary soul in Thee; I give Thee back the life I owe, That in …
Few hymns have had a more enduring effect on the Church than the Crucifixion remembrance, O Sacred Head, Now Wounded. eight handbells O sacred head, now wounded with grief and shame weighed down, Now scornfully surrounded with thorns, your only crown. O sacred head, what glory and blessing you have known! Yet, though despised and …
O Wondrous Sight! O Vision Fair! is a song of great hope, and joy, and celebration. It’s about the Church’s anticipation of the day when she will finally be with her Lord! eight handbells O wondrous sight, O vision fair of glory that the church shall share, Which Christ upon the mountain shows, where brighter …
There are a number of times a text is fitted to more than one hymn tune. This eight-bell arrangement is the alternate tune for LYONS. O worship the King all-glorious above, O gratefully sing His power and his love: Our shield and defender, the Ancient of Days, Pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise. O …
The text O Worship the King has been matched with a number of melodies. This eight-bell arrangement uses the LYONS hymn tune (an alternate for HANOVER). O worship the King all-glorious above, O gratefully sing His power and his love: Our shield and defender, the Ancient of Days, Pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise. …
The Great Commission has been given to the Church (figuratively, “Zion”). That responsibility is to share the love of Christ with the world so that all may be saved. In O Zion, Haste, the tune TIDINGS evokes images of this responsibility as spiritual marching orders. eight handbells O Zion, haste, your mission high fulfilling, to …
O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus is sung to the hymn tune EBENEZER, which means “stone of help.” Jesus is the Rock of Ages, and our Eternal Rescuer; He is the One to whom we must turn for salvation. eight handbells O the deep, deep love of Jesus! Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free, rolling as …
The tune OH, HOW I LOVE JESUS is a simple one; its composer is unknown. It’s been sung for quite a long time as a gentle expression of faith in Christ for young children and mature adults. eight handbells There is a name I love to hear, I love to sing its worth; it sounds …
On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry is sung to the 15th century hymn tune PUER NOBIS. It’s traditionally sung for Advent, but can be played for Easter as That Easter Day with Joy was Bright. Our piano-accompanied eight-handbell arrangement will work well with your small handbell ensemble (duet, trio, or quartet)! On Jordan’s bank the …
I call One Day an “eternity hymn”. It looks across all of time and proclaims the Lord’s great works, and with each chorus brings it all back to how it matters to my hope in Christ. eight handbells One day when Heaven was filled with His praises / One day when sin was As black …
William Bradbury wrote hymn tunes that are still well-known more than a century later. He Leadeth Me and Sweet Hour of Prayer are two that still appear in hymnals of today. His lively tune ANDRE, matched with Praise God, Ye Servants of the Lord, may be less familiar, but it still suggests praise and rejoicing …
Fanny Crosby is one of the best-known American musicians of all time, writing over 8,000 hymns and songs, including this one, Praise Him! Praise Him! Perhaps her being blind is merely a small footnote to a brilliant life of service to God – after all, she clearly could see so much more than most of …
The title from Joachim Neander’s German 1680 chorale, reads even more impressively in German: Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren. “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” has been a church favorite for many years – after all, our very lives depend on God and His infinite power. eight handbells Praise to the Lord, …
Jesus tells us that He is the Great Shepherd, and that we are His sheep. Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us is an appropriate description of those who follow Him in faith, because we need the Lord’s guidance to walk through life. eight handbells Savior, like a shepherd lead us, much we need Thy tender …
Shall We Gather at the River, traditionally, is regarded as a baptism hymn, but it also reminds us of the wonder and glory of that day when we shall be in heaven with God. eight handbells and piano Shall we gather at the river, Where bright angel feet have trod; With its crystal tide forever …
Shaker songs are fantastically good as eight-bell music! “‘Tis a gift to be simple”, yes… but our eight-bell arrangements Simple Gifts are a lot of fun to play! ‘Tis a gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free ‘Tis a gift to come down where we ought to be, And when we find …
Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above was first published in the Bohemian Brethren’s Kirchegesange in 1566. It speaks of constant reliance of God and His ability to make our lives what He wants them to be. eight handbells Sing praise to God who reigns above / the God of all creation, The God of …
This gentle Spanish-language hymn reflects on the fact that no matter what may happen to us, we belong to God. eight handbells Pues si vivimos, para El vivimos y si morimos para El morimos. Sea que vivamos o que muramos, Somos del Señor, somos del Señor. If we live, we live for Him, and if …
Song of Hope is a lively, happy hymn set to the tune ARGENTINA. It’s a great greeting or sending song for your service. eight handbells ¡Dios de la esperanza, danos gozo y paz! Al mundo en crisis, habla tu verdad. Dios de la justicia, mándanos tu luz, Luz y esperanza en la oscuridad. Oremos por …
George Croly, a minister from Dublin, wrote Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart in the nineteenth century. It’s a profound statement of what the leading of the Holy Spirit means to the Christian. eight handbells Spirit of God, who dwells within my heart, Wean it from sin, through all its pulses move. Stoop to …
The Bible tells us that there’s a definite spiritual conflict for us. The two Georges (Duffield and Webb) who wrote Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus captured the essence of victory wonderfully. eight handbells Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross! Lift high his royal banner, it must not suffer loss. …
The SUNRISE hymn tune (also titled OMNI DIE) from the eighteenth century is paired with with several different texts: eight handbells At Thy Feet, O Christ We Lay Spirit Working in Creation Daily, Daily, Sing to Mary At thy feet, O Christ, we lay thine own gift of this new day; doubt of what it …
Prayer is how we keep in touch with God. We pray for salvation, and protection, and guidance, and … well, we pray when life isn’t making sense. We also pray when we’re thankful, and when we can see amazing things happening around us. Add it all up over twenty-four hours, and a prayerful person probably …
Hymnody, the body of hymns that we have and sing, often combines the same words with several different tunes. Sometimes we also match the same melody with different words – it can enrich our Christian musical experience. In this case, César Malan wrote the hymn tune HENDON, which also works with the same words as …
Hymnody, the body of hymns that we have and sing, often combines the same words with several different tunes. Sometimes we also match the same melody with different words – it can enrich our Christian musical experience. In this case, Louis Hérold wrote the hymn tune MESSIAH, which also works with the same words as …
The American nineteenth century saw the creation of many new hymns. Many of them, such as Take the Name of Jesus with You, inspired congregations to good deeds and great works. eight handbells Take the name of Jesus with you / Child of sorrow and of woe; It will joy and comfort give you / …
That Easter Day with Joy was Bright pairs with the 15th century hymn tune PUER NOBIS. Our arrangement for eight handbells and piano is available under the alternate Advent title On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry. That Easter day with joy was bright:
The sun shone out with fairer light
When, to their longing eyes restored,
The_apostles saw …
The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, is Ended is about eternity in the “always” rather than the “forever” sense; the lyrics are about perseverance without letup as the Church continues her work night and day. eight handbells The day Thou gavest, Lord, is ended / The darkness falls at Thy behest; To Thee our morning hymns …
Our eight-handbell arrangement of The Heavens Declare Your Glory is generally appropriate for worship services. It also can be played at Easter as O Joyous Easter Morning. The heavens declare your glory, the firmament your power; day unto day the story repeats from hour to hour. Night unto night replying, proclaims in every land, O …
Henry Baker wrote The King of Love My Shepherd Is based on Psalm 23, first publishing it in Hymns Ancient and Modern in 1868. This eight-bell arrangement will appeal to you because of its beauty as well as its musical variety! The hymn tune in this arrangement is ST. COLUMBA, most familiar in the United …
God’s love is beyond anything we can grasp or imagine… but He makes it tangible with a single word “love”, and proved it by sending Jesus Christ to manifest it to all of us. The Love of God contains this incredible poetry: eight handbells The love of God is greater far / Than tongue or …
The Water is Wide (hymn tune: O WALY WALY) is an English tune dating back to at least the eighteenth century. In most places, however, it’s recognized by the title for the lyrics that Hal Hopson set to it in 1972, The Gift of Love. eight handbells Hymn Tune: O WALY WALY Find metrically-matched hymn …
Many traditional and folk melodies have made their way into hymnody. This is My Father’s World (hymn tune: TERRA BEATA, “beautiful earth/world”), speaks of the gorgeous things that God has made in creating our universe. eight handbells This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears All nature sings, and round me rings the …
The Joyful Eastertide is a triumphant hymn for Easter Sunday (and all year round!) from the seventeenth century. eight handbells This joyful Eastertide, away with sin and sorrow! My Love, the Crucified, has sprung to life this morrow: Had Christ, who once was slain, not burst His three-day prison, our faith had been in vain; …
Fanny Crosby and William Doane were a “dynamic duo” of hymn-writing in the decades on either side of the year 1900. She wrote the words, and he composed the music. One of their best-known hymns is To God Be the Glory Personal note: This was the favorite hymn of Larry’s great-aunt Pat! eight handbells To …
The text for To the Hills I Lift My Eyes is based on Psalm 121, and it speaks of our reliance on God to lead us through life’s path. There is no other Guide who can and will watch over us so wonderfully. eight handbells To the hills I lift my eyes; / whence shall …
The hymn We Praise Thee, O God Our Redeemer, also sung as We Gather Together, was adapted from a sixteenth-century Dutch folk song, and endures in our hymnody as a glorious way for us to turn our hearts to God. eight handbells We praise you, O God, our Redeemer, Creator; in grateful devotion our tribute …
Walker’s Southern Harmony (1835) contains many hymns of the day. We Place Upon Your Table, Lord celebrates the Lord’s Supper, reminding us of how the simple elements bread and wine direct us to reflect and act on the profundity of the eternal life that Christ gives us. eight handbells We place upon your table, Lord,
…
The familiar African-American spiritual Were You There? does indeed fit into eight bells! Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Were you there when they nailed Him to the …
In the 1970s, our friend Kevin Inn created a lovely guitar/voice arrangement of the hymn What a Friend We Have in Jesus. When we looked at this hymn as a possible eight-bell arrangement, it came to mind. Enjoy! What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege …
Here’s a very familiar tune of American origin. It’s a thoughtful Holy Week selection, perhaps best matching Good Friday. eight handbells What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul! What wondrous love is this, O my soul! What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss to bear the dreadful …
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross is a meditation on the Son of God who gave His life for us. Isaac Watts wrote this hymn which continues to draw us to the Savior. eight handbells “When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of glory died, my richest gain I count but loss, …
We just love this eight-bell arrangement of When Morning Gilds the Skies because it has… well, that “morning” quality on a cool spring day when the sun rises gently in the east over hills of flowers. eight handbells When morning gilds the skies my heart awaking cries: May Jesus Christ be praised! Alike at work …
While on the Sea, to the hymn tune UKRAINE, pictures our life as if navigating a great ocean in a small boat. The waves are large, and threaten us continually. The water is unfathomably deep, and we fear what might happen if we were dumped into it. And so we pray to God for protection …
[GENEVAN] PSALM 22 is a sixteenth-century hymn from the Genevan Psalter. The referenced psalm starts with “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?”, declaring King David’s remorse after sin. The text was spoken centuries later when Jesus died on the cross, accepting the punishment for our failure to live up to God’s perfect …
2 comments
What was the name of the 8 bell duet that you and Carla doubled with Malia and Kristi at Area 10? The one I saw on Facebook. I’d like t get a copy of it if it’s available. Thanks, Erin
Author
Hi Erin!
Carla and I played “O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus” with Malia and Kristi – it’s at https://www.choraegus.com/wordpress/ring/eight-bell-music/eight-bell-hymns-general/o-the-deep-deep-love-of-jesus/
Have fun!
Larry :)…