28 Hymns to Sing before You Die

"I remember more hymns than I do sermons." That's the verdict of nearly everyone, including preachers. This is a book for people who love hymns. In this book about twenty-eight of the classic and most cherished hymns, you'll find the stories behind the hymns and meditations on their meaning. You'll discover new spiritual insights into your faith and what it means to follow Christ in your daily life. Many of the greatest hymn writers in history are here--for example, Martin Luther ("A Mighty Fortress Is Our God"), Isaac Watts ("Our God, Our Help in Ages Past"), Charles Wesley ("O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing"), and John Newton ("Amazing Grace"). The names of some composers are forgotten, but their hymns live forever: "Now Thank We All Our God," "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah," "How Firm a Foundation," "Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us," "Just as I Am," "Abide with Me," "The Church's One Foundation." This is a book for your devotional reading or for group study. It will open your mind, inspire your heart, and change your life.

"This wonderfully informative and inspirational book should be read by all who love hymns--and by those who would like to learn to love them more!"
--Richard J. Mouw, coeditor of Wonderful Words of Life

"This is a hopeful book and a tremendous collection of my favorite hymns. . . . I'd like to keep this book handy, to sing these hymns when I am dying!"
--Marva Dawn, author of Being Well When We're Ill


John M. Mulder is the former President of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. An award-winning author, he has published more than twenty-five books, including Finding God: A Treasury of Conversion Stories and (with Paul A. Scaglione) The Spiritual Lives of Dying People: Testimonies of Hope and Courage.

F. Morgan Roberts is Pastor Emeritus of the Shadyside Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh. A widely known preacher and pastor, he has served churches in Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, and Ohio. He is the author of several publications, including Are There Horses in Heaven?

Eugene H. Peterson is a pastor, teacher, and writer, whose books include The Message.