New Latter-day Saint hymnbook, with about 375 hymns, is expected in 2 years

SALT LAKE CITY (KSL.com) — The new Latter-day Saint hymnbook will take about nine years from being announced with a request for submissions to becoming a full printed hymnbook in church meetinghouses.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Tuesday that the church’s new hymnbook will have around 375 hymns and children’s songs in its printed version and is expected to be printed in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese by mid-2027.

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ have been singing hymns from its new hymnbook, “Hymns — For Home and Church,” for a year now since the first 13 hymns were released. With the expectation of a release in 2027, members will have three years of gradual releases before the new hymnbook becomes the church’s primary hymnbook.

After it is released in the first four languages “Hymns — For Home and Church” will be gradually released in about 50 languages and is designed to be a global hymnbook with each song available in every language and hymn numbers matching in each language.

‘Music is a language of the spirit’

Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles called the project “ambitious and complex.” He said the purpose of the project is to increase faith and worship of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ — both at home and at church — and unify members of the church around the world.

“Because of the importance of sacred music in the church, the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve have been intimately involved in every aspect of the new hymnbook, including the selection of hymns to be included in the print and digital versions,” he said.

He said they have not taken approval of any hymns lightly, and noted that some members’ favorite hymns might not be included.

About one-third of the hymns will be Primary songs, Elder Renlund said, that can be used in congregational settings at local leaders’ discretion in addition to in Primary and at home. He said hymns are being released before the full book is ready to help members become familiar with newer hymns.

“Families and congregations around the world should begin using all these hymns right away. Music is a language of the Spirit, and can deepen your love and appreciation for God and his divine Son and the restoration of the Lord’s church in these latter days,” he said.

Tuesday’s news release said hymns were selected for the book that increase faith and worship, teach core church doctrine, invite joyful singing, and comfort, inspire and unify members of the church.

Over the last year, three batches of hymns were released adding songs more common in other Christian faiths and familiar songs not previously in the hymnbook for members to sing in church.

“As the new hymnbook continues to roll out, so too will the joy, comfort and inspiration of Latter-day Saints grow as they incorporate the new songs into their worship,” the church statement said.

Music is a way to connect with the Lord

Steve Schank, the church’s hymnbook committee chair, said the committee includes people from around the world, both with musical training and not, who each add a unique perspective. He spoke about his experience leading the committee with Mary Richards on a Church News podcast released Tuesday.

“All decisions are made by the senior leaders of the church. We know that and support that. We feel that it’s a privilege to be an extension of those who hold keys to direct the work of the kingdom of God in these last days,” Schank said.

He said the Lord will bring blessings to members as they worship in song; not just in church but throughout their lives.

“As we turn our hearts and our souls and our voices to him, he’ll bless us throughout the week,” Schank said in the podcast.

Schank said mixing the children’s songs with the adult songs in the new book is intentional, and meant to help families and adults sing more of the children’s songs and children sing more hymns.

“We’ll all own all of the sacred music of the church, whatever is useful to us, wherever we find meaning,” he said.

Schank is also the author and composer of “I Will Walk With Jesus,” one of the hymns released in the first batch of new songs.

He spoke in the podcast about the process of getting a hymn approved, and the many church leaders who are involved. He said church President Russell M. Nelson plays through and sings every hymn with the First Presidency and sends feedback back to their committee.

Although the final book will have about 375 hymns, Schank said there will also be an open online location where the church will add additional hymns for members to use in church — like the patriotic songs that don’t work as well in a hymnbook designed for members around the world.

He encouraged members to be thoughtful about what hymns they sing and worship intentionally. He said the Church Music Office doesn’t use the phrase “rest hymn.”

“Music is not just filler in our meetings, and it is not just background in our lives … it’s a way to connect with the divine. It’s a way for me to bring an offering to the Lord and invite a blessing back,” he said.