In 2018, the First Presidency directed that a new hymnbook be produced. Since May 2024, 37 new hymns have been released in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French, with translations coming in phases in several other languages, with the next batch expected this month.
Now, just after the one-year mark of the release of the first batch of new hymns for “Hymns — For Home and Church,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has provided an update about the size, scope and timing of this sacred, ongoing project.
Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said it is an ambitious and complex endeavor.
“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 explained that the First Presidency has directed that the new hymnbook will have around 375 hymns and children’s songs in the print version. About one-third will be worshipful children’s songs for use in Primary and in general Church meetings.
The print version is expected to be ready in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French by mid-2027. Other language translations will follow.
“Your favorite hymn may not be included. So, keep your current hymnbook and continue to enjoy your old favorites at home,” Elder Renlund said.
He said some of the hymns are and will be less familiar to many members of the Church, and others have expanded musical styles.
“Each hymn has been approved by the First Presidency and the Twelve, and these approvals have not been taken lightly,” Elder Renlund said.
The Church’s hymnbook committee chair, Steve Schank, said, “We get feedback on every level.
“Nothing happens in a corner or in a vacuum. The leaders of the Church are very involved in this process. We make recommendations. They make decisions.”
Schank — who joined the Church News podcast this week — said this might be the first time that members are hearing the number of about 375 hymns and songs in the print version. But the beauty of the project is members live in a digital age, and additional hymns will be found online that members can use in Church meetings or at home.
“This might include patriotic music, which would be too cumbersome to include in a worldwide hymnbook for all of the languages, but it would include additional hymns on every topic that could grow over time,” he said.
Meanwhile the hymn numbers in the print version will be the same in every language in every meetinghouse and home around the world, which will unify the members in singing the same body of music throughout the Church.
Elder Renlund explained that what has been considered for inclusion in the new hymnbook are selections from the English 1985 “Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” the 1989 “Children’s Songbook,” hymns and songs from the current non-English Church hymnbooks, previously published hymns by Latter-day Saint authors, existing hymns from other Christian traditions and over 17,000 original submissions.
Because the Church could not print a hymnbook with all those thousands of hymns, criteria were established at the outset of the project to guide the selection, Elder Renlund said.
For each hymn considered, the following questions were asked:
- Does the hymn increase faith in and worship of our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ?
- Does the hymn teach the core doctrine of the gospel with power and clarity?
- Does the hymn invite joyful singing at home and at church?
- Does the hymn comfort the weary and inspire members to endure in faith?
- Does the hymn unify members throughout the Church?
Thirteen new hymns were released in May 2024, then nine in September 2024 and 15 in February, 2025, equaling 37 so far, with the next batch expected this month.
“Families and congregations around the world should begin using these hymns right away. Many wards and branches have done this in exemplary ways. Please continue to do so,” Elder Renlund said.
More about the hymn approval process and leader involvement
To help people understand how those 17,000 submissions are narrowed down into the approved hymns, Schank spoke of the approval cycle of an individual hymn.
The members of the hymnbook committee begin by looking at the criteria mentioned above. If the submission meets those needs to a sufficient level, a hymn may move on to the next step. Or, perhaps the lyrics are refined or the music updated.
“Once the hymnbook committee is satisfied that we think this would be a good part of the collection, it goes to our advisers,” Schank said.
The current advisers include Elder Renlund; Elder Matthew L. Carpenter, General Authority Seventy; and Primary General President Susan H. Porter. Other Apostles, General Authority Seventies, general officers and members of organizations have been advisers to the project as well.
“When they are satisfied that this should move forward, it goes to the Priesthood and Family Department executive directors, which includes several other general authorities, and all of the general organization presidents. They review and they give feedback,” Schank said.
When that feedback is addressed, the song goes to the Priesthood and Family Executive Council, which is currently led by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and includes Elder Renlund, Presiding Bishop Gérald Caussé, Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson and members of the Presidency of the Seventy. They then give feedback.
“When that group is finally satisfied with the new hymns, then it goes to the full Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and they give vigorous feedback and discussions. And when they’re satisfied, it goes to the First Presidency,” Schank said.
The goal of the hymnbook project was not simply to replace existing hymnbooks and children’s songbooks, Elder Renlund said. “Instead, the purpose is to increase faith and worship of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in homes and at Church, and to unify members throughout the world. The musical styles were to be expanded to help achieve these objectives.”
Practice and learn the new hymns
Elder Renlund said he loves how frequently the new hymns are already being used in meetings that he attends.
“Before using a new hymn for congregational singing, some wards use it as part of a prelude or postlude for several weeks. Others have a choir present the new hymn as a special musical number. Others encourage members to use a hymn at home before introducing it in sacrament meeting. This can be done by listening to the recording, singing it in families, or playing it on the piano or guitar,” Elder Renlund said.
Many members study the lyrics of a new hymn and look up the scriptural references that are included.
“Personally, I love to go to the Gospel Library app, select the Music tile, select ‘Hymns — For Home and Church’ and press play to start listening to a playlist of all the recordings of the new hymns,” he said.
The audio recordings of every hymn will help members learn how to sing them, Schank said. Because not everyone knows how to read sheet music, they can listen with vocals — sometimes it’s solo, sometimes in parts — and even guitar recordings or the piano version.
Schank said the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles did not want to make people wait until the full book is released but help them enjoy and learn the new music now. Members can also learn new hymns a little bit at a time instead of all at once.
He is the organist in his ward, and he’ll play a new hymn for prelude and postlude music so it becomes familiar. Then, when his ward sings a new hymn for the first time, he plays an entire verse so people can hear it before they sing. A member of his bishopric also stands and speaks about the hymn — these resources can be found for each hymn under the lyrics view on the bottom of the page.
“One of the goals of the study resources is to have people consider sacred music as part of their gospel study,” Schank said.
With the hymns and children’s songs being placed side by side in the new hymnbook, families and adults can sing more children’s songs at home and at Church. Many have been sung in general conferences already.
Said Elder Renlund: “I hope you take advantage of the opportunity that has been provided to enjoy these new hymns. 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.”
