The Heavy-Laden's Top 30 Hymns

Ok, so this really did take a lot of thought -- and a lot of listening. I have so many great hymns in my collection now that I just didn't know which one to blog about next. So I figured that I would make a top 30 list and go in order (skipping the ones I've already written about). The engineer in me wanted to find some sort of five-part ranking system and add up all the numbers in a spreadsheet to make the determinations, but since I know nothing about music, I figured that wouldn't be fair. Yes, I realize that for a top 3o list there are very few CDs represented here and very few artists as well. Well, sorry. It's a top 30 list, and sometimes some people are just that good. I don't claim to have every hymn CD or even close, but I have a enough to make my own top 30 list.

Disclaimers: 1.) Once again, I know nothing about music. I don't even know what the following words mean: harmony, rhythm (but I can spell it), pitch, tune, etc. I know the Bible, and I know what sounds good to me. 2.) I am not getting paid by Sandra McCracken or Red Mountain Music...I don't even know them. 3.) For a hymn to qualify, it had to be in my CD collection. 4.) Songs that aren't hymns were excluded. For the borderline ones, my opinion rules. 5.) I had a lot of duplicates in my collection. For example, it was really hard to choose which "Thy Mercy, My God" I like best: Caedmon's Call or Sandra McCracken1 or Sandra McCracken2. 6.) Finally, there are a lot of hymns that I love that didn't make this list. That means that these are the absolute top of the pile. Hymns like "It Is Well With My Soul" and "What Wondrous Love Is This" among others are great but got left out.

Without Any Further Ado...

Rank Hymn Artist Album
1 Jesus, I Long For Thee Red Mountain Church The Gadsby Project
2 Sometimes a Light Surprises Derek Webb Indelible Grace II: Pilgrim Days
3 Whatever My God Ordains Is Right Matthew Perryman Jones Indelible Grace
4 Thy Mercy, My God Sandra McCracken The Builder and the Architect
5 A Debtor to Mercy Alone Sandra McCracken Indelible Grace
6 No Sweeter Subject Red Mountain Church The Gadsby Project
7 There Is A Fountain Filled With Blood Red Mountain Church Depth of Mercy
8 Rock of Ages Sandra McCracken The Builder and the Architect
9 Friend of Sinners Red Mountain Church The Gadsby Project
10 Help My Unbelief Red Mountain Church Help My Unbelief
11 The Love of Christ Derek Webb Indelible Grace III: For All the Saints
12 Arise, My Soul, Arise Matthew Perryman Jones Indelible Grace
13 His Love Can Never Fail Derek Webb Indelible Grace IV: Beams of Heaven
14 Nothing But The Blood Matthew Smith All I Owe
15 Be Thou My Vision Matthew Smith Even When My Heart is Breaking
16 O Love That Will Not Let Me Go Sandra McCracken Indelible Grace
17 Grace Upon Grace Sandra McCracken The Builder and the Architect
18 My Jesus, I Love Thee Red Mountain Church Depth of Mercy
19 And Can It Be Sandra McCracken Indelible Grace
20 Abiding City Sandra McCracken The Builder and the Architect
21 Jesus, Lover Of My Soul Red Mountain Church Depth of Mercy
22 Psalm 73 Matthew Perryman Jones Indelible Grace II: Pilgrim Days
23 Lord, Dissolve My Frozen Heart Red Mountain Church Help My Unbelief
24 All I Owe Matthew Smith Even When My Heart is Breaking
25 Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing Matthew Smith All I Owe
26 God Be Merciful (Psalm 51) Jars of Clay Redemption Songs
27 Jesus, Thou Joy Of Loving Hearts Red Mountain Church Depth of Mercy
28 In the Secret of His Presence Sandra McCracken The Builder and the Architect
29 Depth Of Mercy Red Mountain Church Depth of Mercy
30 Come Ye Disconsolate Rachel Briggs Indelible Grace IV: Beams of Heaven