Each song listed is a link to a YouTube video of the song.
Written from ancient times to the 2020s and from societies, cultures, and faiths throughout the world, these are the 45 best sacred songs that I know of. Tell me what I missed.
While religions and spiritual paths can only be experienced from the inside, and while it is difficult to understand other people’s faiths, music is a way to bridge the gap. To me, these songs represent 50 ways to approach our souls, Heaven, or the Divine — the best 50 ways I’ve ever heard in music.
The first 21 may resonate with people of any faith as well as people who are mystical and people who are “spiritual but not religious”.
The next 19 are from the Christian faith.
And the last 10 are from other faiths, including five from the Islamic faith.
Hope you find a few gems to add to your playlist.
Enjoy.
All my best,
Mike
Mystical or Spiritual (16)
“A Different Drum” — Peter Gabriel
“Follow the Sun” — Xavier Rudd
“Spiritual Awakening” — Future World Music
“Solsbury Hill” — Peter Gabriel
“Into the West” — Annie Lennox
“Into the Mystic” — Van Morrison
“Church Not Made with Hands” — the Waterboys
“Love Is the Seventh Wave” — Sting
“In the Arms of an Angel” — Sarah McLachlan
“My Sweet Lord” — George Harrison
Christianity (19)
“O Give Thanks unto the Lord” — Greek Orthodox
“Agni Parthene” — Greek Orthodox
“Veni Creator Spiritus” — Roman Catholic Gregorian chant
“The Cherubic Hymn” — Russian Orthodox
“Mass of the Angels” — Roman Catholic
“Sicut Erat in Principio (Dixit Dominus")” — classical, Antonio Vivaldi
“Laudate Dominum” — classical, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
“Jerusalem” — William Blake, Hubert Perry
“Be Thou My Vision” — Protestant
“How Can I Keep from Singing?” — Protestant
“Goodness of God” — Cece Winans — Black Gospel
“My Life Is in Your Hands” — Kirk Franklin — Black Gospel
“10,000 Reasons” — Matt Redman, evangelical
“Above All” — Michael W. Smith, evangelical
“I’ve Seen I AM” — Jonathan David Helser, evangelical / charismatic
“Intimacy” — Jonathan David Helser, evangelical / charismatic
“Fly” — Jonathan David Helser, evangelical / charismatic
“Born of God” — Jesus Culture, charismatic
“One Bread One Body” — Roman Catholic
“It Is Accomplished” — Peter Gabriel
Other Faiths (10)
“Jerusalema” — African Electro music — Master K.G. featuring Nomcebo
“Adon Alom” — a Jewish prayer song
“Buddhang Namami” — the Buddhist faith
“Aatma Rama Anandu Ramusa” — the Hindu faith
“Shinto Japanese Music” — the Shinto faith
“Soupir Etnel” — Dhafer Youssef — the Islamic faith
“Tajdar e-Haram” — the Islamic faith
“Make Me Strong” — Sami Yusuf — the Islamic faith