The 5 Most Annoying Hymns (Really)

The inspiration for a definitive list of the most annoying hymns came from a funny, but supposedly true story about a church fundraiser where a piece of paper collected bids to “Block a Hymn for a Year.” The highest bidder could choose any hymn to ban from being sung in a church service for a full year!

So I asked myself what hymn annoyed me so much that I would pay to have it banned for an entire year. It turns out there were a few! Hymns aren’t sung as much these days, which is sad because I think a balance of older and newer songs (and maybe some with guitar, piano, etc.) would be a way to preserve great songs and hymns that many of us grew up with while allowing newer songs to take their own place in the church as well. It seems a shame to just throw the old hymns away.

In some ways, giving up hymns is like giving up part of our history. But at the same time, there are some hymns that I wish would be given up! Some of them are outright annoying in my opinion.

Please don’t misunderstand! It’s not necessarily the words that annoy me and I certainly don’t question the intent of the composer. It’s usually the tune and the musical arrangement of a hymn that would make it annoying enough that I feel it deserves a spot on this list. I had to think back to my childhood to remember some hymns that really got on my nerves when they were sung!

So here’s the list of The 5 Most Annoying Hymns. Remember, this is just my opinion and your favorite hymn might be on this list. I’m sorry in advance!

Keep in mind that this is a light-hearted list and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. Take a deep breath! Be sure to share what hymns annoy you (if any do) in the comments section below. So without further delay, here’s the list:

5. When All of God’s Singers Get Home

4. I’ll Fly Away

3. Since Jesus Came Into My Heart

2. Ring Out the Message

There was strong competition between #1 and #2 and it was a difficult decision because both of these are like musical finger nails down a chalkboard to me!

1. The Lily of the Valley

Something tells me that almighty God doesn’t appreciate being called “Lily of the Valley.” I can almost see him turning to an angel and asking in controlled rage, “What are they calling me?!” Plus the tune makes me want to rip my eyebrows out!

If I missed them, please list the hymns that annoy you the most in the comments below!

Coach Lee is a breakup coach and marriage consultant. He is the developer of the Emergency Breakup Kit, and a relationship educator on YouTube. He has been interviewed by Reuters, Elite Daily, AskMen, BravoTV, Forbes, and others.