FREE HYMNAL Walkthrough Video
- Jered Mckenna
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
First of all, feel free to grab my free hymnal I made. Hope it serves you well!
Hey friends,
I wanted to make a quick video to walk you through the free mini hymnal I just put together—kind of give you a behind-the-scenes look at what I was thinking as I curated and arranged it.
I've got my computer here so I can flip through the songs. Also, my daughter Heidi's in here with me—Hi Heidi! 👋
So, here's the deal: this is a totally free digital mini hymnal—just go to
jeredmckenna.com/freeminihymnal (or just jeredmckenna.com—you’ll see it right there on the homepage). These are some of my all-time favorite hymns—robust, theologically rich, and beautifully written—some newer, some that go back a few centuries.
What I’ve done is stripped these down to their bare-bones chords to make them super easy to play. I also keyed them with congregational singing in mind—so they’re accessible, not too high, not too low. And in a lot of cases, I included multiple keys—higher for guys, lower for gals, or vice versa depending on your range. And of course, you can always toss a capo on and make it your own.
These arrangements represent years of thinking, curating, and reworking. They're the versions I personally love—keys I enjoy playing in, lyrics and verses I feel are strongest, and harmonies that feel right to me.
Let’s look at a few:
Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior
This one's in both E and G. Key of E is super guitar-friendly and sits in a nice, low register:🎶 Pass me not, O gentle Savior, hear my humble cry...But maybe you want to belt it out? Key of G gives you that option. Totally up to you.
Deliver Me from Evil (Psalm 140)
This is one of my originals. It’s in E—again, great for guitar.🎶 Deliver me from evil, defend me Lord from wrong...This one only has one key version, but it’s versatile and works great.
My Jesus, I Love Thee
Available in both G and C.G is great if you want to throw on a capo or drop an octave:🎶 My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine...C is a lower, out-of-the-box option for a gentler feel.
My Shepherd Will Supply My Need
This is a lesser-known gem. I included it in C and A. It's slow, beautiful, and very moving:🎶 My Shepherd will supply my need, Jehovah is His name...
Man of Sorrows
Perfect for Good Friday or any reflective service. It’s in G—easy to sing, easy to play.
Come, Christians, Join to Sing
Now here's where I get a little creative. I’ve added some short musical hooks between verses—little turnarounds that keep the momentum going without dragging into a full-on guitar solo.🎶 Come, Christians, join to sing—Hallelujah, Amen...Then between verses:🎶 Amen... da-da-da-da... praise to Christ our King...These little lifts give folks a moment to reflect and breathe before jumping into the next verse.
Arise, Shine (Isaiah 60)
Another original of mine. Sheet music included.🎶 Arise, shine, for your light has come...Play it with a groove, keep it syncopated—it really brings the text to life. Also: palm muting on guitar = your best friend for dynamics. Build it up, don't blow it all in the first verse.
O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing
Key of E. Again, a little hook between verses keeps it moving:🎶 The triumphs of His grace...🎶 (Short melodic turnaround)...🎶 Jesus, the name that charms our fears...
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed, Be Still, My Soul, Crown Him with Many Crowns—they’re all in there too.
And if you ever feel like something’s missing between verses—try a 1-4-1 chord progression as a simple turnaround. It always works. You can keep it short and sweet or extend it a bit if you’ve got a violin or piano filling space beautifully. Don’t rush—let people absorb the moment.
So that’s the heart behind this mini hymnal. It's not just about making things easier to play—it's about creating moments for reflection, connection, and beauty in your living room or sanctuary.
Again, download it at jeredmckenna.com/freeminihymnal and enjoy!
Let me know what your favorites are—or if there’s a hymn you want me to add to the next one.
Thanks, everyone!
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