Easy Worship Songs On Guitar: Our Top 10

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We’ve got a list of easy worship songs on guitar to help you with your next group-sing or worship meeting!

In this free lesson you will learn…

• 10 easy worship songs
• The importance of 3/4 time
• How to work on your strumming patterns
• How to string new chords together

Welcome To Your Set Of Easy Worship Songs On Guitar!

Whether you’re at a retreat, a regular service, a group gathering, or another church activity with your guitar, it is always a good idea to have a set of easy worship songs on guitar handy.

In considering your selection, here are some things to think about:

• How easy is it for you to play the song?
• Are you leading other singers or just accompanying?
• What is the vocal range of the song, and is it comfortable for most people to sing along?
• Is the melody singable in terms of easy rhythm and reachable jumps in melody notes?
• Are the lyrics communicating what you want to communicate to the group you are playing for?

With those ideas in mind, we’ve got a collection of assorted easy worship songs on guitar for you to begin learning.

Easy Worship Songs On Guitar: Gillian Welch & Alison Krauss – “I’ll Fly Away”

This gospel beauty is lovely to play and sing, and it only has three chords.

 

This version, by Gillian Welch and Alison Krauss, is one of the many lovely gospel songs swept up in the Depression-era folk music revival following the release of the Coen Brothers’ movie “O Brother, Where Art Thou” in 2000.

“I’ll Fly Away” is part of the canon of American gospel music.

It is a simple three-chord song. Welch and Krauss sing it in the key of D, which is a lovely key for guitar playing and for most people to sing this song. Here are the chords.

D Chord

A7 Chord

G Chord

The chord progression for the entire song is this:

D D G D

D D A7 D

The song is frequently played as a bluegrass staple, so it is mainly heard as an uptempo and uplifting song.

If you would like some support in learning how to keep good uptempo rhythm, check out the lesson: How to Strum a Guitar.

Easy Worship Songs On Guitar: Traditional – “Amazing Grace”

 

Wintley Phipps’s story and version, compelling and inclusive, is interesting against the history of the song itself. This tune is an Anglican hymn whose lyrics were written in 1772 by John Newton.

Newton was working in the Atlantic slave trade until he himself was enslaved, and after he was rescued both from enslavement and from a deadly storm, he continued to work and invest in the slave trade until he had a stroke and then became an abolitionist in 1780.

• There are a million versions of “Amazing Grace,” and everyone sings it.
• It’s one of the absolutely essential easy worship songs on guitar, and you’re going to be able to learn and play it quickly.

“Amazing Grace works well in the key of G. Here are the chords.

G Chord

D Chord

C Chord

Em Chord

The chord progression happens this way.

G G C G

G C D D

G G C G

Em D G G

“Amazing Grace” is in 3/4 time, meaning that instead of the usual four, each measure has only three beats. It can feel a little unnatural playing in three until you get used to it.

To get yourself into the swing of it, try counting and strumming ONE two three ONE two three, with an accented strum on the one so you can really feel the downbeat.

With a little practice, this will be one of your go-to easy worship songs on guitar, because everyone already knows it!

Pro-Tip: For beginning guitarists, singing and playing is always a challenge.

This is because our bodies want to do the same rhythm on the guitar that our mouths are doing with words.

It takes everyone some effort to be able to execute two rhythms simultaneously, so be patient with yourself and keep working at it!

For some further help and encouragement, check out this lesson: How to Sing and Play Guitar at the Same Time.

Easy Worship Songs On Guitar: Traditional – “Just a Closer Walk With Thee”

Another absolute necessity in your set of easy worship songs on guitar is this beauty.

Here’s Mahalia Jackson dedicating “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” to Louis Armstrong with an appearance by the man himself.

 

“Just a Closer Walk With Thee” is a New Orleans cultural and spiritual touchstone and a staple of worship and folk music throughout the United States.

Everyone from Lawrence Welk to Jack White has covered it.

Let’s try this song in the key of A. Here are the chords:

A Chord

D Chord

E7 Chord

The chord progression is frequently modified, depending on how the song is being performed, but the basic structure is this:

A A E7 E7

E7 E7 A A

A A D D

A E7 A A

The tempo and basic rhythm of “Just a Closer Walk With Thee” is also frequently modified, but for singing and playing it with others, wherever it is comfortable to sing is a good tempo to take.

This will surely turn out to be one of your most popular easy worship songs on guitar in any setting.

Easy Worship Songs On Guitar: Paul Baloche – “Open The Eyes Of My Heart”

For a more contemporary addition to your collection of easy worship songs on guitar, here’s a reworded U2 song by Paul Baloche.

 

For “Open the Eyes of My Heart,” Baloche took the chords to “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” by U2, set new lyrics, and added a B section.

Almost everyone can sing this song in the key of G. Here are the chords.

G Chord

D Chord

C Chord

Em Chord

There are two chord progressions. The A part, or main part, “Open the eyes of my heart,” goes like this.

G G D D

C C G G

The progression for the B part, “To see you high and lifted up,” goes like this.

D D Em Em

C C D D

Baloche also uses U2’s constant down-up strumming rhythm to keep the song moving.

It is one of the more catchy easy worship songs on guitar, so you will be able to quickly teach it to people who don’t already know it, and everyone will be singing along!

Godspell – “By My Side”

This beautiful addition to your set of easy worship songs on guitar is sad and lovely, from the musical Godspell.

 

“By My Side” is in the key of D minor. The chord progression for the A section, “Where are you going,” is a cycle:

Dm Dm C Am

The chord progression for the B part, “Far beyond where the horizon lies,” goes like this:

C C Dm Dm

C C D D

C C D D

Here are the chord diagrams:

Dm Chord

C Chord

Am Chord

D Chord

This song is beautiful with a fingerpicking pattern.

Try this one, with your thumb on the root of the chord (that will be the D string for the D chords and the A string for the other chords).

Pro-Tip: For fingerpicking guitar songs, your thumb is usually assigned to the string with the lowest root of the chord – the note the chord is named after – and your other three fingers dance around the top three strings.

If you would like some help getting started fingerpicking, check out this guide on Fingerstyle Guitar Lessons.

The Weavers – “Michael Row The Boat Ashore”

Here’s another fundamental addition to your collection of easy worship songs on guitar.

 

This version of “Michael Row the Boat Ashore” is a captivating demonstration of the Weavers and particularly Pete Seeger’s ability to get a group of people singing along, building community through music.

You’re going to play this song in the key of G. Here are the chords.

G Chord

C Chord

Bm Chord

Am Chord

D Chord

That B minor chord can be a little bit of a challenging jump for a beginning guitar player, so if you would like some alternatives or support, check out this lesson, Bm Guitar Chord for Beginners.

The verses cycle through this progression like so:

G G C G

Bm Am D G

If you listen to this recording, you can get a pretty good idea of the rhythm to use strumming the song.

It’s a steady strum, but it swings, and the way to accomplish that is to make the down strum a little bit longer than the up strum, as though your arm is heavy.

This is one of the easy worship songs on guitar that singers of all ages always enjoy!

Third Day – “God Of Wonders”

For some pop music in your set of easy worship songs on guitar, check this out:

 

“God of Wonders” was written in 2004 by Steve Hindalong and Marc Byrd, and this Third Day version was released on their 2003 album, Offerings II: All I Have to Give.

You’ll play this song in the key of G. Here are the chords.

Dsus4 Chord

Em7 Chord

Cadd9 Chord

G major Chord

A minor Chord

The verse has this interesting progression.

Dsus4 Em7 Cadd9 Cadd9

The chorus has this chord progression.

G G Dsus4 D

Am Am Cadd9 Cadd9

C C C C

Similarly to “Open the Eyes of My Heart,” this song has a constant strumming rhythm that makes it easy to strum and sing at the same time.

This is a catchy addition to your set of easy worship songs on guitar.

Traditional – “This Little Light Of Mine”

Another of your easy worship songs on guitar for all ages to enjoy, “This Little Light of Mine” is easy to sing and to play!

 

There are any number of verses to this song, and in a group sing, people can even make up their own verses. It was written in the 1920s and has been sung many different ways ever since.

You can play this song easily in the key of D. Here are the chords.

D major Chord

A7 Chord

G major Chord

The chord progression goes like this:

D D D D

G G G D

D D D D

G A7 D D

This is another of your easy worship songs on guitar that can go as quickly or slowly as you please. It’s a definite crowd pleaser.

Hillsong – “Hosanna”

Another more contemporary and poppy addition to your set of easy worship songs on guitar is “Hosanna.”

 

This song is from Hillsong’s 2007 album, Saviour King.

The recording is in the key of E, but you can play it in the key of D with easier chords, and if you would like to sing along with Hillsong, you can put your capo on the second fret.

For capo help, check out this lesson on How to Use a Capo in 3 Easy Steps.

Here are the chords you’ll need to play “Hosanna” in the key of D.

Dm Chord

Bm Chord

Em Chord

A Chord

G Chord

The chord progression in the verse goes like this.

D D Bm Bm

Em A

The progression in the chorus goes like this.

|D G|A D| G  A

There is a bridge, “Heal my heart,” that goes like this.

G A D Bm

G A Bm Bm

G A D Bm

G A D D

For your solo arrangement of this and all of the easy worship songs on guitar, you can choose how fully or quietly to play your guitar. It helps with a singalong to be a little more full so everyone can hear and follow!

Louvin Brothers – “The Christian Life”

Your final selection in the group of easy worship songs on guitar is this amazing number by the Louvin Brothers.

 

This song was written in 1959 for the Louvin Brothers’ album, Satan Is Real.

The Louvin Brothers were famous not only for their direct expression in their music of their faith, but also for their close harmony singing, bridging the gap between the Delmore Brothers and the Everly Brothers.

You can easily play this song and teach it to others in the key of D. Here are the chords:

D Chord

A Chord

G Chord

E7 Chord

There is an A section and a B section to this song, both with simple chord progressions.

The A section goes like this:

D A D D

D A E7 A

D A D G

G D A D

The B section, “I won’t lose a friend,” goes like this:

A A G D

A A G A

D A D G

G D A D

This song is also in 3/4 time, like “Amazing Grace.”

Try the ONE two three strumming to get the hang of it.

This is a fun song to add to your collection of easy worship songs on guitar and to teach to your friends.

Work On Your Song-Leading Skills With These Easy Worship Songs On Guitar!

The best way to learn to lead songs for groups of singers is to do it.

Take your easy worship songs on guitar to any worship or church group gathering and make it better!

If you would like some additional help with strumming, check out this lesson: Rhythm Guitar Lessons for All Guitarists.

Recommended Resources

If you enjoyed reading this guide to easy worship songs on guitar, you’ll love our other lessons below!

• 3 Easy Ways To Play The A Chord On Guitar
• Am Guitar Chord For Beginners
• Guitar Tabs For Beginners: 20 Easy Songs That Sound Great
• What’s The Best Beginner Guitar?
• 14 Easy Guitar Chords For Beginners