Best Pentecost songs for gospel choir
Ranked #257 in Music, #5,303 overall
Great gospel songs for your choir to sing for Pentecost
(Painting of Peter preaching at Pentecost, by Benjamin West (1738-1820). Shared on Wikimedia Commons by the BJU Museum and Gallery.)
Countdown to Pentecost Sunday, 2012
Pentecost song sampler
Even Me
Chicago Mass Choir
The Best of Chicago Mass Choir
Amazon Price: $29.98 (as of 05/29/2012)
"Lord, I hear of showers of blessings
Thou art scattering full and free
Showers the thirsty souls refreshing
Let some drops now fall on me"
Ezekiel 34:26 -- " . . . and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing."
This is an adaptation of an old hymn, of course. The Chicago Mass Choir does a dramatic and powerful arrangement of it.
Tempo: Slow
Key: Db
Difficulty level:
- For singers: 4/5
- For musicians: 3/5
Have You Received the Power?
Patrick Henderson and the West Angeles COGIC Sanctuary Choir
on the album Look to Jesus
"Have you received the power
Since you believed
Holy Ghost power since you believed"
Acts 19:2 -- "He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. "
An old-school, hand-clapping, foot-stomping, Sunday morning church choir tune.
This song is not easy to find now. Amazon sometimes has the album and other times has it listed as "Unavailable", but I've got the link here just in case. Good luck.
Tempo: Fast
Key: Db
Difficulty level:
- For singers: 2/5
- For musicians: 2/5
Holy Spirit
New Jersey Mass Choir
Holy Spirit
Amazon Price: $0.99 (as of 05/29/2012)
"Lord of the promise
Power of the highest
Spirit of glory
Voice of the Lord
Breathe on me"
Acts 2:2 -- "And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting."
One of my absolute favorite songs. Just beautiful.
Tempo: Slow
Key: Ebm
Resource links:
- Lyrics for Holy Spirit
Difficulty level:
- For singers: 2.5/5
- For musicians: 1/5
The Holy Spirit
Keith Pringle and the Pentecostal Community Choir
I'm not sure what album it was on
"I can feel it moving down in my soul
It's a burning and a yearning from my head to my toes
It's like a fire, shut up in my bones"
Luke 3:16 -- "John answered , saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose : he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire."
A spirited song with a contemporary sound. This one will get people on their feet.
Tempo: Fast
Key: Bb
I need to tell you something about this song, though. I really like the choruses, the bridge, and the vamp (the vamp is everybody's favorite part, I think). But I have never liked the lead verse. To me it sounds very complacent about people just staying in sin and never getting better. When we sing this song at home, we just leave out the lead verse. When I taught it to my District Choir, I made up my own words for the lead verse. I will gladly share my made-up lyrics with you now. Here they are:
"Everybody wants to win salvation
Everybody wants to do what's right
But without the help of Jesus, they never will succeed
They can't measure up, no matter how hard they try
I'm so glad I've got the Lord beside me
With His help, I'll reach my final goal
From sin, I am free, for the Lord has given me
The Holy Spirit down in my soul"
Difficulty level:
- For singers: 3/5
- For musicians: 2/5
I've Got It
Andrae Crouch
I've Got It
Amazon Price: $0.99 (as of 05/29/2012)
"I've got it, I've got it
Something 'bout the power of the Holy Ghost
I can't explain it, but I've got it"
Acts 2:4 -- "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."
Andrae Crouch adapted an old congregational song, giving it a groovy '60s feel and a cool lead verse. This one is so much fun.
Tempo: Fast
Key: Ab
Difficulty level:
- For singers: 1/5 (except for the lead singer!)
- For musicians: 2/5
Lord, Send Your Spirit Down
Lord Send Your Spirit Down
Amazon Price: $0.99 (as of 05/29/2012)
"Lord, send Your Spirit down
Hallelujah
Let's shout"
Luke 24:49 -- "And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high."
A very contemporary sound on this one. Good for a youth choir.
Hezekiah Walker first did this song on his "Focus on Glory" album, but the version on the "Live in Toronto" album is the most popular one.
Tempo: Fast
Key: Ab
Resource links:
- Lyrics for Lord, Send Your Spirit Down
Difficulty level:
- For singers: 2/5
- For musicians: 3/5
Power from God
Resurrection Mass Choir
Resurrection Mass Choir
Amazon Price: $49.98 (as of 05/29/2012)
"Power, after the Holy Ghost is come upon you
You shall receive, power from God"
Mark 16:17 -- "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues"
A beautiful song that recounts the happenings on the day of Pentecost and encourages us to seek the same power today.
Tempo: Slow
Key: Eb
Difficulty level:
- For singers: 3/5
- For musicians: 3/5
Repent
JaQuan Williams
It's not an album yet, but here's the web page for JaQuan Williams
"Repent, repent
Repent and sin no more"
Acts 2:38 -- "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
This song is especially great for Oneness Pentecostals (Apostolic Faith). The sound quality on the video isn't perfect, but you'll still want to teach the song to your choir. When I taught it, we modified it a little bit (we didn't do the key change, the oohs, or the artsy pronunciation).
Tempo: Moderate
Key: Db, then Eb, then back to Db
The lyrics for Repent are in one of the comments on YouTube. This link will put the comment with the lyrics right below the video for you -> Lyrics to Repent
Difficulty level:
- For singers: 2.5/5
- For musicians: 3/5
Right Now
Andrae Crouch / Donald Lawrence
I Speak Life
Amazon Price: $5.30 (as of 05/29/2012)
"If you believe it I know you can receive it right now"
Luke 11:9-13 -- "And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?"
Written by Andrae Crouch, but the Crouch version is hard to get a hold of these days, so it's more easily found on the Donald Lawrence album.
This is an example of how you can sometimes add a layer of meaning to a song based on the context in which you sing it. I don't think the original intent was for this to be a song for Pentecost, and the Donald Lawrence version especially seems to lean toward the "name it and claim it" school of thought which he is so strongly associated with. But singing "Right Now" for Pentecost gives it a whole new message. The Holy Ghost is the main thing that God urges us to "believe it and receive it".
Isn't it interesting that so many people have faith that they can get a new car and a new romance, but don't have faith that they can receive the Holy Ghost the way people did at Pentecost?
Tempo: Fast
Key: F
Resource links:
- Lyrics for Right Now
Difficulty level:
- For singers: 2.5/5
- For musicians: 2.5/5
Spirit (Fall Fresh on Me)
Edwin Hawkins and the Music & Arts Seminar Mass Choir
from the album Have Mercy
"I need Your Spirit
I want Your Spirit
To fall on me
Fall down on me"
Romans 8:9 -- "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."
This song is a classic, and it's really a shame that it's out of print. A moving lead verse, famously done by Daryl Coley, and one of the best choir vamps in the gospel repertoire.
Tempo: Moderate
Key: Dm
Resource links:
- Lyrics for Spirit
Difficulty level:
- For singers: 3.5/5
- For musicians: 3/5
What We Really Need
by Joan Hall
What We Really NeedIt's not an album, but maybe someday . . .
"To feel God's power, is what we really need
We come into His temple, a blessing to receive
A shower of the Holy Ghost, is what we really need"
Acts 1:4-5 -- "And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence."
Yes, this is an original song. An energetic tune that encourages the church to seek an outpouring of the Spirit.
Musically, how do I describe it? It's an a cappella song, at least part of the time it is, but it's got a hip-hop beat. It doesn't have a lead singer, but it has lead verses that the different sections of the choir do. And then there's the contrapuntal choral section in the middle.
Here's a preview: Excerpt of What We Really Need
You can get my self-recording of the full song, and also tracks with the individual soprano, alto, tenor, and bass parts, from ChoirParts.com: What We Really Need. The sheet music for the vocals is there, too. I don't have any written guidelines for the instruments, but you can get the feeling of it when you hear the song, and I know you'll come up with something that sounds way better than the little computer generated instrumental stuff I have on there.
Tempo: Fast
Key: Bbm
Difficulty level:
- For singers: 4/5
- For musicians: 3/5
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Do you have a suggestion for a Pentecost song?
This page has been blessed by Squidoo Angel Riff999!
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alanbowman777
Aug 1, 2011 @ 7:41 am | delete
- How about ...." Pentecost is Evangelism`s Birthday "........ seriously .
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_Joan_
Aug 1, 2011 @ 7:44 am | delete
- At our Pentecost concert this year, there was indeed a comment made about Pentecost being the church's birthday!
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jvsper63
Apr 21, 2011 @ 8:21 am | delete
- Nice peaceful lens..Great job!!!
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HSSchulte
Apr 15, 2011 @ 10:29 am | delete
- Wonderful new lens Joan.
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by JoanTheChoirLady
I've been singing in, playing for, writing for, and directing gospel choirs all my life. And I'm Pentecostal! more »
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