There Is a Green Hill Far Away
A hymn written for children that tells, in plain words, where and why Jesus died.
The words are public domain. We print a hymn only after checking it word for word against a dated old printing, and this one hasn’t been checked yet. Hymnary has it now.
“There Is a Green Hill Far Away” at HymnaryAbout this hymn
In simple words written for children, the hymn tells where Jesus died, that he died to take away sin, and that his death opens the way to God. It ends by asking the singer to love Jesus in return.
It follows the crucifixion outside the city wall of Jerusalem (John 19:17-20; Hebrews 13:12) and the words of the Apostles' Creed about Jesus suffering, dying and being buried. It is sung in Lent and Holy Week.
Cecil Frances Alexander published it in 1848 in Hymns for Little Children.
For musicians and planners
| Words | Cecil Frances Alexander, 1848 | Public domain |
|---|---|---|
| Tune | HORSLEY · William Horsley, 1844 | Public domain |
Checked 2026-09-27 against hymnary.org text, tune and person pages (attribution and rights only). The words are not transcribed here yet.
Hymn numbers checked against Hymnary.org’s index of Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Full record: Hymnary.