16 Easy Christian Worship Songs to Play on Guitar
Learn to Play Worship Guitar in 4-Weeks [Click Here]
Amazing Love – Hillsong
Chords: G, C, D
Difficulty: Chord switching at an intermediate pace; easy to play once you can transition between the G, C, and D chords at a reasonable pace.
Guitar Tabs: Amazing Love – Hillsong
Song Description
Amazing love is a song you can play with 3 easy guitar chords: G, C, and D. This is a simplified version, of course, but it still sounds very close to the original.
This is a great worship song (I personally love this song!), and a great one to play as a part of any worship team, in front of your church, or just learn by yourself to sing along to whenever you’d like.
The chord progression is as follows throughout the song: G, C, G, D.
None of the chords mentioned here involve any bars or capos. You’ll be able to play this relatively easily in standard tuning (E A D G B E).
If you don’t remember how this song goes and need a refresher, here’s the first verse and chorus to jog your memory.
Lyrics Snippet
[Verse] I’m forgiven, because you were forsakenI’m accepted, you were condemnedI’m alive and well, your spirit is within meBecause you died and rose again
[Chorus] Amazing love, how can it bethat you my king would die for meAmazing love, I know it’s trueAnd it’s my joy to honor youIn all I do, I honor you
Who You Say I Am – Hillsong Worship
Chords: G, C, Em, D
Difficulty: There’s some quicker chord switching in this song in both the verses and the chorus, a little more so in the chorus. Other than that, it’s easy to play once you learn the chords.
Guitar Tabs: Who You Say I Am – Hillsong Worship
Song Description
Who You Say I Am is another easy song you can learn to play on guitar without too much struggle. The chords are fundamental, core chords that you’ll have to learn at one point or another (or should already know if you’ve been playing for a period of time!)
Note: All of the songs from this point onward will be played with 4 chords. Even though I could’ve simplified a few of them even more into just 3 chords, they just wouldn’t have sounded the same. I decided to do all I could to keep the “essence” of the music.
You’ll notice that the remainder of the songs listed here sound a bit “richer” than the first song we simplified down to only 3 chords (Amazing Love). Even though Amazing Love still sounds good, adding an E Minor (Em) into the chord progression would significantly improve the sound. Just my two cents!
Anyways, back to Who You Say I Am — here are the chords you’ll have to learn to play this song:
The chord progression here is G, Em, D, G followed by G, Em, D, C.
While playing the verses you alternate the last chord between G and C, but all the root chords played here remain the same.
Again, I included a snippet of the lyrics to jog your memory.
Lyrics Snippet
[Verse] Who am I that the highest King would welcome meI was lost, but He brought me in oh His love for meOh His love for me
[Chorus] Who the Son sets free Oh is free indeedI’m a child of God yes I am
10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) – Matt Redman
Chords: C, G, D, Em
Difficulty: Contains intermediate-paced chord switching (once every 2 seconds or so during the song). It’s relatively easy to play once you can switch chords quickly with some practice.
Guitar Tabs: 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) – Matt Redman
Song Description
10,000 Reasons by Matt Redman is a song most of us easily recognize. It’s unique in that it actually starts with the chorus and then goes on into the verse.
As I mentioned in the previous description (Who You Say I Am), every song from this point on is going to have 4 chords instead of 3 (giving them a richer sound, and having them all sounding even more like the original!)
The chord progression here goes like this: C, G, D, Em.
Once again, these aren’t tricky chords. After practicing for a few hours (this is, realistically, how long it should take if you’re new to this – perhaps a bit longer), you’ll be able to have these chords down pretty well.
When I was learning my first chord progression on guitar, it took me roughly a week (practicing an hour or so a day), until I could play the chords without looking at the frets, purely by muscle memory.
You can get to a good point with a few hours of practice, but it’ll take a little longer to develop the muscle memory for each chord.
Here is the Verse and Chorus to 10,000 Reasons:
Lyrics Snippet
[Chorus] Bless the Lord, O my soulO my soulWorship His holy nameSing like never beforeO my soulI’ll worship Your holy name
[Verse] The sun comes up, it’s a new day dawningIt’s time to sing Your song againWhatever may pass, and whatever lies before meLet me be singing when the evening comes
Broken Vessels (Amazing Grace) – Hillsong
Chords: Em, G, D, C
Difficulty: Easy to play. You’ll be switching chords once every line in this song, at a bit of slower pace compared to the last few. The only part that may be a bit more difficult is that there isn’t a repeating chord progression; it changes slightly throughout the song.
Guitar Tabs: Broken Vessels (Amazing Grace) – Hillsong
Song Description
This is another excellent song from Hillsong Worship. Broken Vessels is relatively easy to learn, as it contains the same four chords we’ve been seeing over and over again in the last few songs.
If you stop and look at the most common chords all of these worship songs contain, you’ll notice that Em, G, D, and C appear very frequently.
Learn these four chords, and you’re already 75% of the way there to play just about every worship song we list! Pretty cool, isn’t it?
The chord progression for Broken Vessels goes like this for the chorus: C, D, Em, G.
This song is a little bit more difficult in that it doesn’t have a “rotating” chord progression. When I say rotating, I mean playing the same four chords over and over again in the same order each time.
The chords here are mixed up a little, but that’s what makes this song sound great.
You’ll find a snippet from the first verse and chorus down below.
Lyrics Snippet
[Verse] All these piecesBroken and scatteredIn mercy gatheredMended and wholeEmpty handedBut not forsakenI’ve been set freeI’ve been set free
[Chorus] Amazing graceHow sweet the soundThat saved a wretch like meI once was lostBut now I’m foundWas blind but now I see
Build My Life – Housefires
Chords: G, C, Em, Am, D
Difficulty: Even though this song contains five chords (instead of the usual 3 or 4 up until now), the chord progression is fairly simple. This makes it easy to play once you’ve mastered the chords and can comfortably transition between them.
Guitar Tabs: Build My Life – Housefires
Song Description
And we finally come across our first 5-chord song! Don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it sounds. And if you’ve been following along with some of the earlier songs I mentioned, you should already have G, C, Em, and D down.
The one new chord we’ve been seeing here is A Minor (Am), but luckily, it’s also a reasonably straightforward chord to grasp.
The chord progression in the verses alternates between G and C. Very simple.
And in the chorus, the chord progression goes like this: C, Am, G, Em.
This entire song is mostly played with those four chords. The only place that a D chord comes up is in the bridge of the song (and it’s only played once).
Atmosphere
This song is a slower, quieter worship song that would work great when mixed into a worship set either before or after a prayer (or if a softer song is desired).
The lyrics are easy to remember once you’ve heard the song all the way through at least one time (but with the chorus, you can even pick that up on your first time singing this song due to it repeating).
Lyrics Snippet
[Verse] Worthy of every song we could ever singWorthy of all the praise we could ever bringWorthy of every breath we could ever breatheWe live for You
[Chorus] Holy there is no one like YouThere is none beside YouOpen up my eyes in wonderShow me who You areAnd fill me with Your heartAnd lead me in Your loveto those around me
Cornerstone – Hillsong
Chords: C, Em, C, D (transposed -5)
Difficulty: Involves some quicker chord switching in the chorus. A little more difficult than most of the songs we’ve mentioned earlier, but still very doable with some quality practice. Transposed -5 into an easier key (G).
Guitar Tabs: Cornerstone – Hillsong
Song Description
Cornerstone by Hillsong is a great worship song — I personally love singing it! This is a more upbeat song that would fit in great as the last worship song when closing out your set (if you’ll be playing this with your worship band).
Using only four chords (the same ones we’ve already used numerous times in previous worship songs above), this song should be easy to pick up no matter what your level of play is.
The chord progression is as follows: G, Em, C, D. Once you learn these chords and get them down to where you can quickly transition between them, you’ll make quick work of picking up Cornerstone.
Lyrics Snippet
[Verse] My hope is built on nothing lessThan Jesus’ blood and righteousnessI dare not trust the sweetest frameBut wholly trust in Jesus’ name
[Chorus] Christ alone, CornerstoneWeak made strong in the Savior’s loveThrough the stormHe is LordLord of all
Holy Spirit – Bryan and Katie Torwalt
Chords: G, C, Am, D (key of G; transposed -9)
Difficulty: Very easy to play with nice slow chord transitions and only four chords to master. Transposed -9 into the key of G for easier chords.
Guitar Tabs: Holy Spirit – Bryan and Katie Torwalt
Song Description
Holy Spirit by Bryan and Katie Torwalt is originally in the key of E. Unfortunately for us, playing this in E introduces an F Sharp Minor Chord (F#m) and B Chord. These are both bar chords!
Bar chords definitely aren’t easy to play; check out the chord chart for F#m and B below. A whole bar for F#m on the second fret, and a five string second fret bar for B. There’s some difficult guitar notes there!
To get around this and simplify this song to a playable beginner level, what I did was transposed the entire song down 9 half steps (-9 transpose). This brought it down from E to G, giving us the same chords we’ve been playing the rest of these songs in!
Great, isn’t it? You can re-use the same chords and practice them over and over.
The chord progression goes G, C, Am.
Just like in Cornerstone, the D chord only appears in the bridge here. Everything else is played purely with G, C, and Am.
Lyrics Snippet
[Verse] There’s nothing worth more, that will ever come closeNo thing can compare, You’re our living hopeYour presence
[Chorus] Holy Spirit You are welcome hereCome flood this place and fill the atmosphereYour Glory God is what our hearts long forTo be overcome by Your Presence Lord
Stronger – Hillsong
Chords: C, D, G, Em
Difficulty: Relatively easy to play, with some “intermediate-speed” chord transitions. They aren’t too fast and they aren’t too slow either; with a bit of practice you’ll be able to play Stronger flawlessly.
Guitar Tabs: Stronger – Hillsong
Song Description
I hate to sound like a broken record, but Stronger by Hillsong Worship also uses the same four chords we’ve been seeing over and over again: C, D, G, and Em.
This song is more in the intermediate-beginner range because of its speed. You have to switch between C, D, and G very quickly in the verses (and you’ll also throw in an Em in there).
You’ll have to practice your chord switching if you want to pull off playing this song smoothly.
That’s also the chord progression for this song’s verses: C, D, G, and Em. The chorus is a little bit different since it goes: G, D, Em, C
Lyrics Snippet
[Verse] There is a Love that came for usHumbled to a sinner’s crossYou broke my shame and sinfulnessYou rose again victorious
[Chorus] You are stronger, You are strongerSin is broken, You have saved meIt is written, Christ is risenJesus You are Lord of all
Mighty to Save – Hillsong
Chords: C, G, Em, D
Difficulty: Mighty to Save only has two chord changes per line, making it easy to play. Be sure to master the C, G, Em, and D chords if you want to play this worship song flawlessly (and smoothly!)
Guitar Tabs: Mighty to Save – Hillsong
Song Description
Mighty to Save by Hillsong United is a worship song you’ve very likely heard or sung along to in the past. I listen to it on my local Christian radio station all the time (K-LOVE) and have sung it (and played it!) numerous times in our church’s worship segment of the service.
It’s played in standard tuning (E A D G B E) and contains only four chords. Do you want to guess which ones?
That’s right, the same four chords: C, G, Em, and D.
The chord progression for the chorus of Mighty to Save is G, D, C, Em. For the verses, it’s C, G, Em, D.
I’ve included a snippet of the lyrics below.
Lyrics Snippet
[Verse] Everyone needs compassionA love that’s never failingLet mercy fall on meEveryone needs forgivenessThe kindness of a saviorAnd hope of nations
[Chorus] Savior, he can move the mountainsMy God is mighty to saveHe is mighty to saveForever, author of salvationHe rose and conquered the graveJesus conquered the grave
Everlasting God – Lincoln Brewster
Chords: G, C, Em, D
Difficulty: There are only two chord changes per line at a medium pace in Everlasting God. On top of that, the chord progression is super easy and repeating. This is the perfect worship song for beginners to pick up and learn!
Guitar Tabs: Everlasting God – Lincoln Brewster
Song Description
These four chords sure are persistent, letting us play nearly every song on this list. Hello again G, C, Em, and D! Those are the only four chords you’ll need to know to play Everlasting God.
I classify this song as being at a true beginner level. There isn’t any quick chord switching anywhere in the chorus. The verses of Everlasting God don’t have any fast chord switches either, except for the last two lines of each verse (where there’s a quicker transition).
If you’re on a quest to find an easy worship song that you can learn incredibly quick, this could be the one.
Lyrics Snippet
[Verse] Strength will rise as we wait upon the LordWait upon the LordAs we wait upon the LordStrength will rise as we wait upon the LordWait upon the LordWe will wait upon the LordOur God, You reign foreverOur hope, our strong Deliverer
[Chorus] You are the everlasting GodThe everlasting GodYou do not faint and you won’t grow wearyYou’re the defender of the weakYou comfort those in needYou lift us up on wings like eagles
God of Wonders – Third Day
Chords: Em, C, G, D
Difficulty: This song isn’t too difficult to play, but it does feature some more advanced techniques in the tabs (these can be ignored for now). As long as you can transition fluidly between Em, C, G, and D, you can learn this song!
Guitar Tabs: God of Wonders – Third Day
Song Description
“God of wonders beyond our galaxy…”, as the song goes! This is one of my favorite worship songs. It’s easy to pick up and play (using our same four chords once again), and it’s a little more upbeat allowing it to fit in the middle of any worship segment easily.
The chord progression goes G, D, Em, C.
I want to point out, though, that this is a more advanced song. If you look at the guitar tabs I listed, you’ll notice that there are a lot of tougher techniques listed such as hammering guitar strings and sliding.
Ignore those techniques for now (unless you’re up for a challenge!). What you want to focus on right now is getting the chords down and transitioning quick enough to play God of Wonders smoothly.
Lyrics Snippet
[Verse] Lord of all creationsOf water earth and skyThe heavens are Your tabernacleGlory to the Lord on high
[Chorus] God of wonders beyond our galaxyYou are holy, holyThe universe declares Your majestyYou are holy, holyLord of heaven and earthLord of heaven and earth
Reckless Love – Cory Asbury
Chords: Em, D, C, G
Difficulty: Easy to play. Reckless Love has a steady, repeating chord progression that remains the same throughout the verses and the chorus; the only difference in the chorus is adding an extra G chord to the end. Take a look at the tabs for more details.
Guitar Tabs: Reckless Love – Cory Asbury
Song Description
Reckless Love by Cory Asbury is another great worship song I like to sing (and play, as a matter of fact!) It once again revolves around these same four chords (Em, D, C, and G), making it simple to play once you get these chords down and mastered.
I would classify this song as being in the beginner range, because you switch between chords at a “medium-slow” pace when playing each verse and chorus (there are chord switches every few words of the song if you take a look at the tabs I provided).
Here is the chord progression for each Verse: Em, D, C
And here is the chord progression for the Chorus: Em, D, C, G
This chord progression repeats over and over again, so as long as you can switch comfortably between Em, D, C, and G (in that order), then you’ve got this song down!
I would highly recommend starting with this song if you’re just beginning to learn some worship music. The chord progression for the verses and the chorus is exactly the same, making it easy to master.
Lyrics Snippet
[Verse] Before I spoke a word, You were singing over meYou have been so, so good to meBefore I took a breath, You breathed Your life in meYou have been so, so kind to me
[Chorus] Oh the overwhelming, never ending, reckless love of GodOh, it chases me down, fights ’till I’m found, leaves the ninety-nineI couldn’t earn it, I don’t deserve it. Still You give yourself awayOh the overwhelming, never ending, reckless love of God
The Heart of Worship – Matt Redman
Chords: D, A, G, Em
Difficulty: The Heart of Worship is a relatively easy to play song. You’re going to be switching between D, A, G, and Em every few seconds, so your primary “practice point” should be smooth chord transitions if you want to get this song down quick.
Guitar Tabs: The Heart of Worship – Matt Redman
Song Description
The Heart of Worship by Matt Redman can be played with these four relatively simple chords: D, A, G, and Em.
The chord progression for each verse goes as follows: D, A, G… repeat.
The chord progression for the chorus goes like this: Em, D, A… repeat.
That’s what makes this song easy to play. You only have to switch between three chords at a time (in a repeating manner) to play each verse, and again only three alternating chords to play the chorus.
Here’s a snippet of the first verse and chorus.
Lyrics Snippet
[Verse] When the music fades all is stripped away and I simply comeLonging just to bring something that’s of worth that will bless your heart
[Chorus] I’m coming back to the heart of worship, and it’s all about You, it’s all about You Jesus
I’m sorry Lord for the thing I made it when it’s all about You, it’s all about You Jesus
Open the Eyes of My Heart – Paul Baloche
Chords: G, D, C, Em
Difficulty: Very easy to play! Each line only has one chord that you need to play. Highly recommended for beginners.
Guitar Tabs: Open the Eyes of My Heart – Paul Baloche
Song Description
Open the Eyes of My Heart by Paul Baloche has been around for many years now (released in 2000). I remember singing this song in worship in the mid-2000’s, and I still continue to hear it played and sung every once in a while.
This truly fits the description of easy to play! Each line of the verse only has one chord that you need to play for that line (except for the last line which consists of two chords).
The slower tempo of this song gives you more time to change chords as well.
Where things might get a little tricky is the chorus (chord switches happen more often), but it’s still very doable if you spend the time practicing.
The chord progression for the verses goes like this: G, D, C, G… repeat.
The chord progression for the chorus is as follows: D, Em, C, D… and a few more chords mixed in. It’s not 100% a repeating pattern (alternates a little bit between chords).
I’ve included a snippet of the lyrics below.
Lyrics Snippet
[Verse] Open the eyes of my heart, LordOpen the eyes of my heartI want to see You, I want to see You
[Chorus] To see You high and lifted upShining in the light of Your gloryPour out Your power and loveAs we sing holy, holy, holy
How Great is Our God – Chris Tomlin
Chords: G, Em, C, D
Difficulty: Easy to play. The chord switches in How Great is Our God are at a slower pace, letting you take your time when transitioning between chords. Another great song for beginners to start learning on.
Guitar Tabs: How Great is Our God – Chris Tomlin
Song Description
How Great is Our God is a very popular worship song to this day — and for a good reason! It’s a fantastic song to sing out in worship with some great lyrics. I still hear it playing on the radio at least several times a week (the international version of How Great is Our God is one of my favorites!)
I’m sure you’ve already noticed that we’re using the same four familiar chords I’ve mentioned a hundred times already: G, Em, C, and D.
The chord switches in this song are pretty slow as well, so you’ll easily be able to pick this song up and get going with some quality practice!
Both the verses and the chorus have relatively slow chord switches; you’ll be switching chords approximately twice every line (and only one time at the last line of each verse).
The chord progression for verses goes: G, Em, C… repeat.
The chord progression for the chorus is G, D, Em… with some variation. It isn’t a strict repeating pattern in the chorus (see the chord charts I reference for more detail).
A lyrics snippet is included below.
Lyrics Snippet
[Verse] The splendor of the King, clothed in majestyLet all the earth rejoice, all the earth rejoice.He wraps Himself in light, and darkness tries to hideAnd trembles at his voice, trembles at his voice.
[Chorus] How great is our God, sing with meHow great is our God, all will seeHow great, how great is our God
One Thing Remains – Jesus Culture
Chords: C, G, D, Em, Am
Difficulty: One Thing Remains is at an intermediate-beginner level, and requires you to learn five chords. The chord progressions are fairly simple once you can easily transition between C, G, D, Em, and Am.
Guitar Tabs: One Thing Remains – Jesus Culture
Song Description
I saved the best for last. This has been my favorite song for over a decade (I especially like the chorus!).
The only thing with One Thing Remains by Jesus Culture is its difficulty. It’s a little bit on the harder side to learn (not to mention, it contains five chords that you’ll have to learn instead of 3 or 4).
The chords are all pretty simple to pick up (and ones we’ve seen recurring throughout this list): C, G, D, Em, and Am.
The chord progression for the verses goes as follows: C, G, D… repeat. Pretty simple.
The chord progression for the chorus is Em, C, G, D…repeat. Also pretty simple.
The difficulty comes in with the speed of chord switches required. You have to change every 2 seconds or so in the chorus, and also around every 2 seconds in the verses.
Once you get good at your chord switches though, you’ll be able to play this song flawlessly after some excellent quality practice!
Lyrics Snippet
[Verse] Higher than the mountains that I faceStronger than the power of the graveConstant in the trial and the changeOne thing remainsOne thing remains
[Chorus] Your love never fails, never gives upNever runs out on meYour love never fails, never gives upNever runs out on meYour love never fails, never gives upNever runs out on meYour love…
What Makes a Worship Song “Easy” to Play on Guitar?
There are easy songs, and there are difficult songs. What distinguishes one from the other?
The first point we have to consider is speed. Is this a fast BPM song that’ll force you to transition between chords at a lightning pace? If so, it’s fair to classify it as intermediate or advanced (depending on the intensity and chords being switched between).
After checking out the BPM and making sure everything is set, the next thing we look at are the actual chords themselves. Are there bar chords involved? Are there chords where your fingers stretch along multiple frets, making them hard for a beginner to grasp?
Once we’ve analyzed each chord and figured out how difficult the song truly is to play from scratch, we can give it a final rating.
All of the songs listed above are in the beginner range (with only a couple being intermediate).
Do 2-Chord and 3-Chord Worship Songs Exist?
Yes, they do. It’s very possible to simplify any worship song down to just two or three chords. The only problem is, when played solo, it’ll sound nothing like the original.
There’s a fine line between an over-simplified song and one that’s simplified just enough to both sound good and be easy to play for a beginner on guitar.
In my opinion, simplifying any song down to two chords (unless it’s genuinely a repeating song, or something straightforward) takes away the essence of the song. It’s just too much.
3-chord songs, on the other hand, are perfectly reasonable. If we’re talking about a simple song here, simplifying it down to 3 chords should (in most cases) keep the essence of the song and let you play it and sing along to it.
If the song gets any more complex though, you’ll start to notice that the version you’re playing on guitar vs. the original version you heard time and time again doesn’t sound very much alike.
As a Beginner, What Do I Need to Know About Playing Worship Songs?
The most important thing: You’re playing to glorify God, praise his name, and worship! Try your best, don’t give up, and you’ll be able to learn any of the songs listed above in short order.
Once you have the “why” down and know that you’ll need to persist through the learning process (everyone runs into struggles, it’s just a natural part of getting better), then you can start mastering the chords I described above.
Look at the chord charts, practice getting your finger positions in place, and then practice transitioning between chords.
Once you transition enough times, you’ll begin building up muscle memory for where your fingers go on the fretboard.
With enough practice, you’ll eventually build up muscle memory to every chord you frequently use.
And that’s all there is to it. Keep practicing, choose a worship song that you like the most, and you’ll be playing these worship songs like a pro in no time! If you’re up for it, maybe you can even play them around the campfire sometime!