spiritual songs
Devotional musical pieces
Spiritual songs are religious songs expressing personal faith, devotion, or praise—particularly hymns and gospel music within Christian traditions.
The term often appears in the biblical phrase "psalms and hymns and spiritual songs," distinguishing spontaneous or Spirit-inspired singing from formal liturgical music.
In American history, spirituals specifically refers to the religious folk songs created by enslaved African Americans: Wade in the Water, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.
- canticleScriptural text sung devotionally
- hymnReligious song of praise
- psalmSacred scriptural song
- Negro spiritualsEnslaved African Americans' sacred music
- Gregorian chantMonophonic Catholic liturgical music
sacred music · chant · gospel · camp meeting · choral arrangement · choir loft · mantra · Tibetan chants · Kyrie · call and response · raise your voice · congregational · devotional · uplifting · liturgy · reverent · prayer meeting · community gatherings
- ChristianityJesus, Bible, Christ, God, Jesus Christ
- Sunday schoolBible stories, Sunday school teachers, memory verses, lesson plans, Bible verse
- sacred musichymns, hymn, anthem, anthems, gospel
- children's churchBible stories, Sunday school, children's ministry, memory verses, children's Bible
- church hymnshymnal, hymnals, Catholic hymns, choral hymns, gospel hymns
- Folk Hymnsfolk hymns, revival hymns, Amazing Grace, spirituals, African American spirituals
spiritual songssecular music
Non-sacred musical works
pop songs · drinking songs · love songs · work songs · dance music