Hymn tunes are some of the most rewarding melodies to learn on an ocarina. They were written for congregations of untrained singers, so they move mostly by step, keep a steady pulse and repeat their phrases, and the ocarina's soft tone suits their slow, held lines.
Each tab is the melody line of one verse. Many hymns are sung to more than one tune, so where it matters the credit names the tune as well as the words: Be Thou My Vision, for example, is usually sung to the Irish melody Slane.
Abide with Me by Tune: Eventide (William H. Monk) / Words: Henry F. Lyte. Intermediate: 40 notes, C4 to A4, 1 sharp or flat.
Amazing Grace by John Newton. Easy: 32 notes, D4 to D5, no sharps or flats.
America the Beautiful by Tune: Materna (Samuel A. Ward) / Words: Katharine Lee Bates. Intermediate: 56 notes, D4 to E5, 1 sharp or flat, 2 big leaps.
Battle Hymn of the Republic by Tune: William Steffe (attrib.) / Words: Julia Ward Howe. Easy: 80 notes, E4 to E5, no sharps or flats.
Be Thou My Vision by Tune: Slane (Traditional Irish) / Words: trans. Mary Byrne and Eleanor Hull. Intermediate: 47 notes, C4 to F5, no sharps or flats.
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing by Tune: Nettleton (Traditional American) / Words: Robert Robinson. Easy: 63 notes, F4 to F5, no sharps or flats, 1 big leap.
Doxology (Old 100th) by Louis Bourgeois. Intermediate: 32 notes, D4 to D5, 2 sharps or flats.
Holy, Holy, Holy by Tune: Nicaea (John B. Dykes) / Words: Reginald Heber. Easy: 45 notes, C4 to C5, no sharps or flats.
It Is Well with My Soul by Tune: Ville du Havre (Philip P. Bliss) / Words: Horatio G. Spafford. Intermediate: 55 notes, D4 to D5, 1 sharp or flat.
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring by Johann Sebastian Bach. Challenging: 63 notes, C4 to F5, 8 sharps or flats, 2 big leaps.
Jesus Loves Me by William B. Bradbury. Easy: 49 notes, F4 to F5, no sharps or flats.
Were You There. Intermediate: 47 notes, C4 to F5, 1 sharp or flat.
About the spirituals
Spirituals such as Swing Low, Sweet Chariot come from an African-American singing tradition that was passed on by ear long before it was written down, so printed versions differ in small ways. Play them with some freedom in the rhythm.