A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
On
October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his ninety-five theses to the door of
the Cathedral of Wittenberg, Germany. That date was sometimes called the “4th
of July of Protestantism.” It symbolized the start of the Protestant
Reformation.
And the single most powerful hymn of
the Protestant Reformation Movement was Luther’s “A Mighty Fortress Is Our
God,” based on Psalm 46. This hymn became the battle cry of the people, a great
source of strength and inspiration even for those who were martyred for their
convictions. Its majestic and thunderous proclamation of our faith is a singing
symbol of the reformation.
Inspired by Psalm 46, Luther caught
up in the hymn the very essence of faith, and the fervor and flavor of
patriotism which he found in the Psalm.
This hymn has been translated into
practically every known language and is regarded as one of the noblest and most
classic examples of Christian hymnody.
The first line of this national hymn
of Protestant Germany is fittingly inscribed on the tomb of the great reformer
at Wittenberg,
Luther had strong convictions about
the use and power of sacred music. Once
he wrote, “I would allow no man to preach or teach God’s people without a
proper knowledge of the use and power of sacred song.”
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
(1) A mighty fortress is our God, A
bulwark never failing;
Our helper He amid the flood Of
mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe Doth seek
to work us woe-
His craft and power are great, And,
armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not His equal.
(2) Did we in our own strength
confide, Our striving would be losing,
Were not the right man on our side,
The man of God's own choosing.
Doth ask who that may be? Christ
Jesus, it is He-
Lord Sabaoth His name, From age to
age the same,
And He must win the battle.
(3) And though this world with
devils filled, Should threaten to unto us.
We will not fear, for God hath
willed His truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim, We
tremble not for him-
His rage we can endure, For lo, his
doom is sure:
One little word shall fell him.
(4) That word above all earthly
powers, No thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours
Through Him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go, This
mortal life also-
They body they may kill; God's truth
abideth still:
His kingdom is forever.
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