A Mighty Fortress is Our God

UMH # 110

Scripture Meditation

Psalm 46:1  God [is] our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

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.

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.
Dost 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.

And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo 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.

That word above all earthly powers,
no thanks to them, abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours,
thru him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
this mortal life also;
the body they may kill;
God's truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever.
 

Words and Music by Martin Luther 1529

Translated to English by Frederick H. Hedge 1853  

This song has been called “the greatest hymn of the greatest man of the greatest period of German history” and the “Battle Hymn of the Reformation.”  Today's protestant churches spring from the efforts of Martin Luther.  The Protestant Reformation is dated to 1517 when Martin Luther publicized his "95 theses" describing the wrongs that he perceived in the Roman Catholic Church.  This hymn has become a standard for protestants of all denominations.  Lutheran denominations carry his name today, though all protestants owe an earthly debt to his legacy.  Fellow baby-boomers and -busters likely recall this song as the theme to "Davey and Goliath," the claymation series about a boy and his dog, Goliath, in which Davey learns Scriptural truth and family values.

Certain followers of Luther's teachings were known as German Pietists.  In 1720 a revival flourished among them in Moravia but they were fiercely opposed by the Jesuits.  They fled to the city of Hernhutt and developed a religious community there under the benevolence of Count Zinzendorf, who accepted them into his province.  Peter Bohler was a Moravian, as this group came to be known.  John Wesley first came into contact with Moravians on his journey to Georgia in America in 1735.  He was highly impressed with the faith and fearlessness of all of the Moravian women, men, and children, during the very stormy ocean crossing.  He later made friends with another Moravian, Peter Bohler, who helped him in his faith journey, though they parted ways on several issues.  It was Peter Bohler who advised Wesley to "preach faith until you have it."  Wesley also visited Count Zinzendorf in Hernhutt and interviewed many Moravians while there.  Though Wesley denounced some of the Moravian views, he was greatly influenced by them in many ways, leading to his formation of Methodist Societies within the Church of England.

Frederick Henry Hedge attended Harvard University and Harvard Divinity School.  He became a pastor before going on to teach church history and German literature at Harvard.  He wrote books on liturgy, hymns, the Holy Spirit, and Hebrew traditions.