When we were reading our recent read aloud Reformation Heroes, we were reading about Martin Luther. It said that he was a hymn writer and that we still sing some of his hymns today. It mentioned Away in a Manger and A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. I asked the boys if they knew these. They said they knew Away in the Manger, but not the other one. Well, that did it. I added this to our HOTW list right away. It is a great one. We talked last night about how this song is all about the "fight of faith" that we battle every day. God gave us the only way to win and that is in utter reliance on the fact that Christ must win the battle. The first verse doesn't quite get the whole story in, it mostly just introduces the battle. The victory comes in the subsequent verses.
Hymn of the Week
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Words and music by Marin Luther
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 through 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.
No comments:
Post a Comment