A Mighty Fortress Is Our God: The Reformation is a celebration of who God is.

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God:  The Reformation is a celebration of who God Is.

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

We might not agree with everything that Martin Luther espoused, such as his anti-Semitism. However, we can agree with him and the word of God that we are saved by grace and should live our lives in faith.

Luther loved to praise God and wrote many hymns.  His most famous hymn is “A Mighty Fortress is our God.”  Most of us learned the English translation by Fredrick H. Hedge.  That translation was published in 1853.   The hymn is based on Psalm 46.

Psalm 46:1-3 (NKJV):
¹  God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.
²  Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
³  Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling.

Let’s celebrate the Reformation, the knowledge that we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), with renewed hearts proclaiming that God is our refuge and our strength and in Him we need not fear.  What a powerful word for today.

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.