Hymn Story, on A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD, by William Petersen

The poet Samuel Coleridge said of Martin Luther, “He did as much for the Reformation by his hymns as he did by his translation of the Bible.”  

Martin Luther’s grandest hymn is this one, inspired by the forty-sixth psalm. It became the battle cry of the Reformation. Martin Luther probably wrote it at a time when evangelical leaders were delivering their protest against the attack on their liberties at the Diet of Speyer. And incidentally, the meaning of the word protestant was no doubt derived from that meeting when these leaders delivered their protest.  

Martin Luther had posted his Ninety-five Theses on the door of the Wittenberg Church in October 1517, about thirteen years earlier. Despite his excommunication from the Roman church, Luther came to know the gracious power of God’s sheltering hand. He faced continual threats to his life and freedom, and times of intense spiritual battle as well. But in the comforting words of Psalm 46, Luther found the inspiration for this hymn: “A mighty fortress is our God!” 

Scriptures: Deuteronomy 33:27; 2 Samuel 22:2; Psalm 20:7; Psalm 46:1-3

Themes: Security, Trust, Confidence

Lyrics of the Hymn: 

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 pow’r 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 pow’rs, 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.

By MARTIN LUTHER (1483–1546) Translated by Frederick H. Hedge (1805–1890)

Reference for the Hymn: 

Petersen, William. The Complete Book of Hymns (pp. 370-371). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.