Sunday's Hymn
Sunday, November 2, 2008 at 2:30PM I’m still on my Reformation kick, so I’m posting Martin Luther’s A Mighty Fortress as the hymn 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.
I think it’s appropriate to hear it sung by a choir of Lutherans, don’t you? This is the St. Olaf Choir, using the translation from the Lutheran Book of Worship, which is a different one than I’ve used. On verse three, they sing Luther’s very interesting original rhythm.
Other hymns, worship songs, sermons etc. posted today:
- A Hymn of Glory Let Us Sing at Hiraeth
- Christ Jesus Lay in Death’s Strong Bands at Field Stone Cottage
- Lord’s Day 44, 2008 at The Thirsty Theologian
- Once to Every Man and Nation at joythruChrist
- Lo! What a Cloud of Witnesses at Conjubilant with Song
- Sweet Is the Work, My God, My King at Whatever Things…
- Jesus, My Only Hope at The Happy Wonderer
- The Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Trintiy at Nova Scotia Scott
Have you posted a hymn today and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by emailing me at the address in the sidebar and I’ll add your post to the list.
Reader Comments (9)
I may be incorrect, but isn't reformation Sunday the last Sunday in October?
You are right, I think, although it seems that some people are doing the reformation thing today. I'm leaving the hymn because I like it. And we didn't sing any hymns in church today so I had to come up with something on my own.
We sang one song I thought about using, but I'd have had to explain why I can't sing one line of it, because it's so wrong, wrong, wrong....
Well, I changed the post.
I love blogging. :)
You have one up on me since I didn't make it to hear the one bad song today. It was a bit of a shut in day here at home.
It's not a bad song. Just one line that drives me crazy because it ruins a song I'd like otherwise. :)
Sick or lazy?
Lazy. Tired....
We celebrated Reformation Sunday at our church yesterday. Maybe because it was the Sunday closest to Oct. 31st?
I'd never heard that original rhythm of Luther's. It was quite interesting! Gotta love those Lutherans!
I am so glad to have “found” your blog. I am being blessed every day by it. Thank you so much for posting this hymn. So perfect for our study on Reformation Day.
Welcome to the blog, Suzanne.