A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

Scriptural Theology Set to Music

A Mighty Fortress is Our God begins with the stanza:

“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.”

Both the words and melody were written by German Reformer Martin Luther in 1527-1529 under the circumstances of hardship and persecution.  The long-revered hymn is a powerful paraphrase of Psalm 46’s eleven verses and a forceful declaration that it is Jesus Christ who is our Defender and Savior. 

Psalm 46: 1-11 ESV

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth give way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved. God will help her when the morning dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The Lord of Hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our fortress. Come behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. Be Still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth! The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God is presently the fourteenth most popular traditional hymn in the United States. It was reportedly the favorite hymn of both Robert E. Lee and Winston Churchill.

The second stanza is a powerful short statement of Christian theology, at the same time, warning us against reliance on our own strength.  To God alone belongs the power and the glory, given to us through Christ Jesus alone.  The King James translation of the Lord’s Prayer taught in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:9-13 reminds us: “For thine in the Kingdom,  and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen”

“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.”

The third stanza of Luther’s hymn reminds us that the ungodly mindset and ways of this world perpetrated by the “Prince of Darkness” and his agents may threaten us, but Christ’s Truth will triumph through us. Satan’s doom is sure, and our salvation and victory are sure through Christ’s already accomplished and final victory.

“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.

The fourth and final stanza of the hymn assures us that God’s Word abides triumphant over all earthly powers and that Christ has given us the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit. Christ is our infallible helper and eternal defender. God’s kingdom and truth and his protection for us will prevail forever.

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.

The Divine assertion that God is our fortress, rock, refuge, and shield is not a minor theme limited to Psalm 46. It is expressed in at least 45 passages of Scripture. It is obviously a very major theme. It is especially common in the Psalms but widespread in Scripture. Below are some relevant favorites.

Psalm 18:2. “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Psalm 31:2-3. “Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me! For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name's sake you lead me and guide me;”

Genesis 15:1. “After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: ‘Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”

Exodus: 15:2. “The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him.”

Nahum 1:7. “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.”

Isaiah 12:2. “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”

Jeremiah 16:9. “O Lord, my strength and my stronghold, my refuge in the day of trouble, to you shall the nations come from the ends of the earth and say: ‘Our fathers have inherited nothing but lies, worthless things in which there is no profit.”

Philippians 4:13. “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

Ephesians 2:8-10 provides and important reminder that our strength comes from God through Christ and not ourselves:

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

Psalm 91:1-2. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Mathew 16:18. “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Psalm 119:114. “You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.”

The Christian Faith Archive recently released a 31-minute YouTube video featuring statistical documentation of seven reasons why most American denominations and congregations have declined since 1970, but some are growing and thriving. Replacing the old traditional hymns with modern praise music was mistake number 3 of the 7. The results might surprise those who believed replacing the old hymns with modern praise music was the path to growth and survival. It may have looked to be true in the early 1980’s, but the longer term results prove the opposite. Church congregations that either retained or returned to traditional hymns are growing. The old hymns were mostly built around and taught Scripture, theology, and sound doctrine.  This turned out to be a very effective method for teaching, retaining, and uplifting sound Christian truth and imbedding Christian faith and values. Most Christian Praise music is significantly shallower. It may have been more emotionally uplifting for a period and seemed attractive as a growth strategy, but it produced congregations with alarmingly shallow theology and Biblical knowledge, whose membership tended to drift away to the next consumer experience. It may have seemed appropriate under the tidal wave of Consumerist psychology, but in effect it replaced much biblical substance with entertainment and shallow consumerism. Much of Christian Praise music is good and valuable, but we pushed the very best out of many churches based on the dubious and silly philosophy that old is bad and new is good.

The life of the Church and believers requires firm adherence to the truth, spiritual discernment, and careful evaluation.  

1 Thessalonians 5:21. “Test all things; hold fast to what is good.”