Sing Praise to the Lord - Part VI
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives 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.” ~ Psalm 46:1-3
This Lord’s Day we begin our service of worship by singing one of the greatest songs of the Reformation, Martin Luther’s “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” Based on the 46th psalm, it was sung by Luther and his compatriot Philipp Melanchthon on countless occasions, especially during times of spiritual attack.
Luther is widely known for his impassioned assaults against Roman Catholic error, but he believed that the Christian’s greatest enemy was not the false doctrine of Rome but the Devil, whom he called our “ancient foe” and the “Prince of Darkness.” As we consider the lyrics of his hymn, we will see that Luther’s aim was to strengthen the Christian against the Enemy’s attacks.
There is a wonderful flow to the song that helps us to see the primacy of Jesus in our fight against the Devil. It moves first from God’s incontestable power (“A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing”) to our weakness (“Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing”). These twin realities remind us that we must never trust in ourselves — our righteousness, our law-keeping, our piety — but only in the Lord. Just as we can never earn heaven by our good works, neither can we defeat the Enemy by our own strength. After all, “on earth is not his equal.”
The hymn then emphasizes just how tireless the Devil and his minions are in trying to trip us up in our Christian walk. “Our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe.” His evil forces are “armed with cruel hate” and “threaten to undo us.” But we need not fear, for God has already won the battle! He is “our helper amidst the flood” of Satan’s attacks. What good news in the midst of the fight!
Lastly, Luther encourages us to hold loosely to the things of this world: “Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also.” How difficult this is for those who spend their waking hours trying to accumulate more earthly goods. It’s why Luther’s final line is so momentous: “The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still; His kingdom is forever.” Do you live as a citizen of His kingdom? If so, let the vain things of this earth slip away, and in doing so, take away the Devil’s tools of tempting you!
If you are feeling the “flood of mortal ills” rising up to your neck or the rage of Satan waring against your soul, remember the truth of Luther’s hymn: the right Man is on your side — the Lord of the Armies (“Lord Sabaoth”) is His name! He must win the battle, for He has willed His truth to triumph through you! And you have nothing to fear, for His kingdom is forever.
Rev. Kyle Lockhart, Associate Pastor