A Safe Stronghold Our God Is Still Lyrics
Author: Martin Luther (1483-1546) Translator: Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881)
1 A safe stronghold our God is still,
a trusty shield and weapon;
he’ll keep us clear from all the ill
that hath us now o’ertaken.
The ancient prince of hell
hath risen with purpose fell;
strong mail of craft and power
he weareth in this hour;
on earth is not his fellow.
2 With force of arms we nothing can,
full soon were we down-ridden;
but for us fights the proper Man
whom God himself hath bidden.
Ask ye who is this same?
Christ Jesus is his name,
the Lord Sabaoth’s Son;
he, and no other one,
shall conquer in the battle.
3 And were this world all devils o’er,
and watching to devour us,
we lay it not to heart so sore;
they cannot overpower us.
And let the prince of ill
look grim as e’er he will,
he harms us not a whit;
for why? his doom is writ;
a word shall quickly slay him.
4 God’s word, for all their craft and force,
one moment will not linger,
but, spite of hell, shall have its course;
’tis written by his finger.
And though they take our life,
goods, honour, children, wife,
yet is their profit small;
these things shall vanish all:
the city of God remaineth.
A safe stronghold our God is still Hymn History
‘A Safe stronghold our God is still’ is a hymn that was originally composed by Martin Luther the famous German Protestant reformer in 1529.
It was later translated from German to English by Thomas Carlyle in 1831.
Martin Luther was German priest who in the 16th century led Protestant reformation in German.
This was a time when people were being led to believe that they could buy their way out of hell by giving donations towards the rebuilding of St Peter’s church in Rome.
Martin Luther had recently discovered through reading the bible that the only way to God was through faith in Jesus Christ only.
That you could not do anything to merit salvation. It was all by grace through faith and not by works.
With this knowledge he protested the idea that you could earn your way to heaven by giving money to the church.
To counter these abuses by the church he advocated the translation of the bible into German so that the ordinary people could read for themselves what God wanted.
He also introduced the German language into church services which had previously been held in Latin which most people did not understand.
He also led the way in composing hymns by setting words to the popular tunes of the day.
Below are more Martin Luther hymns: –
Good News from Heaven the Angels Bring
From Depths of Woe I Cry to Thee
A Safe Stronghold Our God Is Still YouTube Video
Below are more hymns’ stories and lyrics: –
Through All the Changing Scenes of Life
Brethren We Have Met to Worship
