A Mighty Fortress is Our God

 

  Thoughts  for the Day, August 1, 2020 

This week we added three key verses to our collection from Psalms 46: 

 

 

 ¹God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the  mountains fall into the heart of the sea, (Psalm 46: 1-2)

 

      He says, Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth,  (Psalm 46:10)

 

The Lord Almighty is with us: the God of Jacob is our fortress. (Psalm 46:11)

This is a passage that Martin Luther held dear to his heart. In 1527, Luther faced one of the greatest difficulties of his life as the Black Plague swept across Germany and much of Europe. It was during that time that Luther’s son almost died and his own body was failing under the pressure. In the midst of these troubles,  he found comfort in the promises of Psalm 46. Gaining new strength from this ancient psalm,  Luther composed the famous hymn “A Mighty Fortress” which paraphrases the words from Psalm 46. May we too find a peace and strength in its words. Have a blessed weekend!

(Ligonier Ministries)