A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

1. 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 pow’r are great,
And, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

2. 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.

3. And tho’ this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph thro’ 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.

4. That word above all earthly pow’rs,
No thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours
Thro’ 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.

Martin Luther, 1483-1546

Trans. By Frederick H. Hedge, 1805-1890

The Church’s One Foundation

1. The church’s one Foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is His new creation
By water and the Word;
From heav’n He came and sought her
To be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her,
And for her life He died.

2. Elect from ev’ry nation,
Yet one o’er all the earth;
Her charter of salvation—
One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy Name she blesses,
Partakes one holy food;
And to one hope she presses,
With ev’ry grace endued.

3. Tho’ with a scornful wonder
Men see her sore oppressed,
By schisms schisms rent asunder,
By heresies distressed,
Yet saints their watch are keeping,
Their cry goes up, “How long?”
And soon the night of weeping
Shall be the morn of song.

4. ‘Mid toil and tribulation,
And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
Of peace for evermore;
Till with the vision glorious
Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great church victorious
Shall be the church at rest.

5. Yet she on earth hath union
With God the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion
With those whose rest is won.
O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we,
Like them, the meek and lowly,
On high may dwell with Thee!

Samuel J. Stone, 1839-1900

Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus

1. Stand up, stand up for Jesus,
Ye soldiers of the cross,
Lift high His royal banner,
It must not suffer loss;
From vict’ry unto vict’ry,
His army shall He lead,
Till ev’ry foe is vanquished,
And Christ is Lord indeed.

2. Stand up, stand up for Jesus,
The trumpet call obey;
Forth to the mighty conflict,
In this His glorious day.
Ye that are men, now serve Him,
Against unnumbered foes;
Let courage rise with danger,
And strength to strength oppose.

3. Stand up, stand up for Jesus,
Stand in His strength alone;
The arm of flesh will fail you—
Ye dare not trust your own;
Put on the gospel armor,
Each piece put on with prayer;
Where duty calls, or danger,
Be never wanting there.

4. Stand up, stand up for Jesus,
The strife will not be long;
This day the noise of battle,
The next, the victor’s song;
To him that overcometh,
A crown of life shall be;
He with the King of glory
Shall reign eternally.

George Duffield, 1818-1888