A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
He Helps Us Free from Ev'ry Need
Today this hymn is known as the battle hymn of the (Lutheran) Reformation. But in Luther’s day it was known as a hymn of comfort. It is easy to see why for both. The hymn is shot through with the language of battle. “A mighty fortress…A trusty shield and weapon;…The old evil foe…his dread arms in fight…fights the valiant One…Of Sabaoth1 Lord,…He holds the field forever…He’s by our side upon the plain…Our vict’ry has been won'; The Kingdom ours remaineth.”
In paraphrasing Psalm 46, Luther lays out the cosmic battle being raged all around us. The Apostle Paul peels back the curtain a bit and describes it in Romans 6:12 as thus, “for our struggle is not against blood and flesh but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
Is it any wonder why we struggle? Why we sin? Why there is so much wrong with our world, not just today, but always? “Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8b). And he will attack everything we hold dear to accomplish his aims. As Luther points out, “And take they our life, Goods, fame, child, and wife,” (stz. 4).
It is enough to trigger a fight or flight reaction. But where would we run? So turn to fight, but how? The Devil is stronger than us. We, by our own power and strength, cannot overcome him. “On earth is not his equal. With might of ours can naught be done, Soon were our loss effected.” Is it all hopeless then? Are we doomed to be tormented in this life and the next?
Here flows the hymn of comfort. For this battle that is being waged is not fought by us. A mighty fortress is our God…He helps free us from ev’ry need That hath us now o’ertaken…But for us fights the valiant One, Whom God Himself elected. Ask ye, Who is this? Jesus Christ it is, of Sabaoth Lord, And there’s none other God; He hold the field forever.”
The power of the devils has been shut up. “This world’s prince may still Scowl fierce as he will, He can harm us none. He’s judged; the deed is done; One little word can fell him.” And even if we lose all, “life, goods, fame, child, and wife, Those these all be gone, Our vict’ry has been won; The Kingdom ours remaineth.”
It might feel like you are living in the proverbial lion’s den. But Christ has shut the mouths up of all the lions. He fights on your behalf. Jesus fights for you because He loves you. He loves you more than you can ever imagine. He washes away your sins, He makes you a new creation. He gives you not only a new start, a new life, but everlasting life with Him in Paradise.
656 A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
1 A mighty fortress is our God,
A trusty shield and weapon;
He helps us free from ev’ry need
That hath us now o’ertaken.
The old evil foe
Now means deadly woe;
Deep guile and great might
Are his dread arms in fight;
On earth is not his equal.
2 With might of ours can naught be done,
Soon were our loss effected;
But for us fights the valiant One,
Whom God Himself elected.
Ask ye, Who is this?
Jesus Christ it is,
Of Sabaoth Lord,
And there’s none other God;
He holds the field forever.
3 Though devils all the world should fill,
All eager to devour us,
We tremble not, we fear no ill;
They shall not overpow’r us.
This world’s prince may still
Scowl fierce as he will,
He can harm us none.
He’s judged; the deed is done;
One little word can fell him.
4 The Word they still shall let remain
Nor any thanks have for it;
He’s by our side upon the plain
With His good gifts and Spirit.
And take they our life,
Goods, fame, child, and wife,
Though these all be gone,
Our vict’ry has been won;
The Kingdom ours remaineth.2
Sabaoth means “host or army (of heaven).”
Text: tr. composite; Martin Luther, 1483–1546. Text: Public domain