Firm Foundation

But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Sheba in exchange for you.
Isaiah 43:1-3

 How Firm a Foundation LB W 551

 1    How firm a foundation, O saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in his excellent word!
     What more can he say than to you he has said who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?

2    Fear not, I am with you, oh, be not dismayed, for I am your God and will still give you aid;
      I’ll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand, upheld by my righteous, omnipotent          hand.

3    When through fiery trials your pathway shall lie, my grace, all-sufficient, shall be your supply.
      The flames shall not hurt you; I only design your dross to consume and your gold to refine.

4    Throughout all their lifetime my people shall prove my sovereign, eternal, unchangeable 
       love; and then, when gray hairs shall their temples adorn, like lambs they shall still in my  
       bosom be borne.”

Text: J. Rippon, A Selection of Hymns, 1787, alt.

       This hymn comes from a famous collection of hymns assembled by a Baptist Minister named John Rippon in 1787, but in many hymnals the text is attributed to “K”.  This is likely Rippon’s assistant, Robert Keene, a close friend of Rippon’s and song leader at his church. This hymn was sung frequently in both the North and the South before the Civil War. It was a favorite hymn of Theodore Roosevelt, and both Andrew Jackson and Robert E. Lee asked it be sung at their funerals. The tune FOUNDATION is an American one, although in some hymnals it was set to the tune of ADESTE FIDELIS (O come, all ye faithful).
      The first verse identifies the promise of Jesus, verse two is a direct quote from Isaiah 41:10 and 3 comes from the same text, and verse 4 is from Deuteronomy 31: 6, 8: “…fear not, nor be afraid: for the LORD God goes with you; he will not fail or forsake you...fear not, and be not dismayed.”
      Regardless of its authorship, we know it was written by a Christian who likely called upon the promises of Scripture in times of trouble, which explains why it comforted those on both sides of our Civil War and continues to speak meaningfully to us today!

Prayer:  O Lord of all Saints, be with us and comfort us in the midst of these troubled times.  Help us to not only be your people, but to shoe others that we, and they, can rely upon the grace and love you have shown to the world in our Lord Jesus.  Amen.