Our Mighty Fortress
“Our Mighty Fortress”
The time has come! The Lord acts now!
Trouble surrounds like hunters circling a foe
We search in vain for a place to hide
No nook or cranny to lie down in safety
Grim is our prospect and tomorrow seems so far
Yet, behold! Here resides the Lord, not far removed
An ever-present bulwark against the curse of sin
In Him and Him alone do I find peace
In Him and Him alone do I gather strength
Yet on that day, Jesus stood high
Not on battlements, nor standing at all
But He hung from wrists pierced against a cross
Our demonic tormentor kept at bay even then
His strength became ours at the cost of His life
We resist pain! Stalwart ‘gainst death
The horizon remains dark even past dawn
The formerly firm earth gives way to my weight
All I’ve known as real melts before my eyes
Only my trouble remains fixed before me
Sharp in image and with malicious weapon
Even mountains are dashed away by the rancor
Thrown into the sea as though mere refuse
But my hope in the Lord is firm and whole
Yet on that day, Jesus stood strong
Not with a strong body, for that too gave way
Like dying creation, the work of His own hand
He foreswore the very life He lords over
To grant us such ardent confidence
Chaos itself swells over us!
My hope and trust in the Lord hold fast
Even as my home is washed away
My enemy throws waves of pain and decay
All around, loved ones and neighbors fall
My defiant heel has no more footing
I too join the terrible surf of death
My savior plucks me from the breakers
Placing me tenderly in an ark of love
Yet on that day, Christ went under
In truth, He went down in death that day
The Lord of Creation cast forth a flood
Claret drops to drown all sin with Him
And blood also to mark me as righteous
The devil’s attacks become glad streams
All the malice wrought against creation
Tamed by the Word that brought forth all
Retaining only the blessings of life’s fluid
Now a nourishing flow through God’s gardens
His holy habitation is blessed by peaceful water
The mighty fortress of our Lord did persist
Though all else dissolved under attack
Here stands the chosen of all humanity
Yet on that day, Jesus fought on
The devil thought himself a victor
The son of God died and came to hell-
In splendor, not in shame or weakness
His blood a witness against all death
Shall the eternal foe still rage?
He has now come to the divine threshold
God no longer deigns to lower his head
He, the very cornerstone of His tower
The enemy still foams and spits in anger
The tidal waves of brokenness I feared
Are but a fine mist against these staunch walls
Outside, all else is broken and maimed
My God speaks, the devil is destroyed
Yet on that day, Christ also won
The true victor, come to hell in glory
Christ spoke not to His defeated foe
Instead preaching to those in prison
The Gospel to us is a regret to them
Oh, how I love that Lutheran song!
Our God, the mighty fortress, the power
The foe too powerful for mankind
The foe vanquished with a word
With a single breath Jesus wins the day
Safe in the city of New Zion I wonder
Why am I invited here to Israel’s home?
This mighty fortress promised by God
Has welcomed me with grace and mercy
Yet on that day, all were welcomed
The sins of all were taken to hell
My sin too was delivered to Hell’s torment
My heart was freed before I was born
I became a citizen of the mighty fortress
From this fortress, all else looks bleak
The world was not meant to persist
Such brokenness was never to last
Though the foe raged and thrashed
It was the Lord who made creation to end
Come see with me what our God has done
See His deeds of beautiful destruction
See the dying world brought to naught
His might is His glory and a joy to behold
Yet on that day, glory shined bright
The destruction was placed upon Christ
He bore it with love for you and me
He wielded might against Himself
So too was sin itself destroyed
Peace lives in His great victory!
The power of the foe is a passing dream
Full reception of the fortress yet a vision
Though we wait for our perfect abode
Today the victory is true for you and me
The world of nations deciding our fate has died
The world of the devil’s destruction has ended
The touch of pain we feel has no more threat
Our eternal peace is certain now and ever more
Yet on that day, war also ended
Satan was robbed of all authority
His utter defeat was decreed
No more fear of living life until death
Hell’s gate will never open to us
“Be still and know that I am God.”
Let the nations exalt His greatness
Let all of creation cheer His power
Abide in the peace that only He gives
Look forward from this day of pain
Look to the God who promised to save
Live in His grace and His mercy
Hear the eternal blessed Gospel
Hear that He and He alone has saved you
Yet on that day, centuries past
The Lord Jesus Christ heard my praise too
For He knew me before I was born
Dying to remove sin for my salvation
Vowing to never let me go from His love
A mighty fortress is our God
The kingdom’s ours forever