Christian Reflection and Prayer

God is a refuge for the oppressed

A reformer's refuge

"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."

A Mighty Fortress is Our God
Martin Luther (1483-1546)

Psalm 46:1-3 NLT
God is our refuge and strength, always
ready to help in times of trouble. So we
will not fear, even if earthquakes come
and mountains crumble into the sea.
Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the
mountains tremble as the waters surge!

The great reformer

After posting his ninety-five theses on
the door of Wittenberg's Castle Church
in October 1517, Martin Luther faced
many years of trials and persecution.
And during the years of the ensuing
Protestant Reformation, Luther came
to know better than most the gracious
power of God's sheltering hand. He
confidently stepped forward to defend
the truth he found in God's Word,
despite excommunication from the
Roman church, continual threats to his
life and freedom, and times of intense
spiritual battle.

In the comforting words of Psalm 46,
Luther found the inspiration for this hymn
that would become the battle cry of the
Protestant Reformation. Many who
suffered for their faith during that time
found solid comfort in Luther's words of
faith and praise. "A might fortress is our
God!"

(From The One Year® Book of Hymns
by Mark Norton and Robert Brown
(Tyndale) entry for October 31
Content is derived from the Holy Bible,
New Living Translation and other
publications of Tyndale Publishing House)