A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

In 1529, Marin Luther wrote Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott, which was translated into English by Frederic H. Hedge in 1853 as A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. The hymn is a battle hymn. It speaks of war and it tells of ultimate victory. It is a glorious song that should encourage all believers as they face trials and suffering.

There is, however, a line in the hymn that is confusing and seems odd at times: "One little word shall fell him." What is that word? The answer is never given in the hymn. It is pointed out that the word abides no thanks to earthly powers and that it is above all earthly powers, but it is never named. However, in Against Hanswurst, a writing from 1541, Luther identified the word: "Liar." (The German word literally translates "You lie.") When the Prince of Darkness approaches and threatens to undo us in his rage, we tremble not. Instead, we look him in the eyes and we say "Liar!"

When he wrote this hymn, Luther was inspired by Psalm 46: "God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And the mountains slip into the heart of the sea." (Psalm 46:1-2, NASB). The penultimate verse of the psalm reads thus: "Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." (Psalm 46:10, NASB).

Satan's attacks tell us that God is not sovereign. They tell us that God is not merciful. They tell us that God is not love. They tell us that God has not adopted us as sons. They tell us that God is not God. And there is one response to that: "Liar." God is sovereign. God is merciful. God is love. God has adopted us as sons. God is God. Cease striving and know that He is God!

When we think that we have to do it all on our own, when we refuse to rest, we flip that around. We are calling God a liar. But "The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold." (Psalm 46:11, NASB). We are not enough on our own, but He is with us. He is our refuge and our strength, our stronghold, a very present help in time of trouble. He is enough. Cease striving and know that He is God!

When we know that, then we can respond to the lies of the devil with complete confidence in the power of that one word, "Liar." If we know the truth, the lies hold no power over us. Sometimes it feels as if they do. Sometimes it is hard to know the truth in our hearts rather than just in our heads. But our emotions are not our masters. Satan's lies have only the power that we give them. Respond immediately: "Liar!" Call your mentors, call your pastors, call your friends and listen to them as they tell you that Satan is a liar. Run to the mighty fortress that we have been given. Know that He is God.

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 power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

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.

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through 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.

That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through 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.

(Public Domain)