The Cyber Hymnal ‎#2573

2573. How Firm a Foundation

1. How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
You, who unto Jesus for refuge have fled?

2. In every condition, in sickness, in health;
In poverty’s vale, or abounding in wealth;
At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea,
As thy days may demand, shall thy strength ever be.

3. Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

4. When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

5. When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

6. Even down to old age all My people shall prove
My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.

7. The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.

Text Information

• First Line: How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord
• Title: How Firm a Foundation
• Author (attributed to): John Keene (1787)
• Author (attributed to): Kirkham
• Author (attributed to): John Keith
• Meter: 11.11.11.11
• Language: English
• Source: A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors, by John Rippon, 1787
• Copyright: Public Domain
• Notes: This hymn was sung at the funerals of American presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. In addition: [It] was the favorite of Deborah Jackson [sic; her name was actually Rachel] President Andrew Jackson's beloved wife [he was President-elect at the time], and on his death-bed the warrior and statesman called for it. It was the favorite of Gen. Robert E. Lee, and was sung at his funeral. The American love and familiar preference for the remarkable hymn was never more strikingly illustrated than when on Christmas Eve, 1898, a whole corps of the United States Army Northern and Southern, encamped on the Quemados hills, near Havana [Cuba], took up the sacred tune and words. Brown, p. 206. Alternate tune: ADESTE FIDELES, John F. Wade, 1711-1786; LYONS, attributed to Johann M. Haydn, 1737-1806; MONTGOMERY, attributed to John Stanley, circa 1760; ST. DENIO,John Roberts, 1839

Tune Information

• Name: PROTECTION
• Composer: Joseph Funk
• Meter: 11.11.11.11
• Incipit: 56161 51131 35561
• Key: A♭ Major
• Source: A Com­pil­a­tion of Gen­u­ine Church Mu­sic, by Jo­seph Funk (Win­ches­ter, Vir­gin­ia: J. W. Holl­is, 1832)
• Copyright: Public Domain