ZACHARY'S NOTES:

Stanza 1 // Luther’s paraphrase of Psalm 46 is really an expansion of the original text. The “God of Jacob - our fortress” is quoted in the first phrase, but our reason for singing is because this fortress is not only protection - a “sword and shield” - but wins the battle - this God is our “salvation!” Apart from Christ, there is no power in this world that can confront and win the battle - on earth “[the devil] has no equal.”

Stanza 2 // If the Psalmist says “the Lord of hosts is with us” Luther names this Lord - Christ Jesus! It is Christ who “holds the field victorious” and allows us to fight the battle against the power of this world with God’s assurance of victory.

Stanza 3 // When Psalm 46 says: “The nations are in an uproar; the kingdoms totter” Luther writes of “hordes of devils, filling the land, threatening to devour.” In a world that tries to convince us our worth is tied up in having the latest thing - whether an item or our reputation - God sends Jesus Christ to free us. This world’s prince is doomed to fail” because “God’s judgment” is outside the rules and laws of this world - outside the ways in which we measure success - goods, fame, child or spouse. And look what puts an end to it all! Luther says: “One little world subdues [the devil.]” The Word is Christ’s - “You are forgiven.”

Stanza 4 // Because we have God’s promise, all the ways we measure success - “goods, fame, child, or spouse” - can [and will] be taken away. God’s promise is that nothing will take away the life we have in His Son. With one word from Christ, the kingdom is given to us today and forever!

OTHER SUGGESTIONS:

• ELW 410 - All Glory Be to God on High - ᴀʟʟᴇɪɴ ɢᴏᴛᴛ ɪɴ ᴅᴇʀ ʜöʜ
• ELW 503/504 - A Mighty Fortress Is Our God - ᴇɪɴ ꜰᴇꜱᴛᴇ ʙᴜʀɢ
• ELW 517 - Lord, Keep Us Steadfast In Your Word - ᴇʀʜᴀʟᴛ ᴜɴꜱ, ʜᴇʀʀ
• ELW 590 - Salvation unto Us Has Come - ᴇꜱ ɪꜱᴛ ᴅᴀꜱ ʜᴇɪʟ
• ELW 645 - Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation - ᴡᴇꜱᴛᴍɪɴꜱᴛᴇʀ ᴀʙʙᴇʏ
• ELW 652 - Built on a Rock - ᴋɪʀᴋᴇɴ ᴅᴇɴ ᴇʀ ᴇᴛ ɢᴀᴍᴍᴇʟᴛ ʜᴜꜱ
• ELW 858 - Praise to the Lord, the Almighty - ʟᴏʙᴇ ᴅᴇɴ ʜᴇʀʀᴇɴ
• LBW 166 - All Glory Be to God on High - ᴀʟʟᴇɪɴ ɢᴏᴛᴛ ɪɴ ᴅᴇʀ ʜöʜ
• LBW 229 - A Mighty Fortress Is Our God - ᴇɪɴ ꜰᴇꜱᴛᴇ ʙᴜʀɢ
• LBW 230 - Lord, Keep Us Steadfast In Your Word - ᴇʀʜᴀʟᴛ ᴜɴꜱ, ʜᴇʀʀ
• LBW 297 - Salvation unto Us Has Come - ᴇꜱ ɪꜱᴛ ᴅᴀꜱ ʜᴇɪʟ
• LBW 365 - Built on a Rock - ᴋɪʀᴋᴇɴ ᴅᴇɴ ᴇʀ ᴇᴛ ɢᴀᴍᴍᴇʟᴛ ʜᴜꜱ
• LBW 367 - Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation - ᴇᴅᴇɴ ᴄʜᴜʀᴄʜ
• LBW 543 - Praise to the Lord, the Almighty - ʟᴏʙᴇ ᴅᴇɴ ʜᴇʀʀᴇɴ
• LSB 555 - Salvation unto Us Has Come - ᴇꜱ ɪꜱᴛ ᴅᴀꜱ ʜᴇɪʟ
• LSB 645 - Built on a Rock - ᴋɪʀᴋᴇɴ ᴅᴇɴ ᴇʀ ᴇᴛ ɢᴀᴍᴍᴇʟᴛ ʜᴜꜱ
• LSB 655 - Lord, Keep Us Steadfast In Your Word - ᴇʀʜᴀʟᴛ ᴜɴꜱ, ʜᴇʀʀ
• LSB 656 - A Mighty Fortress Is Our God - ᴇɪɴ ꜰᴇꜱᴛᴇ ʙᴜʀɢ
• LSB 790 - Praise to the Lord, the Almighty - ʟᴏʙᴇ ᴅᴇɴ ʜᴇʀʀᴇɴ
• LSB 909 - Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation - ᴡᴇꜱᴛᴍɪɴꜱᴛᴇʀ ᴀʙʙᴇʏ
• LSB 947 - All Glory Be to God on High - ᴀʟʟᴇɪɴ ɢᴏᴛᴛ ɪɴ ᴅᴇʀ ʜöʜ
• RH 1 - All Glory Be to God on High - ᴀʟʟᴇɪɴ ɢᴏᴛᴛ ɪɴ ᴅᴇʀ ʜöʜ
• RH 11 - Praise to the Lord, the Almighty - ʟᴏʙᴇ ᴅᴇɴ ʜᴇʀʀᴇɴ
• RH 169/170 - A Mighty Fortress Is Our God - ᴇɪɴ ꜰᴇꜱᴛᴇ ʙᴜʀɢ
• RH 71 - Lord, Keep Us Steadfast In Your Word - ᴇʀʜᴀʟᴛ ᴜɴꜱ, ʜᴇʀʀ
• RH 91 - Built on a Rock - ᴋɪʀᴋᴇɴ ᴅᴇɴ ᴇʀ ᴇᴛ ɢᴀᴍᴍᴇʟᴛ ʜᴜꜱ