Probably most Christian folks are familiar with the Martin Luther hymn “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.” Luther wrote the hymn in German. It begins “Ein’ feste Burg ist unser Gott.” “A Mighty Fortress” represents the most commonly used English translation. The hymn below is a translation by Thomas Carlyle. Carlyle (1795–1881), a Scottish writer and historian, wrote histories, articles for the Edinburgh Encyclopedia, and much more. Apparently “A safe stronghold our God is still” is his only hymn. The hymn meter is the same as “A Mighty Fortress” (87.87.66.667.) and can be sang with the tune Ein’ Feste Burg. The translation of Carlyle preceded the more common one (by Frederick Hedge) by about 20 years.
1. A safe stronghold our God is still,
A trusty shield and weapon;
He’ll help us clear from all the ill
That hath us now o’ertaken.
The ancient prince of hell
Hath risen with purpose fell;
Strong mail of craft and power
He weareth in this hour;
On earth is not his fellow.
A trusty shield and weapon;
He’ll help us clear from all the ill
That hath us now o’ertaken.
The ancient prince of hell
Hath risen with purpose fell;
Strong mail of craft and power
He weareth in this hour;
On earth is not his fellow.
2. With force of arms we nothing can,
Full soon were we down-ridden;
But for us fights the proper Man,
Whom God Himself hath bidden.
Ask ye, who is this same?
Christ Jesus is His name,
The Lord Sabaoth’s Son;
He, and no other one,
Shall conquer in the battle.
3. And were this world all devils o’er,
And watching to devour us,
We lay it not to heart so sore;
Not they can overpower us.
And let the prince of ill
Look grim as e’er he will,
He harms us not a whit;
For why? his doom is writ;
A word shall quickly slay him.
4. God’s Word, for all their craft and force,
One moment will not linger,
But, spite of hell, shall have its course;
’Tis written by His finger.
And though they take our life,
Goods, honor, children, wife,
Yet is their profit small;
These things shall vanish all:
The City of God remaineth!
Like another hymn by Luther on Psalm 12, Luther here also exalts the word of God.
Words & Music: Martin Luther, 1529 (Ein’ feste Burg ist unser Gott). Words translated from German to English by Thomas Carlyle (1831).
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