How Firm A Foundation

One of my favorite hymns is “How Firm a Foundation.” This hymn was first pub-lished in a 1787 in “Selection of Hymns,” a hymnal published by John Rippon, a Bap-tist minister in London. Many hymnals list the author of the text as “K.” It is now believed that the author was John Rippon’s assistant, Robert Keene.

I have loved this hymn since I was a young child. As an older child learning to play the piano, I was attracted to the music. It was simple enough for me to learn to play. Along with “Just As I Am” and “Nothing But the Blood,” it rounded out the first songs that I ever played in church.
As I have became older, I have come to realize the depth of meaning in the verses of this great hymn. Like many great hymns of the faith, this song is a sermon in a nut-shell.

Verse 1 is an affirmation of the truth established in the Bible, God’s Holy Word.
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,
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

Verse 2 is based on Isaiah 41:10 and is God’s promise to always be with us.
Fear not, I am with thee; O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

Verse 3 is based on 2 Corinthians 12:9 and is the promise that God’s grace is sufficient for all of our trials and heartaches.
When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to remove and thy gold to refine.

Verse 4 is my favorite and is based on Hebrews 13:5. This is God’s promise that He will never leave or forsake us.
The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, I will not desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no, never, no, never forsake!

As we enter this new phase in the life of Pleasant Valley, I pray that each of us turns our heart toward Revival. I pray that each of us reaffirms our trust in the firm Foundation of God’s Word. I look forward to the days ahead as we move forward under the leadership of Bro. Keith.