Portrait of Luther by German artist Cranach
Martin Luther in 1522

A Mighty Fortress is our God

Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott.

Words and music by Martin Luther
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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 is 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 Amen!!

 

Martin Luther hated war, bloodshed and violence. When the armies of Emperor Charles were mobilizing to destroy Wittenberg, the German princes were prepared to go the war to defend Luther. Luther's reply to this gathering storm? He got married to Catherine von Bora. . . . The blow that was meant to fall on Luther fell on Rome instead. Emperor and Pope began to quarrel. In November, 1526, 15,000 Spanish and German soldiers crossed the Alps and by May, 1527, were outside the gates of Rome. Rome was sacked and pillaged for 10 days. All the wealth of the nations that had flowed into that city for over 1000 years was destroyed in a few days!!

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