How Firm a Foundation
“God has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises.” - 1 Peter 1:4. Lets set our minds on those.
stanza theme: the Bible provides the unshakable basis for our faith
1 How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word![1]
What more can He say than to you He has said,
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?[2]
[1] restated: to you believers (the saints), how firm a foundation is laid for your faith in God’s excellent Word!
[2] the sufficiency of Bible: God has equipped us with everything necessary for faith, living a new life, and godliness. We don’t need new prophets or revelation in order to live the Christian life; the Bible is complete and enough, and has wonderful promises to live that life.
stanza theme: Isaiah 41:10
2 "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[3] hand.[4]
[3] omnipotent = all powerful.
[4] stanza restated: don't be afraid. I [God] am right here. I'm your God. I'll carry you through what you’re going through.
stanza theme: Isaiah 43:2
3 “When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
for I will be near thee, thy troubles to bless,
and sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.[5]
[5] God will use even your worst suffering for your spiritual good. Not that distress feels good, but that God can transform us, and use it for our sanctification (i.e. to become more like Christ). No matter the situation, God will not allow suffering beyond what we can bear.
stanza theme: 1 Peter 1:6-7
4 "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[6]
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.[7]
[6] trials are not random cruelty, but rather, intentional refining.
[7] in metal working, gold or silver is heated in fire to melt away impurities, called dross. The purpose of our sufferings is to do away with those. Interestingly: how does a metal worker know that enough dross has been done away with? When he looks at the silver, and sees his own face.
stanza theme: Hebrews 13:5
5 "The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose[8];
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!" [9]
[8] repose = to rest and trust.
[9] even if the devil throws everything and the kitchen sink at a believer, using all his forces of evil and overwhelming hardship, God remains committed to not deserting His children.
Theme of the hymn: our faith rests on rock-solid ground that God Himself has provided through His Word. The song reminds us when we go through trials what is the source of our endurance: Christ, the Bible and these divine assurances.
Meter: 11.11.11.11
Tune name: FOUNDATION