Words of Faith July 8, 2018

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Words of Faith is a weekly feature that focuses on the words of hymns and provides a brief history of the hymn. The idea is to take the time to truly read the words of hymns, contemplating the meaning. While some hymns featured may be newer others will be much older. Hymns may have been written a couple hundred years ago, but the words are still relevant for believers today. Words of Faith may also feature poetry, scripture or other writings that have inspiring words for the faithful.)

All My Hope Is Firmly Grounded
The hymn was written by Joachim Neander in 1680. Neander is considered the first important hymn writer of the German Reformed Church. In 1986 the hymn was translated by Fred Pratt Green.

ALL MY HOPE IS FIRMLY GROUNDED

All my hope is firmly grounded
In the great and living Lord;
Who, whenever I most need him,
Never fails to keep his word.
Him I must
Wholly trust,
God the ever good and just.

Tell me, who can trust our nature,
Human, weak, and insecure:
Which of all the airy castles
Can the hurricane endure?
Built on sand,
Nought can stand,
By our earthly wisdom planned.

But in every time and season,
Out of love’s abundant store,
God sustains his whole creation,
Found of life for evermore.
We who share
Earth and air
Count on his unfailing care.

Thank, O thank, our great Creator,
Through his only Son this day;
He alone, the Heavenly Potter,
Made us out of earth and clay.
Quick to heed,
Strong in deed,
He shall all his people feed.

God Of Our Fathers
The words were written by Daniel C. Roberts, an Episcopal Church priest from Brandon, Vermont that served in the 84th Ohio Infantry during the Civil War. Roberts penned the words in 1876 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The words are based in scripture from Psalm 46:7. The melody is “National Anthem” by George William Warren.

GOD OF OUR FATHERS
God of our fathers, Whose almighty hand
Leads forth in beauty all the starry band
Of shining worlds in splendor through the skies
Our grateful songs before Thy throne arise.

Thy love divine hath led us in the past,
In this free land by Thee our lot is cast,
Be Thou our Ruler, Guardian, Guide and Stay,
Thy Word our law, Thy paths our chosen way.

From war’s alarms, from deadly pestilence,
Be Thy strong arm our ever sure defense;
Thy true religion in our hearts increase,
Thy bounteous goodness nourish us in peace.

Refresh Thy people on their toilsome way,
Lead us from night to never ending day;
Fill all our lives with love and grace divine,
And glory, laud, and praise be ever Thine.