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Download the 8:50 a.m. Service bulletin

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Bulletins are uploaded on the Friday before these Sunday services.

by Joshua L. Mazur, Director of Music 

Pentecost 7 

Hymn 636: How Firm a Foundation, Ye Saints of the Lord 

Some hymns proclaim the Christian faith. Others speak directly to the Christian believer. “How firm a foundation” does both. Published in 1787 by the mysterious author known only as “K.,” and paired with the sturdy American tune FOUNDATION, it has remained one of the Church’s great hymns of confidence in God’s unfailing promises. 

Its opening verse immediately draws our attention to the source of that confidence. 

“How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, 

is laid for your faith in his excellent Word!” 

Notice that the foundation is not our faith itself, but God’s Word. Our confidence rests not upon the strength of our believing, but upon the faithfulness of the God who has spoken. Every succeeding stanza unfolds as God’s own voice, assuring His people that He will never leave or forsake them. 

The hymn is filled with biblical imagery. God promises to strengthen us in weakness, sustain us through trials, and remain with us through fire and flood. These are not promises of an easy life, but of God’s abiding presence in every season of life. 

The tune FOUNDATION reflects that confidence beautifully. Its broad, balanced phrases and steady rhythm give the impression of solid ground beneath one’s feet. It is music that neither rushes nor wavers, allowing the congregation to sing with assurance rather than anxiety. 

This hymn, as always, speaks directly to this Sunday’s appointed lessons. In the Gospel, Jesus tells the Parable of the Sower, reminding us that God’s Word bears fruit in hearts prepared to receive it. The Psalm proclaims that God’s Word is “a lantern to my feet and a light upon my path,” while St. Paul assures us in Romans that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Together these lessons proclaim a God who speaks, who calls, and who faithfully sustains His people. How Firm a Foundation gives voice to that same confidence. Our hope rests not in changing circumstances or uncertain feelings, but in the unchanging promises of God. 

As you sing this hymn on Sunday, listen carefully to the remarkable shift that takes place after the opening stanza. The congregation begins by singing about God, but the remaining verses become God’s own promises spoken to His people. It is as though the Church pauses to hear the Lord Himself say, “Fear not, I am with thee.” 

As you sing, consider this question: 

Am I building my life upon the changing circumstances around me, or upon the unchanging promises of God?