Rare early printing of "A Mighty Fortress."

"A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" (German, Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott) is the best known of Martin Luther's hymns. Luther wrote the words and composed the melody sometime between 1527-1529.^[1] It has been translated into English at least seventy times and also into many other languages.^[1][2] The words are a paraphrase of Psalm 46.^[3] The most popular English version, "A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing," was translated by Frederick H. Hedge in 1853. Another popular English version by Thomas Carlyle begins "A safe stronghold our God is still." Martin Luther (November 10, 1483 – February 18, 1546) was a German monk,[1] priest, professor, theologian, and church reformer. ... Myles Coverdale (also Miles Coverdale) (c1488 - January 20, 1568) was a 16th-century Bible translator who produced the first complete printed translation of the Bible into English. ... Particularly, this article is not about Hymn meters, as often found on hymn tunes Meter (UK spelling: metre) is the measurement of a musical line into measures of stressed and unstressed beats, indicated in Western music notation by a symbol called a time signature. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2820x2511, 1999 KB)One of only very few early printings of Luthers hymn: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2820x2511, 1999 KB)One of only very few early printings of Luthers hymn: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. ... Martin Luther (November 10, 1483 – February 18, 1546) was a German monk,[1] priest, professor, theologian, and church reformer. ... A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a god or other religiously significant figure. ... Psalms (Tehilim תהילים, in Hebrew) is a book of the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, and of the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. ... The most familiar view of Carlyle is as the bearded sage with a penetrating gaze. ...

History

Ein Feste Burg with Luther's signature

"A Mighty Fortress" is one of the best loved hymns of the Lutheran and Protestant traditions. It has been called the "Battle Hymn of the Reformation" for the effect it had in increasing the support for the Reformers' cause. John Julian records four theories of its origin:^[1] Image File history File links Luther's_Ein_Feste_Burg. ... Image File history File links Luther's_Ein_Feste_Burg. ... The Lutheran movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity by the original definition. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... “Reformation” redirects here. ...

• Heinrich Heine: it was sung by Luther and his companions as they entered Worms on April 16, 1521 for the Diet;
• K.F.T. Schneider: it was a tribute to Luther's friend Leonhard Kaiser, who was executed as a Protestant martyr on August 16, 1527;
• Jean-Henri Merle d'Aubigné: it was sung by the German Lutheran princes as they entered Augsburg for the Diet in 1530 at which the Augsburg Confession was presented; and
• the view that it was composed in connection with the Diet of Speyer (1529) at which the German Lutheran princes lodged their "protest" to Emperor Charles V, who wanted to enforce his Edict of Worms (1521).

The earliest extant hymnal in which it appears is that of Andrew Rauscher (1531), but it is supposed to have been in Joseph Klug’s Wittenberg hymnal of 1529, of which no copy exists. Its title was Der xxxxvi. Psalm. Deus noster refugium et virtus.^[1] Before that it is supposed to have appeared in the Hans Weiss Wittenberg hymnal of 1528, also lost.^[4] This evidence would support its being written in 1527-1529, since Luther's hymns were printed shortly after they were written. Christian Johann Heinrich Heine (born Chaim Harry Heine, December 13, 1797 – February 17, 1856) was a journalist, an essayist, and one of the most significant German romantic poets. ... Wormser Dom Worms (pronounced ) is a city in the southwest of Germany. ... is the 106th day of the year (107th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events January 3 - Pope Leo X excommunicates Martin Luther in the papal bull Decet Romanum Pontificem. ... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... January 5 - Felix Manz, co-founder of the Swiss Anabaptists, was drowned in the Limmat in Zürich by the Zürich Reformed state church. ... Jean-Henri Merle dAubigné (16 August 1794 - 21 October 1872) was a Swiss Protestant minister and historian of the Reformation. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Augsburg Confession The Augsburg Confession, also known as the Augustana from its Latin name, Confessio Augustana, is the primary confession of faith of the Lutheran Church and one of the most important documents of the Lutheran reformation. ... For the Carlist claimant King Carlos V, see Infante Carlos, Count of Molina. ...

Tradition states that King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden had it played as his forces went to battle in the Thirty Years' War. The psalm had been translated into Swedish already in 1536. Many centuries later, the song would also become an anthem of the early Swedish socialist movement. Gustav II Adolf King of Sweden Gustav II Adolf (also known as Gustaf Adolf the Great (Swedish Gustav Adolf den store, Latin Gustavus Adolphus Magnus), or Gustavus II Adolphus; December 9, 1594 – November 6, 1632 O.S.), widely known by the Latinized name Gustavus Adolphus and referred to by contemporary... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Socialism is a social and economic system (or the political philosophy advocating such a system) in which the economic means of production are owned and controlled collectively by the people. ...

It was first translated into English by Myles Coverdale in 1539 with the title, Oure God is a defence and towre. The first English translation in "common usage" was God is our Refuge in Distress, Our strong Defence in J.C. Jacobi's Psal. Ger., 1722, p. 83.^[1] Myles Coverdale (also Miles Coverdale) (c1488 - January 20, 1568) was a 16th-century Bible translator who produced the first complete printed translation of the Bible into English. ...

Ein' Feste Burg sung in German
The German text of Ein' Feste Burg (A Mighty Fortress) sung to the isometric, more widely known arrangement of its traditional melody.
Problems listening to the file? See media help.

Perhaps ironically, given its Reformation pedigree, it is now a suggested hymn for Catholic masses[1], appearing in the second edition of the Catholic Book of Worship, published by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. Ein Feste Burg. ... In the Roman Catholic Church, an Episcopal Conference, Conference of Bishops, or National Conference of Bishops is a conference consisting of all the bishops within a given territory. ...

Tune

A Mighty Fortress, isometric tune

A Mighty Fortress, rhythmic tune

The first line in German is Ein’ feste Burg ist unser Gott. Luther composed the melody for the hymn, which is called "Ein' Feste Burg" and is in hymn meter 87.87.55.56.7, denoted rhythmic tune as distinguished from the later isometric tune setting of the hymn, 87.87.66.66.7 meter. The isometric meter that is employed in the above media selection is more widely known and used in Christendom.^[5] In 1906 Edouard Rœhrich wrote, "The authentic form of this melody differs very much from that which one sings in most Protestant churches and figures in (Giacomo Meyerbeer's] The Huguenots. ... The original melody is extremely rhythmic, by the way it bends to all the nuances of the text ..."^[6] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (769x715, 193 KB) User:drboisclair: Scanned from material in public domain I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (769x715, 193 KB) User:drboisclair: Scanned from material in public domain I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (742x866, 242 KB) Created by User:Drboisclair by scanning from material in public domain I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (742x866, 242 KB) Created by User:Drboisclair by scanning from material in public domain I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Giacomo Meyerbeer Giacomo Meyerbeer (September 5, 1791 – May 2, 1864) was a noted German-born opera composer, and the first great exponent of Grand Opera. ...

While in the 19th century musicologists disputed Luther's authorship of the music to the hymn, that opinion has been modified by more recent research; it is now the consensus view of musical scholars that Luther did indeed compose the famous tune to go with the words. A musicologist is someone who studies musicology. ...

Arrangements

The tune has been used by numerous composers, including Johann Sebastian Bach, as the source material for his Cantata BWV 80. It was given two settings in Bach's Choralgesänge (Choral Hymns). Felix Mendelssohn used it as the theme for the fourth and final movement of his Symphony No. 5 (1830), which he named Reformation in honor of the Protestant Reformation started by Luther, Giacomo Meyerbeer used it in his five-act grand opera Les Huguenots (1836), and Richard Wagner used it as a "motive" in his Kaisermarsch (Emperor's March), which was composed to commemorate the return of Kaiser Wilhelm I from the Franco-Prussian War in 1871.^[1][3] More recently it has been used by band composers to great effect in pieces such as Psalm 46 by John Zdechlik. In 2007, Bradley Joseph arranged an instrumental version on his album, Hymns and Spiritual Songs. “Bach” redirects here. ... Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (A mighty fortress is our God) is a chorale cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach (BWV 80). ... Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, born and known generally as Felix Mendelssohn (February 3, 1809 – November 4, 1847) was a German composer and conductor of the early Romantic period. ... The Symphony No. ... “Reformation” redirects here. ... Giacomo Meyerbeer Giacomo Meyerbeer (September 5, 1791 – May 2, 1864) was a noted German-born opera composer, and the first great exponent of Grand Opera. ... Les Huguenots is a French opera by Giacomo Meyerbeer. ... Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner (22 May 1813 – 13 February 1883) was a German composer, conductor, music theorist, and essayist, primarily known for his operas (or music dramas as they were later called). ... Wilhelm I of Germany (March 22, 1797 – March 9, 1888), German Emperor (Kaiser), ruled January 18, 1871 – 9 March 1888 and King of Prussia, ruled 2 January 1861 – 9 March 1888. ... Combatants Second French Empire North German Confederation allied with south German states (later German Empire) Commanders Napoleon III Otto Von Bismarck, Helmuth von Moltke the Elder Strength 400,000 at the beginning of the war 1,200,000 Casualties 150,000 dead or wounded 284,000 captured 350,000 civilian... Bradley Joseph (born in 1965) is an American composer, pianist, keyboardist, arranger, and recording artist, performing on the international stage for many years with artists such as Yanni and Grammy-winner Sheena Easton, as well as having vast experience with artists from RCA, Epic Records, Warner Bros. ... Hymns and Spiritual Songs is Bradley Josephs tenth album, released in 2007 (see 2007 in music). ...

Lyrics

Original German

English translations

Pennsylvania Lutheran Church Book of 1868

1. A mighty Fortress is our God,

A trusty Shield and Weapon;

He helps us free from every need

That hath us now o'ertaken.

The old evil Foe

Now means deadly woe;

Deep guile and great might

Are his dread arms in fight;

On earth is not his equal.

2. With might of ours can naught be done,

Soon were our loss effected;

But for us fights the Valiant One,

Whom God Himself elected.

Ask ye, Who is this?

Jesus Christ it is.

Of Sabaoth Lord,

And there's none other God;

He holds the field forever.

3. Though devils all the world should fill,

All eager to devour us.

We tremble not, we fear no ill,

They shall not overpower us.

This world's prince may still

Scowl fierce as he will,

He can harm us none,

He's judged; the deed is done;

One little word can fell him.

4. The Word they still shall let remain

Nor any thanks have for it;

He's by our side upon the plain

With His good gifts and Spirit.

And take they our life,

Goods, fame, child and wife,

Let these all be gone,

They yet have nothing won;

The Kingdom our remaineth.

Hedge

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, 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.

(This translation by Frederic Hedge, 1853)

Other Versions

• Catherine Winkworth
• Hymns of Martin Luther

Musical setting

• Ein' feste Burg, Luther, 1529
• This tune was used by A.W.R. Crawley for the School Song ('Per Angusta ad Augusta') of Auckland Grammar School in New Zealand.

In popular culture

• The hymn was sung at the National Cathedral during the funeral service for United States President Dwight David Eisenhower. ^[7]
• A version of "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" was used as the theme for the children's television series Davey and Goliath, which was produced for the Lutheran Church in America.
• Part of it can also be heard in the made-for-TV movie, A Separate Peace.
• A Carribean-style instrumental version is included in the Van Dyke Parks album Clang of the Yankee Reaper (1976), erroneously given as Johann Pachelbel's Canon.
• Mystery Science Theater 3000 used the song as a running gag during the film "The Rebel Set", in which the mastermind of a bank heist disguised himself as a Lutheran minister. MST3K was produced in the state of Minnesota, known for a large Lutheran population.
• A Mighty Fortress was the name of a supplement for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game; this supplement depicted the Renaissance and wars of religion as a campaign setting for this roleplaying game.
• In the animated TV series The Simpsons the doorbell chimes of Ned Flanders, the cheerfully devout next door neighbor, sometimes ring "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God."

Washington National Cathedral was the site of two Presidential state funerals: for Dwight D. Eisenhower and Ronald W. Reagan, and a presidential burial in the cathedral mausoleum: Woodrow Wilson. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Dwight David Ike Eisenhower (October 14, 1890–March 28, 1969), American soldier and politician, was the 34th President of the United States (1953–1961) and supreme commander of the Allied forces in Europe during World War II, with the rank of General of the Army. ... Davey and Goliath was the title of a 1960s stop-motion animated television series. ... The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. ... A Separate Peace (1959) is an award-winning[1] novel written by John Knowles set in the fictional Devon School in New Hampshire during World War II. The book explores the human condition, hate, vengeance, and guilt. ... Van Dyke Parks (born January 3, 1943) is an American composer, arranger, producer, musician, singer and actor noted for his collaborations with Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys on the song Heroes and Villains and the recently released cult-legend album, Smile. ... Clang of the Yankee Reaper is a 1976 album by Van Dyke Parks, containing only one original Parks composition. ... Johann Pachelbel (IPA: [], [] or [][2]) (baptized September 1, 1653 – March 3, 1706) was a German Baroque composer, organist and teacher who brought the south German organ tradition to its peak. ... Mystery Science Theater 3000, often abbreviated MST3K, is an American cult television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Best Brains, Inc. ... The Lutheran movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity by the original definition. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area  Ranked 12th  - Total 87,014 sq mi (225,365 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 8. ... “D&D” redirects here. ... Simpsons redirects here. ... Nedward Ned Flanders is a fictional character on The Simpsons, based on the real life Donald Macmillan, heir to the Alcan Fortune, voiced by Harry Shearer. ...

See also

v • d • e Related topics on Martin Luther
Works	A Mighty Fortress is Our God  · Large Catechism  · Luther Bible  · On the Bondage of the Will  · On the Freedom of a Christian  · On the Jews and their Lies  · Smalcald Articles  · Small Catechism  · The Adoration of the Sacrament  · Theology of the Cross  · The 95 Theses  · To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation  · Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope
Topics	Augsburg Confession · Decet Romanum Pontificem  · Diet of Worms · Exsurge Domine  · Lutheranism  · Luther rose · Sacramental union
People	Albert of Mainz · Bartholomaeus Arnoldi · Desiderius Erasmus · Georg Rörer  · Johann Cochlaeus  · Johann von Staupitz  · Justus Jonas  · Karl von Miltitz  · Katharina von Bora  · Philipp Melanchthon

Martin Luther (November 10, 1483 – February 18, 1546) was a German monk,[1] priest, professor, theologian, and church reformer. ... Rare early printing of A Mighty Fortress. ... Luthers Large Catechism consisted of works written by Martin Luther and compiled Christian canonical texts, published in April of 1529. ... Luthers 1534 bible The Luther Bible is a German Bible translation by Martin Luther, first printed with both testaments in 1534. ... On the Bondage of the Will, also known as Bound Will or by its Latin name De Servo Arbitrio was Martin Luthers answer to Erasmus De Libero Arbit or On Free Will. ... Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... The Smalcald Articles are a summary of Lutheran doctrines, written by Martin Luther, which declared the positions on which Lutherans could not concede. ... Luthers Small Catechism was written by Martin Luther and published in 1529 for the training of children. ... The Adoration of the Sacrament (1523) (German: Vom Anbeten des Sakraments des heiligen leichnams Christi) is Martin Luthers treatise, written to Bohemian Brethren to defend the adoration of the of the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist. ... The Theology of the Cross (Theologia Crucis) is a term used by Martin Luther in the sermon on the Two Kinds of Righteousness and which refers to a theology which places trust in Gods unmerited grace given for Christs sake instead of ones own righteous acts as... The 95 Theses. ... To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation is one of three tracts written by Martin Luther in 1520. ... The Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope is a treatise written by Philip Melanchthon that denotes the Lutheran position regarding the Papal abuses of authority. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (479x700, 71 KB) Martin Luther by Lucas Cranach der Ältere, painted in 1529, scan by Carol Gerten-Jackson. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Augsburg Confession The Augsburg Confession, also known as the Augustana from its Latin name, Confessio Augustana, is the primary confession of faith of the Lutheran Church and one of the most important documents of the Lutheran reformation. ... Decet Romanum Pontificem (1521) is the papal bull excommunicating Martin Luther, bearing the title of the first three Latin words of the text: [It] befits [the] Roman Pontiff in English. ... Luther Before the Diet of Worms, photogravure after the historicist painting by Anton von Werner (1843–1915) in the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart The Diet of Worms (Reichstag zu Worms) was a general assembly (a Diet) of the estates of the Holy Roman Empire that took place in Worms, a small town... Exsurge Domine was a Papal bull issued on June 15, 1520 at the Diet of Worms by Pope Leo X in response to the 95 theses of Martin Luther. ... Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestant Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther. ... The Luther seal or Luther rose is a widely-recognised symbol for Lutheranism. ... Sacramental Union (Latin, unio sacramentalis; German, sacramentlich Einigkeit) is the Lutheran theological view of the Real Presence of the body and blood of Christ in the Christian Eucharist. ... Cardinal Albert of Hohenzollern, Archbishop of Mainz and Magdeburg: engraved portrait by Albrecht Dürer, 1519 Cardinal Albert of Hohenzollern (German: Albrecht; June 28, 1490 in Cölln – September 24, 1545 in Aschaffenburg), Elector and Archbishop of Mainz and Archbishop of Magdeburg, was the younger son of John Cicero, Elector... Bartholomaeus Arnoldi was an Augustinian friar and doctor of divinity who taught Martin Luther and later turned into his earliest and one of his personally closest opponents. ... “Erasmus” redirects here. ... Georg Rörer (Latin, Rorarius) (1492-1557) was a Lutheran reformer and pastor. ... Johann Cochlaeus (1479 - January 10, 1552) was a German humanist and controversialist. ... Engraving of Johann Von Staupitz, 1889. ... Justus Jonas (5 June 1493 - 9 October 1555) was a German Protestant reformer. ... Karl von Miltitz (ca. ... Portrait of Katharina von Bora, wife of Martin Luther, by Lucas Cranach the Elder. ... Portrait of Philipp Melanchthon, by Lucas Cranach the Elder. ...

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f} John Julian, ed., A Dictionary of Hymnology: Setting forth the Origin and History of Christian Hymns of all Ages and Nations, Second revised edition, 2 vols., n.p., 1907, reprint, New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1957, 1:322-25
2. ^ W. G. Polack, The Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal, Third and Revised Edition (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1958), 193, No. 262.
3. ^ ^{a b} Marilyn Kay Stulken, Hymnal Companion to the Lutheran Book of Worship (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1981), 307-08, nos. 228-229.
4. ^ Jaroslav Pelikan and Helmut Lehmann, eds., Luther's Works, 55 vols. (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House; Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1957-1986), 53:283.
5. ^ Cf. The Commission on Worship of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, Lutheran Worship, (St. Louis: CPH, 1982), 992, 997.
6. ^ E. Rœhrich, Les Origines du Choral Luthérien. (Paris: Librairie Fischbacher, 1906), 23 (italics original): "La forme authentique de cette mélodie diffère beaucoup de celle qu'on chante dans la plupart des Églises protestantes et qui figure dans les Huguenots". ... La mélodie originelle est puissamment rythmée, de manière à se plier à toutes les nuances du texte ..."
7. ^ http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/m/i/mightyfo.htm Cyber hymnal: "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God"

Bibliography

German Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

F.H. Hedge translation of A Mighty Fortress

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

1868 Pennsylvania Lutheran Church Book translation of A Mighty Fortress

• Commission on Worship of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Lutheran Worship. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1982. ISBN
• Julian, John, ed. A Dictionary of Hymnology: Setting forth the Origin and History of Christian Hymns of all Ages and Nations. Second revised edition. 2 vols. n.p., 1907. Reprint, New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1957.
• Pelikan, Jaroslav and Lehmann, Helmut, eds. Luther's Works. Vol. 53, Liturgy and Hymns. St. Louis, Concordia Publishing House, 1965. ISBN 0-8006-0353-2.
• Polack, W.G. The Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1942.
• Rœhrich, E. Les Origines du Choral Luthérien. Paris: Librairie Fischbacher, 1906.
• Stulken, Marilyn Kay. Hymnal Companion to the Lutheran Book of Worship. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1981.

Image File history File links Wikisource-logo. ... The original Wikisource logo. ... Image File history File links Wikisource-logo. ... The original Wikisource logo. ... Image File history File links Wikisource-logo. ... The original Wikisource logo. ...

External links

• Lyrics, Music, and MIDI file at CyberHymnal
• Version by Thomas Carlyle
• Psalm 46 in the King James version
• Psalms 46-50 in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer translation (Coverdale)
• New arrangement based on the original metrical tune for SATB choir organ and percussion