We don’t know exactly who wrote the words or music to “How Firm a Foundation,” one of the most beloved hymns of the past 200 years, but we do know that its message of hope in the present and faith in the future is both timely and timeless.
During the American Civil War, people on both sides of the conflict sang this hymn. It was a favorite of American presidents Andrew Jackson and Theodore Roosevelt. Robert E. Lee requested that it be sung at his funeral. Who knows how many people, past and present, have taken comfort from these vigorous words:
In every condition—in sickness, in health,
In poverty’s vale or abounding in wealth,
At home or abroad, on the land or the sea—
As thy days may demand, . . . so thy succor shall be.
Fear not, I am with thee; oh, 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 hand.[1]
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Truly, a firm foundation can reassure us as we deal with the difficulties of life. In a world where personal fortunes and physical health can change in a moment, it’s good to remember the moral foundation that can help us stay standing amid life’s instabilities. When we build our lives on principles that stand the test of time, we find strength. We feel hope. History has shown us how building on a firm foundation can see us through difficulties and help us find purpose in life.
“In every condition,” in life’s ups and downs, a firm foundation will help us to “fear not” and stand strong.
1 Hymns, no. 85.
Program #4121