This post by Chris Anderson comes from Gospel Meditations on the Reformation (Day 2: “Luther and Congregational Singing”).
“Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things!” (Psalm 98:1)
Martin Luther has been called “The Father of the Protestant Hymn.” He lent his considerable intellect to the composition of hymns. He is credited with writing thirty-six original hymns, but he also translated Latin hymns into German, versified Psalms, and even wrote and adapted music to carry those texts. His most enduring contribution to the church’s hymnody is “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” which grew out of his meditations on Psalm 46.
Luther’s Conviction
Luther’s commitment to congregational singing wasn’t merely a fascination with the arts. It was a matter of conviction. The Council of Basel in 1435 forbade the singing of hymns in the vernacular. Luther saw such a prohibition as disastrous for the church. He believed church music to be essential, not decorative, so he championed congregational singing. In the 1884 publication The Hymns of Martin Luther, editor Leonard Woolsey Bacon summarizes Luther’s legacy:
The two great works of Martin Luther were those by which he gave to the common people a vernacular Bible and vernacular worship, that through the one, God might speak directly to the people; and in the other, the people might speak directly to God.
Luther saw the Scriptures and music as complementary:
Music and notes, which are wonderful gifts and creations of God, do help gain a better understanding of the text [of Scripture], especially when sung by a congregation and when sung earnestly. (Preface to the Burial Hymns, 1542)
Biblical Mandate
The importance of congregational singing cannot be overstated. It is exemplified in Israel’s history (Exodus 15; Judges 5; Nehemiah 12:42), celebrated in the Psalms (Psalm 98, 147, etc.), commanded in the New Testament (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16; James 5:13), and climaxed in Revelation (Revelation 5:9; 14:3; 15:3–4). God’s people are a singing people!
It seemed fitting to Bob Kauflin and me to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation with a congregational hymn. We hope it will help the church remember and exult in biblical doctrine. With a nod of gratitude to hymn-writer Martin Luther, the result of our labors was “Reformation Hymn.”*
Each stanza along with the refrain focuses on one of the five solas—the great “rediscoveries” of the Reformation: Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone), Sola Fide (faith alone), Sola Gratia (grace alone), Solus Christus (Christ alone), Soli Deo Gloria (glory to God alone).
1.
We will trust God’s Word alone,
Where His perfect will is known;
Our traditions shift like sand
While His Truth forever stands.
2.
We will live by faith alone,
Clothed in merit not our own;
All we claim is Jesus Christ
And His finished sacrifice.
Refrain:
Glory be, glory be to God alone,
Through the church He redeemed and made His own.
He has freed us, He will keep us till we’re safely home.
Glory be, glory be to God alone!
Refrain:
Glory be, glory be to God alone,
Through the church He redeemed
and made His own.
He has freed us, He will keep us
till we’re safely home.
Glory be, glory be to God alone!
3.
We are saved by grace alone—
Undeserved, yet freely shown;
No accomplishment on earth
Can achieve the second birth.
4.
We will stand on Christ alone,
The unyielding Cornerstone;
Nations rage and devils roar,
Still He reigns forevermore!
Let the gospel unleash your heart and voice in joyful praise to God.
*“Reformation Hymn” is available as a free download, choir octavo, and congregational arrangement matching our new recording.
Explore the whole book!
October 31, 2017, marked the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s posting of his Ninety-five Theses and the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. In honor of this occasion, Church Works Media teamed with noted church historian Carl Trueman and theologian Andy Naselli to write 31 daily devotionals, taken from Scripture and illustrated with scenes from Reformation history. These meditations will feed your mind, warm your heart, and point your thoughts to Christ! Soli Deo Gloria!
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