A Prayer To A God Who Hears

This Sunday marks the annual observance of Reformation Sunday, when we remember with thanksgiving God’s hand of providence in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther, the German monk who launched the Reformation by posting 95 theses on the door of the castle church in Wittenberg, had a prolific engagement with music and poetry. Hymnals which included either tunes or texts by Luther appeared as early as 1524, and he worked closely with Johann Walter (the composer of CHRIST LAG IN TODESBANDEN) to prepare music for a German language worship service. Luther famously wrote both the music and text of A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (a paraphrase of Psalm 46), but he also provided the poetry for Christ Jesus Lay In Death’s Strong Bands and Lord, Keep Us Steadfast In Thy Word and adapted a previously existing folk song for use with his Christmas hymn, From Heaven On High. We’ll sing all these in the first half of our service this morning. The Reformers believed that music and singing were vital practices of Christian celebration. As Luther himself wrote in the preface to a hymnal, “God cheered our hearts and minds through His dear Son, whom He gave for us to redeem us from sin, death, and the devil. He who believes this earnestly cannot be quiet about it. But he must gladly and willingly sing.” —Henry C. Haffner & Emma Marsh