How Firm a Foundation
Words: "K " in John Rippon's "A Selection of Hymns," 1787 · Tune "Foundation": traditional American melody, 19th c. · Public domain
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Verse 1
GHow Cfirm Ga Cfounda-Gtion, Emye saints Gof Dthe D7Lord,
Gis Claid Gfor Cyour faith Gin his excellent Word!
GWhat Cmore Gcan Che say Gthan Emto you Ghe Dhath D7said,
Gto you who Dfor Emrefuge to GJesus D7have Gfled?
Verse 2
G"Fear Cnot, GI Cam with Gthee, EmO be Gnot Ddis-D7mayed,
Gfor CI Gam Cthy God Gand will still give thee aid;
GI'll Cstrength-Gen Cthee, help Gthee, Emand cause Gthee Dto D7stand,
Gupheld by Dmy Emrighteous, om-Gnipo-D7tent Ghand."
Verse 3
G"When Cthrough Gthe Cdeep wa-Gters EmI call Gthee Dto D7go,
Gthe Criv-Gers Cof sor-Grow shall not overflow;
Gfor CI Gwill Cbe with Gthee, Emthy trou-Gbles Dto D7bless,
Gand sancti-Dfy Emto thee thy Gdeepest D7dis-Gtress."
Verse 4
G"When Cthrough Gfier-Cy tri-Gals Emthy path-Gway Dshall D7lie,
Gmy Cgrace, Gall Csuffi-Gcient, shall be thy supply;
Gthe Cflame Gshall Cnot hurt Gthee; EmI on-Gly Dde-D7sign
Gthy dross to Dcon-Emsume, and thy Ggold to D7re-Gfine."
Chords in the key of G
- G
- C
- Em
- D
- D7
About this hymn
- Words
- Signed only "K" in the original printing, usually identified as Robert Keen, 1787
- Music
- FOUNDATION, anonymous American folk melody, first published 1832 in Joseph Funk's tunebook
- Meter
- 11.11.11.11
- In
- 2,403 hymnals
- Scripture
- Isaiah 41:10, Isaiah 43:2, Hebrews 13:5
The story
Nobody is sure who wrote this. The original printing signed it with one letter, K. Robert Keen, who led the singing at John Rippon's church, is the usual guess, and George Keith gets named too, but it has never been settled. It came out in 1787 in Rippon's Selection of Hymns, sold as a supplement to Isaac Watts, which got it into Baptist churches quickly. Look at the verses and you see what makes it different. After the first one, it is God speaking straight to you, stitched together from promises in Isaiah 41 and 43. The tune is American and anonymous, a pentatonic folk melody printed in a Virginia shape note book in 1832.
Where it fits in a service
Often used at a homegoing, in a service about trouble or assurance, and as a hymn before the sermon. The pentatonic melody lies easy under a congregation that sings by ear.
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This hymn in three keys, and 49 more
The 50 Hymns for the Church Pianist collection has this hymn in three keys with every verse, a Sunday Version with gospel moves, and big keyboard pictures. Large print and regular print.
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The Hymn & Carol Chord Chart Book puts 21 hymns and carols on paper, chords over the words, with a lead sheet and the story behind each one. Full-size pages for the music stand.
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Online lessons, by ear, from the author of the book — a camera on the keys and this hymn ready for Sunday.
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