We are living in an age when more and more of our Christian beliefs are being challenged by a growing liberal society. Law makers and especially judges continue to hack away at many Biblical principles which believers have always held to. We often wonder what will happen next. Many years ago Christianity also faced a dark and uncertain future in England when Queen Anne forced through Parliament the Schism Act designed to severely limit religious freedom. And this situation probably contributed to Isaac Watts writing this week's hymn choice, "Our God Our Help In Ages Past." I imagine that the words must have brought comfort and new courage to the Christians who were facing a fearful and uncertain future. And hopefully it will do the same for us, generations later. It is a paraphrase of Psalm 90, a psalm of Moses, and originally consisted of nine stanzas. In 1738 John Wesley in his hymnal, Psalms and Hymns, changed the first line to the text from "Our God" to "O God." The hymn was originally part of "The Psalms of David Imitated in the Language of the New Testament", published by Watts in 1719. In this book he paraphrased in Christian verse the entire psalter with the exception of twelve psalms which he felt were unsuited for Christian usage. This hymn ranks as one of the finest of Watts's more than 600 hymns. Meditate upon the words of this great hymn this week. He is our shelter in the stormy blast. His arm is sufficient for all our needs and His defense is sure. And while things are constantly changing around us, He was before the hills were formed and He will be the same for endless years. And He is our help and hope and our guard until the day that He takes us to our eternal home. What a tremendous truth and what a powerful reminder to all of us in the uncertain days that we face. May you be gripped by the power of this truth this week. Keep looking up!
(1) Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.
(2) Under the shadow of Thy throne
Still may we dwell secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.
(3) Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.
(4) A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.
(5) Time, like an ever rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly, forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.
(6) Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while life shall last,
And our eternal home.
Listen and enjoy this powerful message being sung here. LISTEN
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