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Song: Mighty Fortress is our God
by RS  admin@creationpie.com : 1024 x 640


1. Song: Mighty Fortress is our God
In 1529, Martin Luther composed the famous hymn (words and tune) "A mighty fortress is our God" based on Psalm 46.
Verse routePsalms 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. [kjv]

Martin Luther started the Reformation with his 95 Theses tacked to the door at Wittenberg Monastery on All Saint's Eve in 1517.

2. Martin Luther
Martin Luther started the Reformation with his 95 Theses tacked to the door at Wittenberg Monastery on All Saint's Eve in 1517.

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3. Verse 1 in German
Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott,
Ein gute Wehr und Waffen;
Er hilft uns frei aus aller Not,
Die uns jetzt hat betroffen.
Der alt' boese Feind,
Mit Ernst er's jetzt meint,
Gross' Macht und viel List
Sein' grausam' Ruestung ist,
Auf Erd' ist nicht seinsgleichen.

4. Verse 1 in English
A mighty fortress is our God,
A sword and shield victorious;
He breaks the cruel oppressor's rod
And wins salvation glorious.
The old evil foe,
worn to work us woe,
With dread craft and might
He arms himself to fight.
On Earth he has no equal.

5. Price of this world
To whom does the phrase "On Earth he has no equal" refer?

Who is the prince of this world?

Note: One needs to sing through the last verse (i.e., verse 4) to resolve the conflict.

6. Mighty
The German word "fest" means "secure" and not "mighty", as in the English word "fast" as in "fasten" securely. The word "secure" does not sing as well as "mighty".

7. Fortress
The German word for "fortress" is "Burg". A related German word "Berg" means mountain. Many fortresses are located on high ground such as a mountain. The modern Greek word "πύργος" (PEER-gos) ≈ "tower, fortress" has a root of "πυρ" (peer) ≈ "fire". This is related to the German word "Burg" for fortress .

8. Etymology

9. Bulwark
A bulwark is a fortification outside a city wall or gate. It is related to the French word boulevard - a broad street with rows of trees.

The French had trouble pronouncing the "w" sound (from the Dutch from the German) and so bulwark ended up as boulevard.

10. Meat from Hamburg
The meat called "Hamburger" originated started in German. It is thought that the many German immigrants from the port of Hamburg had something to do with the name of hamburger meat. About 1940, at the time of Hitler's war in Europe, a move was made to call hamburger meat beefburger, but the word hamburger was already established itself

11. Psalms 46:1
   Psalms 46:1 
 All 
KJV: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Hebrew: למנצח לבני קרח על עלמות שיר אלהים לנו מחסה ועז עזרה בצרות נמצא מאד׃
Greek: εις το τελος υπερ των υιων κορε υπερ των κρυφιων ψαλμος ο θεος ημων καταφυγη και δυναμις βοηθος εν θλιψεσιν ταις ευρουσαις ημας σφοδρα

12. Psalms 46:2
   Psalms 46:2 
 All 
KJV: Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Hebrew: על כן לא נירא בהמיר ארץ ובמוט הרים בלב ימים׃
Greek: δια τουτο ου φοβηθησομεθα εν τω ταρασσεσθαι την γην και μετατιθεσθαι ορη εν καρδιαις θαλασσων

13. Psalms 46:3
   Psalms 46:3 
 All 
KJV: Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
Hebrew: יהמו יחמרו מימיו ירעשו הרים בגאותו סלה׃
Greek: ηχησαν και εταραχθησαν τα υδατα αυτων εταραχθησαν τα ορη εν τη κραταιοτητι αυτου διαψαλμα

14. Psalms 46:4
   Psalms 46:4 
 All 
KJV: There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
Hebrew: נהר פלגיו ישמחו עיר אלהים קדש משכני עליון׃
Greek: του ποταμου τα ορμηματα ευφραινουσιν την πολιν του θεου ηγιασεν το σκηνωμα αυτου ο υψιστος

15. Psalms 46:5
   Psalms 46:5 
 All 
KJV: God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.
Hebrew: אלהים בקרבה בל תמוט יעזרה אלהים לפנות בקר׃
Greek: ο θεος εν μεσω αυτης ου σαλευθησεται βοηθησει αυτη ο θεος το προς πρωι

16. Psalms 46:6
   Psalms 46:6 
 All 
KJV: The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.
Hebrew: המו גוים מטו ממלכות נתן בקולו תמוג ארץ׃
Greek: εταραχθησαν εθνη εκλιναν βασιλειαι εδωκεν φωνην αυτου εσαλευθη η γη

17. Psalms 2: Self-reference of robots and humans rebelling
Verse routePsalms 2:1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? [kjv]
Verse routeινα τι εφρυαξαν εθνη και λαοι εμελετησαν κενα [lxx]

RebellionMan has a natural tendency to have too much confidence in man and to rebel against himself, his family, his church, his state, his government, and against God.

Psalms 2 is an interesting case study in this rebellion in terms of self-reference and human-created robots.


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18. Psalms 46:7
   Psalms 46:7 
 All 
KJV: The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
Hebrew: יהוה צבאות עמנו משגב לנו אלהי יעקב סלה׃
Greek: κυριος των δυναμεων μεθ ημων αντιλημπτωρ ημων ο θεος ιακωβ διαψαλμα

19. Psalms 46:8
   Psalms 46:8 
 All 
KJV: Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth.
Hebrew: לכו חזו מפעלות יהוה אשר שם שמות בארץ׃
Greek: δευτε ιδετε τα εργα κυριου α εθετο τερατα επι της γης

20. Psalms 46:9
   Psalms 46:9 
 All 
KJV: He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.
Hebrew: משבית מלחמות עד קצה הארץ קשת ישבר וקצץ חנית עגלות ישרף באש׃
Greek: ανταναιρων πολεμους μεχρι των περατων της γης τοξον συντριψει και συγκλασει οπλον και θυρεους κατακαυσει εν πυρι

21. Wars
When will wars cease on the earth?

When will bows, spears, and chariots disappear?

22. Karl von Clausewitz
As one of the first military science writers, Carl von Clausewitz (1780-1831) was a Prussian observer on the Russian side as they fought Napoleon and the French. His influential work "On War" was studied by the military in many countries, most notably by the German General staff and influenced the German military through World War II. Paraphrased (from what I remember reading the work in high school): He is credited with the first mention of the term "fog of war".

23. Psalms 46:10
   Psalms 46:10 
 All 
KJV: Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
Hebrew: הרפו ודעו כי אנכי אלהים ארום בגוים ארום בארץ׃
Greek: σχολασατε και γνωτε οτι εγω ειμι ο θεος υψωθησομαι εν τοις εθνεσιν υψωθησομαι εν τη γη

24. Psalms 46:11
   Psalms 46:11 
 All 
KJV: The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
Hebrew: יהוה צבאות עמנו משגב לנו אלהי יעקב סלה׃
Greek: κυριος των δυναμεων μεθ ημων αντιλημπτωρ ημων ο θεος ιακωβ

25. Verse 1
A mighty fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing:
Our helper He, amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work his woe;
His craft and power are great,
And armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

26. Verse 2
Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabaoth is his name,
From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

27. Verse 3
And though this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us.
The Prince of Darkness grim,—
We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure,
For lo! His doom is sure,—
One little word shall fell him.

28. Verse 4
That word above all earthly powers—
No thanks to them—abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours
Through him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
This mortal life also:
The body they may kill:
God's truth abideth still,
His kingdom is for ever.

29. End of page

by RS  admin@creationpie.com : 1024 x 640