We are halfway through 40 days of praise. I hope you continue to enjoy this musical devotional during your prayer time.

HOW FIRM A FOUNDATION by Robert Keen? George Keith?

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord; Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!

What more can He say than to you He has said; To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

“Fear not, I am with you, O be not dismayed; For I am Your God and will still give you aid

I’ll strengthen you, help you, and cause thee to stand; Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go; The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow

For I will be with thee, your troubles to bless; And sanctify thee to your deepest distress

When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie; My grace all sufficient shall be thy supply

The flame shall not hurt thee I only design; Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine

The soul that on Jesus, hath leaned for repose; I will not, I will not desert to his foes

That soul though all hell shall endeavor to shake; I’ll never, no never, no never forsake!”

How I love the affirmation of Scripture in the very first verse of this wonderful hymn! We can count on God’s Word. It’s veracity gives us a rock solid foundation for our faith. Everything we need to have a godly life pleasing to Him is found in His Word. It is complete.

       I also love the way the author depicts how God is with us, our Rock. We are able to trust Him. Every word, every promise He gives us, is true and we can lean on Him at all times. He will never leave us nor forsake us. There is no place we can go where His presence cannot be with us. How comforting that is.

       That truth is also frightening. Whenever I go someplace a Christian ought not to go, whenever I place myself in situations I ought not to be in, I take Christ there with me. I expose Him to shame and grieve His Holy Spirit.

       We are even shown, in verse 4, the truth that the fiery trials we encounter are merely to refine us, not destroy us. God lets us go through them not to bring harm to us, but to purify us and make us strong.

       What a wise and loving God we serve. No matter what we go through, no matter who or what seeks to conquer us, we can stand firm with the shield of faith, steadfast in the knowledge that the Lord is our refuge and our strength, an ever present help in times of trouble.

       Lord, what a blessing Your Holy Word is. Thank you so much for giving it to us. Help me to study it and to hide it in my heart, so that I might not sin against You.