The Power Of Hymns

The Power Of Hymns

God used hymns in an unexpected way to save Protestantism in Germany.

THE THIRTY Years’ War, lasting from 1618 to 1648, was a complex conflict that compressed various struggles into one ongoing conflagration. One of the primary contests was between the Catholics and Protestants of Germany.

By 1630 the Imperial Catholic armies were achieving great success, and the Protestant cause seemed hopeless. All of the Protestant princes had been defeated by the Catholic army, and the victors were preparing to extinguish every remnant of Lutheranism in Germany.

At this point King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden decided to try to save Protestantism in continental Europe and landed in Germany with his small but well-trained army. The marquis of Brandenburg and the duke of Saxony supplied Gustavus with a few more troops. In a succession of swift victories, Gustavus defeated the Catholic army and marched victoriously across Germany.

Finally the Imperial Catholic army prepared to make a last stand against Gustavus at Lützen in southern Germany. There on the morning of November 16, 1632, Gustavus Adolphus commanded his army chaplain to lead his troops in worship. The king himself led the army in singing,

Fear not, thou faithful Christian flock;

God is thy shelter and thy rock:

Fear not for thy salvation.

Though fierce the foe and dark the night,

The Lord of hosts shall be thy might,

Christ, thine illumination.

Arise; arise, the foe defy!

Call on the Name of God most high,

That He with might endue you.

And Christ your everlasting Priest,

In all your conflicts shall assist,

From strength to strength renew you.

Gustavus then knelt in earnest prayer. A heavy morning fog prevented the Protestant forces from starting their attack. While they waited, Gustavus ordered the musicians to play Martin Luther’s great hymn:

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 us woe—

His craft and pow’r are great, and armed with cruel hate,

On earth is not his equal.

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 His name, from age to age the same,

And He must win the battle.

As the fog began to lift, Gustavus himself prayed, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, help me today to do battle for thy holy name.” He then shouted to his troops, “Now forward to the attack in the name of our God!” The troops answered back, “God with us,” and they followed their king into battle.

The battle raged back and forth. At 11:00 A.M. Gustavus Adolphus fell from his horse mortally wounded. The cry went out, “The king is wounded,” marking the turning point of the battle. In response, the Swedish army fiercely charged the enemy lines. By the end of the day the victory had been won, and German Protestantism was preserved. As they had sung earlier that day, “Though fierce the foe and dark the night, the Lord of hosts was their might.” Gustavus Adolphus was victorious, albeit in death.

Reflection

When hymns or worship songs are sung in church, do you pay attention to the words? Do you allow God to minister to you through them? King Gustavus used the words of hymns to inspire and uplift his troops. Let them do the same for you.

Let the Holy Spirit fill and control you. Then you will sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, making music to the Lord in your hearts. And you will always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:18-20