Origins: How Firm a Foundation (Keith & Keen)

Subject: Origins: How Firm a Foundation (Keith & Keen)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 May 23 - 11:10 PM

Here's an old standard hymn.

HOW FIRM A FOUNDATION
(George Keith & Robert Keen, 1787)

1 How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in God's excellent Word!
What more can be said than to you God hath said,
to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

2 "Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
for I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

3 "When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
for I will be near thee, thy troubles to bless,
and sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

4 "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.

5 "The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no, never, no, never forsake."


Glory to God, 2013

Source: https://hymnary.org/text/how_firm_a_foundation_ye_saints_of

Maddy Prior recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTg8ToOe1FQ

Performance by The Petersens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dx4eIr4x5yo

Subject: RE: Origins: How Firm a Foundation (Keith & Keen)
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 24 May 23 - 01:31 AM

How Firm A Foundation

Text: Attr. to Robert Keen, ca. 1787
Music: Attr. to J. Ellis, ca. 1889



1. 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 hath said,

Who unto the Savior, who unto the Savior,

Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?


2. In ev’ry condition—in sickness, in health,

In poverty’s vale or abounding in wealth,

At home or abroad, on the land or the sea—

As thy days may demand, as thy days may demand,

As thy days may demand, so thy succor shall be.


3. Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,

For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.

I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,

Upheld by my righteous, upheld by my righteous,

Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.


4. When through the deep waters I call thee to go,

The rivers of sorrow shall not thee o’erflow,

For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,

And sanctify to thee, and sanctify to thee,

And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.


5. 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, thy dross to consume,

Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.


6. E’en down to old age, all my people shall prove

My sov’reign, eternal, unchangeable love;

And then, when gray hair shall their temples adorn,

Like lambs shall they still, like lambs shall they still,

Like lambs shall they still in my bosom be borne.


7. The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose

I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes;

That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,

I’ll never, no never, I’ll never, no never,

I’ll never, no never, no never forsake!

Sincerely,
Gargoyle
When visiting an LDS church I find similar hymns but frequently with altered lyrics.


 

Subject: RE: Origins: How Firm a Foundation (Keith & Keen)
From: cnd
Date: 24 May 23 - 09:31 AM

Though this is a song I know I've sung a lot in church, I only have 2 recordings of it in all my music collection, and only one with lyrics. It matches pretty closely with the text Joe posted, though omitting the 4th stanza. That recording is of Hal Shoemaker from his album Favorite Revival Solos (undated, circa 1960s).