Chords for A Mighty Fortress is Our God Hymn Story with Lyrics - Martin Luther - Story Behind the Hymn

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_ _ _ _ [E] We think of Martin Luther as a great reformer, Bible translator, political leader, [B] fiery preacher and theologian.
But [D#m] he was also [G#m] a musician having been born in an area of Germany known for [F#] its music.
[E] There in this little Thuringian [B] village, young Martin grew up listening to [C#m] his mother sing.
He himself joined [F#] a boys choir that sang at weddings [B] and funerals.
He [B] became proficient with the flute [C#m] and his volcanic emotions often erupted [E] in song.
_ [F#] When the [B] Protestant Reformation began, Luther determined [D#] to restore worship to the [G#m] German church.
[F#] He worked with skilled [E] musicians to [B] create new music for [C#m] Christians to be sung in their vernacular. _ _
He helped [F#] revive congregational singing [F#] and wrote a number of hymns.
He would [B] often employ borrowed popular secular melodies for [C#m] his hymns,
though [B] the tunes would occasionally elicit criticism so that at [E] times he was compelled to let the devil have it back again
because it was too [B] closely associated [D#m] with bars and _ [D#m] taverns.
In the [G#m] foreword of a book, Luther once wrote,
Next to [F#] the word of God, the [E] noble art of music is the greatest [B] treasure in the world.
It [C#m] controls our thoughts, minds, hearts and spirits.
A person who does [F#] not regard music as a marvelous creation of God does not deserve to be [B] called a human being.
He should be permitted to hear nothing but the braying of asses and the grunting of hogs.
_ Luther's most famous hymn is _ Enfestburg und Unser Gut.
[D] A mighty fortress is our God.
[A] Based [F#m] on Psalm 46, [Bm] it [E] reflects [A] Luther's awareness of our intense [Bm] struggle with Satan.
[F#m] In [G] difficulty [D] and danger, Luther would often [Em] resort to [A] this song, [D] saying to his associate,
Come, Philip, let us sing the 46th Psalm.
_ [F#] This is a difficult hymn [E] to translate [A] because the original [Bm] German is so vivid.
[F#m] [Bm] There are [D] at least [B] 80 English versions.
[A] The most [D] popular in America was done by Frederick Henry [A] Hodge,
[Bm] but I like an older version [E] that [A] appeared in the Pennsylvania Lutheran Church Book [D] of _ 1868.
A mighty [C#] fortress [Bm] is our God, a trusty [F#m] shield and weapon.
[D] He [A] helps us free from [E] every need [A] that hath us now [Em] o'ertaken.
_ [D] _ Take some time [Em] to read Psalm [B] 46 _ and see [Bm] if it brings music to your [Em] heart [G] as you consider your [B] mighty [Em] fortress.
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