Martin Luther and Psalm 46

If you study church history, you will certainly come across a guy named Martin Luther. A natural-born German and the son of a lawyer, Luther devoted himself to a thorough study of the Scriptures. After graduating from college, he went to an Augustinian monastery and in 1507, was ordained a priest.

On a mission to Rome in 1510, Luther found himself appalled by the corruption of the papacy. He became a professor of theology and began teaching salvation by grace through faith rather than works. On October 31, 1517, Luther posted his 95 Theses on the door of the Cathedral of Whittenburg, Germany, condemning the teaching and practices of the Roman church. It was this event by which the Protestant Reformation was formally born. Luther was excommunicated and was summoned to appear before the Diet of Worms in 1521, in which he was to retract his teachings. Luther refused, and faced the fight of his life.

Birthed from the turmoil, unrest, and persecution that he faced was a hymn that has stood for centuries as the believer's battle cry. The exact date of its writing is unknown; however, it is thought to have been written for the Diet of Spires in 1529 when the term "Protestant" was first used. It is the immortal hymn, A Mighty Fortress is our God. Luther wrote the hymn based on Psalm 46, his favorite Psalm.

Tonight at FBC Queen City, I will begin a Midweek series, Great is the Lord. The series will be a verse-by-verse walk through Psalm 46. My hope and prayer is that we will finish the study with a profound appreciation for God's security, stability, safety, sovereignty, simplicity, and sanctity. Great is the Lord!