God My Lord My Strength My Place of Hiding
God my Lord, my strength, my place of hiding
This hymn expresses the Lutheran confidence in God's Word as a refuge and source of strength against all tribulations, reflecting the experience of the German Reformation. It embodies the Lutheran understanding of justification by faith, where the believer's security rests not in personal merit but in God's protective love through Christ.
History & Background
Martin Behm composed this German hymn in the early 17th century as a meditation on God's protective care and strength for believers in distress. Catherine Winkworth translated it into English in 1863 for her collection of German Lutheran hymns, and it became widely adopted in Lutheran hymnals including the LBW.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 657
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 484
- Lutheran Service Book — 700
- Lutheran Worship — 435
Translation
Bulletin Note
Composed by Martin Behm in 1610, this Reformation hymn draws on Psalm 27 and expresses the Lutheran conviction that believers find unshakeable refuge in God's Word rather than in personal merit or earthly security.
Preaching Connection
This hymn crystallizes the Lutheran comfort of justification by faith: where the law exposes our vulnerability and weakness, the gospel proclaims God as our unassailable hiding place—a truth that transforms both our fear and our confidence.
Catechism & Confessional Connections
- Of Justification Augsburg Confession
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Christological meditation moving from Christ's suffering, to personal appropriation of redemption, to grateful response, to covenantal commitment
Themes
God's protection Trust in adversity Refuge in Christ Divine strength Comfort in suffering