God the Father Be Our Stay
God the Father be our stay
The hymn expresses classical Lutheran confidence in divine providence, asking for the protection and guidance of all three persons of the Trinity. It embodies the Lutheran emphasis on God's active care for believers and the security found in trinitarian faith.
History & Background
Martin Behm composed this German hymn in the early 17th century as a trinitarian invocation for worship. Catherine Winkworth translated it into English in 1863, making it widely available in English Lutheran hymnals throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 871
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 308
- Lutheran Service Book — 505
- Lutheran Worship — 170
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 247
Translation
Bulletin Note
Composed by Martin Behm in 1610, this hymn crystallizes Lutheran confidence in divine providence through trinitarian invocation, offering believers protection against spiritual danger through grace alone.
Preaching Connection
This hymn deepens the Gospel promise that God's protective grace—not human effort—is the answer to our vulnerability and sin, making it a powerful sung affirmation after proclaiming Christ's redemptive work.
Catechism & Confessional Connections
- Of Justification Augsburg Confession
Themes
Trinity Divine protection Invocation of God Peace in Christ Perseverance in faith