In God, My Faithful God
In God, my faithful God, I trust
This hymn reflects core Lutheran theology emphasizing justification by faith and the believer's confidence in God's mercy despite human weakness and sin. It articulates the comfort of the Gospel through meditation on God's steadfast character and protective care.
History & Background
Written by Balthasar Behm in 1602, this German hymn was published in early 17th-century Lutheran hymnals. Henry J. Vogel provided the English translation in 1931, making it accessible to English-speaking Lutheran congregations.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 746
- Lutheran Service Book — 745
- Lutheran Worship — 421
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 526
- Voices Together — 84
Translation
Bulletin Note
Composed by Balthasar Behm in 1602, this hymn shaped Lutheran piety through centuries of trial, offering medieval reassurance rooted in justification by faith alone—a confession that God's character, not our works, secures our peace.
Preaching Connection
This hymn powerfully illustrates the Law-Gospel movement: it diagnoses human vulnerability and worry, then proclaims the liberating assurance of God's steadfast mercy in Christ—a pattern that both amplifies and resolves the tension of God's dual Word.
Catechism & Confessional Connections
- Of Justification Augsburg Confession
Themes
Trust in God's faithfulness Deliverance from anxiety Divine protection Prayer and petition Confidence in providence