How Firm a Foundation

One of my most favorite hymns has always been How Firm a Foundation. I particularly love the third verse.

Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, upheld by my righteous,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

I have often repeated these words, and felt the comfort they bring. The other night while attending a church meeting, I out of boredom thumbed through a hymn book and began to focus on the other verses.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not thee o’erflow,
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee, and sanctify to thee,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply.
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, thy dross to consume,
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.

The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, I’ll never, no never,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake!


Oh, how I was reminded that the waters will be deep, but they will not overflow. For some reason the idea of a refiner's fire was so on point for me. I have to remember that as painful as it seems right now, that the end product will be beautiful.