LSB #728 "How Firm a Foundation"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Isaiah 28:16, 41:10, 43:1-7; 2 Corinthians 12:9

Isaiah 28:16:  "therefore thus says the Lord GOD, 'Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: "Whoever believes will not be in haste."'"

Isaiah 41:10:  "fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Isaiah 43:1-7:  "1 But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel:  'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.  2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.  3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.  I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you.  4 Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life.  5 Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you.  6 I will say to the North, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, 7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.'"

2 Corinthians 12:9:  "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

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The text is public domain:

1 How firm a foundation, O saints of the Lord,

Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!

What more can He say than to you He has said

Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?

2 "Fear not!  I am with you, O be not dismayed,

For I am your God and will still give you aid;

I'll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand,

Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

3 "The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose

I will not, I will not, desert to his foes;

That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,

I'll never, no never, no never, forsake!

4 "When through fiery trials your pathway will lie,

My grace, all-sufficient, will be your supply.

The flames will not hurt you; I only design

Your dross to consume and your gold to refine.

5 "Throughout all their lifetime My people will prove

My sov'reign, eternal, unchangeable love;

And then, when gray hairs will their temples adorn,

Like lambs they will still in My bosom be borne."

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Isaiah 28:16 is referred to in the first verse, and Isaiah 41:10 is paraphrased in the second verse (although "Fear not... I am with you" also appears in Isaiah 43:5).

Isaiah 43:1-7 and 2 Corinthians 12:9 both appear in the fourth verse.  The first line and part of the third ("'When through fiery trials your pathway will lie'" and "'The flames will not hurt you...'") come from Isaiah 43:2, and the second line ("'My grace, all-sufficient, will be your supply.'") comes from 2 Corinthians 12:9.  There are similar images of testing done by fire in Psalm 66:10 and 1 Peter 4:12 (and in Jeremiah 6:29-30 in a more negative context).