In this series, I explore some modern worship songs from the point of view of an older person, who has a great love for all things old. But I don’t want to end up a grumpy old man – at least no grumpier than I’ve been all my life. I’ll try to be positive 😁.
Today’s hymn is 2021’s Firm Foundation:
You can view the lyrics in the second video or on the worshiptogether.com site. When I first heard Firm Foundation, the chorus sounded a little odd to me. “He Won’t, He Won’t”. And it also sounded odd to celebrate the fact that Jesus won’t fail. Why would there be any possibility that Jesus would fail? For example, if you had two children, one very clever and the other with learning difficulties, wouldn’t you celebrate more if the one with learning difficulties passed an exam? Why would you rejoice if the clever child passed? Wouldn’t you just take it for granted?
Most modern worship songs are written in everyday language. Perhaps that resonates with some people more than the poetic language of the older hymns. As you get to know the lyrics, you see that it touches on the picture of a house built on a rock
Matt 7:24
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
So, what’s the rock? Is it Christ’s word? Is it our faith and obedience? Perhaps ultimately it relates to Christ himself.
When I was a Roman Catholic, I was always told that Jesus appointed Peter the first pope when he said, “Thou art Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church”. But most early church theologians related the rock to Peter’s faith or to Jesus himself. When Jesus said “this”, he spoke of Peter’s statement.
Matt 16:18
“Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Of course, Peter did go on to be a “foundation” in a secondary sense, along with all the other apostles. He gave the first sermon on the day of Pentecost. And he wrote some of the New Testament, which can also be described as a foundation:
Eph 2:19-20
9 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
I wouldn’t consider anything in me a firm foundation. I look to God and his word. This is brought out in several other hymns and songs. Solid Rock was on Bob Dylan’s Saved album. He’s playing in Killarney here in Ireland today.
And here are some other hymns that touch on the theme of Jesus as our sure foundation:
1 Corinthians 3:11
“For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is already laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
Hibernia Gospel 