Bach’s Cantata 80 is an elaboration of Luther’s “Ein Feste Burg.” The second movement of the Cantata is a duet of soprano and bass, the former singing the second verse of Luther’s hymn while the bass sings an embellishment promising the victory of God.
The bass part begins and ends with lines from librettist Salomon Franck: “Alles, was von Gott geboren / Ist zum Siegen auserkoren” (All who are born of God / are chosen for victory). The lines are appropriate accompaniment to the hymn’s reminder that “our striving would be losing” if we “in our own strength confide.” Christ Jesus, Lord of Armies, wins the battle.
Between the repeated couplet are three lines about baptism: “Wer bei Christi Blutpanier / In der Taufe Treu geschworen / Siegt im Christo fur und fur” (Whoever by Christ’s blood-banner / Is sworn into the fealty of baptism / Wins with Christ forever and ever).
The juxtaposition of the texts brings out a hidden sacramental motif in the hymn. Christ leads his people to victory, carrying his blood-banner, the cross, and the company that follows has been enlisted into his regiment by baptism. The baptized join the hosts of the Lord of hosts. Our God is a mighty fortress to those who have passed through the sea, baptized into the new Moses.
Whether or not Luther had any such thing in mind in the hymn, Franck’s gloss is consistent with Luther’s theology and theologically sound. Next time you sing “Ein feste Burg,” sing it as a hymn memorializing your baptism.
Dear Reader,
Can I be direct with you?
War abroad. Socialists on the rise. AI upending human life. Endless uproar online. The modern attention economy doesn’t want readers — it wants users enslaved to the tyranny of the present.
First Things is the antidote: literary excellence, timeless truths, and a fixed point of reference in a culture that has lost its bearings.
But we can’t do it without readers like you.
Our goal: Raise $150,000 by November 1 to sustain First Things in the year ahead.
Your gift anchors readers in the permanent things.
Make your Fall Campaign gift now using the button below.
If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Giovanni Del Piero, Director of the Editor’s Circle, at gdelpiero@firstthings.com or 212-627-1985.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
The Church in the Age of Therapy
In 1966, Philip Rieff wrote in The Triumph of the Therapeutic that “Religious man was born to…
Canada’s Deadliest Blind Spot
On September 20, the Daily Mail ran a story with the provocative headline, “Our 83-year-old Christian grandmother…
The Faithful Joy of Dolly Parton and Fulton Sheen
Dolly Parton and Fulton Sheen seem to have had little in common. She favored rhinestones; he wore…
