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The Army and Navy Hymnal/Hymns/How Firm a Foundation

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For other versions of this work, see Adeste Fideles#Musical setting.

The hymn "How Firm a Foundation" first appeared in John Rippon's A Selection of Hymns (1787), where it was attributed simply to "K". The most likely candidates for "K" are Robert Keene, George Keith, Thomas Kirkham, or someone named "Kennedy".

The anonymous tune is that used for "Adeste Fideles". The earliest known version comes from Cantus Diversi by John Francis Wade, but has also been attributed to John Reading or King John IV of Portugal

1868226The Army and Navy Hymnal — How Firm a FoundationHenry Augustine SmithAnonymous

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\header { tagline = ##f title = \markup { "122" "          " "How Firm a Foundation" } subsubtitle = "(PORTUGUESE HYMN. 11, 11, 11, 11)" composer = "Wade's Cantus Diversi, 1751" poet = "Rippon's Selection, 1787" }
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  1. How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
    Is laid for your faith in his excellent word!
    What more can he say than to you he hath said,
    To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
    To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
  2. 'Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed ;
    For I am thy God, I will still give thee aid:
    I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
    Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand,
    Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.
  3. 'When thro' the deep waters I call thee to go,
    The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow ;
    For I will be near thee, thy troubles to bless,
    And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress,
    And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
  4. 'The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
    I will not, I will not desert to his foes;
    That soul tho' all hell should endeavor to shake,
    I'll nev er, no, never, no never forsake,
    I'll nev er, no, never, no never forsake.Amen