How Firm a Foundation | The Tabernacle Choir

Purchase "How Firm a Foundation" from the album "Heavensong: Music of Contemplation and Light":

The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square sing "How Firm a Foundation" a song of vigor, conviction, and demonstrated faith first published in 1787 and now arranged by Mack Wilberg.

Aired August 5, 2012 from the Music and the Spoken Word broadcast episode 4325.

[metarra]

"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."

[evanbench]

This song touched and comforted my Mother when my older brother was in the hospital not expected to live, "Fear NOT I am with thee oh be not dismayed for I am they God and will still give thee aid" During that part of the song Mom was told " You need not worry he will live to become a great leader.. Today he is a Temple President..

[NinaHansen]

This hymn keep me going during the grueling last three months of caring for my dying husband. The last verse, which is often not sung, is the most comforting of any hymn I've ever heard. I'm so glad they sing it here.

[xaviercarrera]

always choke up on the third verse I believe when He says "Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed, for I am thy God and will still give thee aid." I hear his voice every single time, I love him. 

[nanikdasani]

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,
Who unto the Savior, who unto the Savior,
Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?

2. In ev’ry condition—in sickness, in health,
In poverty’s vale or abounding in wealth,
At home or abroad, on the land or the sea—
As thy days may demand, as thy days may demand,
As thy days may demand, so thy succor shall be.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. E’en down to old age, all my people shall prove
My sov’reign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And then, when gray hair shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs shall they still, like lambs shall they
Still,
Like lambs shall they still in my bosom be borne.

7. 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!

[charleneholden]

No one can sing this like THE CHOIR. My motto is an answer back to The Lord, "I'll never, no never, no never forsake!" Him

[oskarswanson]

I never thought I'd be listening to hymns but as I get ready to go on my mission I am finding myself more and more drawn to the Saviour and His praises and hymns and they bring me to tears, which is a new experience for me and something that has never happened before. I am so grateful for the true church of our loving God

[joshuacox]

This is what I sing silently when I am scared- it helps me remember that there is one thing nothing can defeat: the power of god, or the Priesthood.

[ceciliapb]

I'll never ... no never, I'll never ... no never, I'l never ... no never, no never forsake we don't have these words in Italian and I just love them! I love the strenght how they are sung! May we all NEVER, NO NEVER FORSAKE!

[MichaelTurner-cder]

As a LDS, I have never been able to get through this song without emotions, especially 3rd verse. Fear not I am with thee...

[johndemarcus]

Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

[bbarrett]

The 4th verse always gets me. It's a shame it's rarely sung.

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.

[anubis]

My young women's group used to sing this song before our lesson almost every Sunday. Even after I've left the church, this sing still holds a special place in my heart. 💕

[laurenr]

This has always given me strength in times of need. I like to listen to it before my big exams. "Fear not I am with thee oh be not dismayed. For I am thy God and will still give thee aid."

[hughdugan]

One of the most beautiful hymns the MTC has ever sung.

[MrTreyslayer]

How firm a foundation...Ye saints of the lord!
No matter where we are, if we have a firm gospel foundation, things will work out because of our faith, I know that to be true!!!

[markmiller]

My story is a little more of the world. Years ago, I was in grad school at SMU. 2 part time jobs and full time grad school exhausted me. One early morning, I had an oral exam in graduate cost accounting and I was worried. Crossing the field, where
the expanded B school now stands, I sang this to myself. Worldly use or not, I feel it helped me to stand before Dr. Grenolds and the class. Don't ask me about my grade though.

[dantegabrielittesor]

It brings tears to my eyes to think about the BEAUTIFUL gift of faith! In this faithless world we live, i feel honored to believe in God and Jesus Christ! God bless you all, no matter your religion… if you believe in Jesus Christ, we are all the same family!

[jsevey]

If ever a time this hyme was needed to remind us of our Savior's promise to us if we just follow His guidelines and redouble our efforts to worship Him and love Him by loving our fellow man again. Following the 10 commandments at least. our Savior will save us from this mess. We just need to get back to the basics.

[MrBluedanube]

"The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake."