Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word
Three stanzas. Short enough to learn in a single sitting, which was the intention.
The words are public domain. We print a hymn only after checking it word for word against a dated old printing, and this one hasn’t been checked yet. Hymnary has it now.
“Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word” at HymnaryAbout this hymn
Luther wrote this for children, and the constraint shows in the best way. Three stanzas, one to each person of the Trinity, no elaboration, nothing to get lost in.
Because it is short it gets used as a closing hymn, sung after everything else is done and the congregation is already standing. Many Lutherans can produce it from memory decades after last hearing it.
If you are teaching somebody one hymn to keep, this is a strong candidate for the one.
For musicians and planners
| Words | Martin Luther, 1542 | Public domain |
|---|---|---|
| Translation | Catherine Winkworth, 1863 | Public domain |
| Tune | ERHALT UNS, HERR · Joseph Klug's Geistliche Lieder, Wittenberg, 1543 (source; no composer named on hymnary, traditionally associated with Luther), 1543 | Public domain |
Checked 2026-09-27 against hymnary.org text, tune and person pages (attribution and rights only)
Hymn numbers checked against Hymnary.org’s index of Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Full record: Hymnary.