How Firm a Foundation Lyrics in Large Print: Free PDF
The words of How Firm a Foundation are here in large print, one sheet at 18, 24 or 28 point. Credit: Anonymous, signed "K" in John Rippon, A Selection of Hymns (1787). Published before 1930, so public domain in the US and free to copy.
| Words | Anonymous, signed "K" in John Rippon, A Selection of Hymns (1787) |
|---|---|
| Type size | 18, 24 or 28 pt |
| Paper | US Letter, A4 or 11 x 17 in, white or cream |
How Firm a Foundation in large print: words and download
How Firm a Foundation
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?
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.
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.
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 never, no, never, no never forsake.
Words: Anonymous, signed "K" in John Rippon, A Selection of Hymns (1787). Music: Traditional American melody (early 19th century). Public domain in the United States: words published 1787 (US, published 1929 or earlier).
The words above are set the way this site sets every song: left aligned, one column, plain type with no italics, and a blank line between stanzas. The sheet has 4 stanzas and 16 lines. How Firm a Foundation is one of the songs in our large print hymns collection, where you can print it with others in one PDF, and the whole set of texts is listed on the large print prayers and hymns page.
Who wrote How Firm a Foundation and when?
The hymn was published in 1787 by John Rippon in A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors, an appendix to Isaac Watts's Psalms and Hymns, known as Rippon's Selection. It was number 128 in the first printing. It is credited only to K, which Wikipedia says probably refers to Robert Keene, the precentor at Rippon's church, though other names have been suggested. The tune most often used, called Foundation, first appeared in 1832 in A Compilation of Genuine Church Music, edited by Joseph Funk. According to Wikipedia, on Christmas Eve 1898 American units from the North and the South in the Spanish-American War joined to sing this hymn. It was also the favorite hymn of General Robert E. Lee.
When is How Firm a Foundation sung?
Wikipedia lists it in the hymnals of more than one denomination, and it is a steady hymn for a whole congregation, so it works well with sheets in every hand. It pairs with Blest Be the Tie That Binds and I Need Thee Every Hour. If you know this hymn, you may also want Amazing Grace.
How do you print How Firm a Foundation for a service, a sing-along or a care-home visit?
For a service, print sheets at 24 point and keep them at the door. Offer them quietly, so no one is singled out. The hymn has several verses, so 11 x 17 paper keeps it to one sheet for people who sit near the front. In a care home, one sheet each in a sleeve serves for a Sunday hymn sing. Cream paper and a matte finish help in a bright chapel, and 28 point copies should be to hand. Eighteen point is the smallest size we offer, because the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) says print below 18 point is not large print, and our page on what large print is explains the reasons for 18, 24 and 28 point.