Hymn of the Week: How Firm A Foundation (FOUNDATION)

 Hymn Title: How Firm A Foundation

Tune Name: FOUNDATION

Meter: 11 11 11 11

Trust in God has been on my mind lately, and when I am struggling, I always turn to this hymn. "Do not let my enemies prevail over me" is a major theme of the Psalms, and though most of us don't often face armed enemies or hostile nations like David, we still face enemies every day. This reassuring hymn taps into the strength of our faith, with a simple, open harmony built upon a truly solid bass line. I could sing it all day, as my babies could tell you.

The highest note in this version (set in F-major) is C, perfectly within the capabilities of most normal people. The bass section sits on a low F for a good portion of the time, however - if your basses are more baritone-ish, you can raise the pitch to G, which most soprano sections should have no difficulty singing. In fact, if you ask me in the comments, I'd be happy to provide a transcribed version, in case your organist is no better than me and can't transpose at sight except in the simplest of cases.

A note on my transcriptions of hymns: if you've been using my files, you may have noted that I sometimes include all the verses between the staves, and sometimes place extra verses below. Likewise, occasionally one or more of the verses are written in italics. These measures are only to guide the singer's eye. I have found that four verses are the most that one can successfully navigate without the aid of underlining. If there are more than five verses, I will set only four, and put the remaining verses below. If five, then it is not worth the extra space, but I will italicize the third verse to give a visual reference point for the singer. There is no other hidden meaning in the italicized verse.

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