Yesterday I stumbled upon a hymn unfamiliar to me.  As I typed a sermon draft, He Will Hold Me Fast began to play.  It did not take long for my fingers to come to a stand still.  I listened intently.  Once. Twice. Three times I listened to the hymn.  I immediately sent a text to get the song included in Sunday’s worship.  It is a perfect fit for my message.

I have since done a bit of reading about the origins of the song.  It was penned by Ada Habershon (strangely enough, also the writer of Will The Circle Be Unbroken?), after receiving a letter from a fellow hymn writer.  Robert Harkness described a man he met in Canada, a brother who wasn’t sure that his faith would “hold on.” Harkness expressed such anguish in his letter, that he begged Habershon to write hymn that would provide assurance of hope in Jesus.  In response, she wrote seven hymns, one of which became He Will Hold Me Fast.

At my keyboard, it was the song as performed by the Norton Hall Band that grabbed my attention.  Give it a listen:

Here are the lyrics:

VERSE 1
When I fear my faith will fail,
Christ will hold me fast;
When the tempter would prevail,
He will hold me fast.
I could never keep my hold
Through life’s fearful path;
For my love is often cold;
He must hold me fast.

REFRAIN
He will hold me fast,
He will hold me fast;
For my Savior loves me so,
He will hold me fast.

VERSE 2
Those He saves are His delight,
Christ will hold me fast;
Precious in His holy sight,
He will hold me fast.
He’ll not let my soul be lost;
His promises shall last;
Bought by Him at such a cost,
He will hold me fast.

VERSE 3
For my life He bled and died,
Christ will hold me fast;
Justice has been satisfied;
He will hold me fast.
Raised with Him to endless life,
He will hold me fast
‘Till our faith is turned to sight
When He comes at last!