Lutheran Book of Worship

A mighty fortress is our God - Martin Luther (trans. Lutheran Book of Worship)

Translated into ASL by David Bar-Tzur

Created 23 February, links updated monthly with the help of LinkAlarm.

EXPLANATION OF THE GLOSSING SYSTEM
(to understand how I describe the signs in this translation).

1. OUR GOD IDEA~LIKE FORTRESS MIGHTY.
IDEA~LIKE SWORD AND SHIELD GIFT-TO-us VICTORY.
HAPPEN OPRRESSION, HE-rt,hi LIBERATE US.
HE-rt,hi WIN, SALVATION GLORIOUS.
SATAN, OUR OLD ENEMY
PROMISE BRING-us US TROUBLE.
HE-lf,lo MALICIOUS, POWERFUL AWFUL.
HE-lf,lo PLAN HOW FIGHT RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE.
HERE EARTH NONE EQUAL, HIS-lf,lo CHARACTER MEAN*.

2. OUR STRENGTH CAN EQUAL HIS-lf,lo MIGHTY POWER.
WITHOUT GOD WE LOST, SUCCEED CAN'T.
BUT NOW HAVE CHAMPION FIGHT FOR US
GOD HIMSELF-rt APPOINTED HIM-lf.
(2h)YOU ASK WHO FIGHT FOR US?
THE-lf LORD CONTROL ANGEL HIMSELF-lf
CHRIST JESUS, MIGHTY LORD.
GOD HIS-rt ONLY SON, WE ADORE.
HE-lf,hi FIGHT OUR WAR AND CONQUER-lo WILL.

3. SUPPOSE DEVIL SEND ARMY SCADS-OF.
(2h)#ALL THREATEN US EAT EAT-UP FINISH.
WE NOT~NEED TREMBLE, WE STAND WITHOUT FEAR.
THEY-ctr CAN'T BEAT-us, OUR POWER FROM HIM-lf.
DICTATOR THIS WORLD MAYBE RAGE
WE CONFRONT DEVIL FIGHT.
HIS-lf,lo MIGHT SUCCEED 4-CAN'T.
GOD JUDGE JUSTICE WILL.
ONE SIMPLE WORD BEAT HIM*.

4. GOD HIS-ctr WORD ETERNAL STAY.
HIS-ctr ENEMY RESIST, BUT FEAR HIM-ctr.
WHY? GOD HIMSELF-ctr SUPPORT OUR FIGHT.
OUR AMMUNITION, HOLY SPIRIT HIS-ctr.
SUPPOSE ENEMY TAKE-UP OUR HOUSE.
OUR HONOR, CHILDREN, SPOUSE,
E-V-E-N LIFE ITSELF WE LOSE,
THEY-ctr,lo NEVER GET OUR SOUL.
GOD HIS-ctr KINGDOM OURS FOREVER.


Notes: IDEA~LIKE - A blending where IDEA has a [Y] instead of an [I] in anticipation of LIKE which is signed smoothly right afterwards.

FORTRESS - (2h)[S], POs down, FOs ><, strike the whole length of the forearms together like TABLE then DH is held under NDH and the arms strike again.

MIGHT/MIGHTY - (2h)[S], POs > back of signer, FOs up, are held at NDS and fists descend, then repeat at DS.

SWORD - (2H)[S], NDH acts as scabbard (sword holder) and DH pulls out sword.

SHIELD - [S] is held as if holding shield and FT of [1] traces a circle where the shield would be.

GIFT-TO-us - (2h)[X], POs ><, FOs up, hands tip back towards signer to show that something is given as a gift.

VICTORY - WIN.

OPPRESSION - DH [B], PO down, FO away, pushs down twice on [S], PO > DS, FO away.

HE - Underlined words are honorific indices ("indexes"), using the FT of the upturned palm to indicate who is being honored.

LIBERATE - Starts like PRESSURE, DH [B], PO down, FO away, push down slightly on [S], PO > DS, FO away, then the DH is brought upwards suddenly and the signer mouths "off".

SALVATION - SAVE.

GLORIOUS - (2h)[5], POs><, FOs away from signer, DH which is on top wiggles fingers while ascending. For an animated gif of this sign, see Animated dictionary of religious signs - Deaf Missions: Glory.

SATAN - DEVIL. (2h)[3], wg while moving repeatedly > forehead. For an animated gif of this sign, see Valley Bible Church - ASL dictionary: Satan.

MALICIOUS - (2h)[O^] are held at end of mouth and arc downwards while changing to (2h)[A], as if twirling a handlebar moustache the way villains did in silent movies.MANGER - (2h)[5], FOs down interlace fingers and then separate while ascending in outward arcs.

POWERFUL - [C] or [5:] brings FTs rapidly to the ND biceps and bounces slightly.

RIGHTEOUS - Elbow of DH [S] is placed firmly against the backhand of NDH [B], PO down.

APPOINTED - NDH PO away, FO up, DH [5], PO away, FO up, DH closes to an [F] and strikes NDH palm with thumb side.

ANGEL - (2h)[B^] touch FTs to shoulders, then arms extended and bent move slightly as if flying gently.

ADORE - NDH is clasped over DH [S] and hands circle perpendicular to the chest. For an animated gif of this sign, see Animated dictionary of religious signs - Deaf Missions: Worship.

SCADS-OF - (2h)[5:], POs down, FOs away, move forward to show many things.

(2h)#ALL - (2h)[A], POs ><, FOs up, are held at shoulder height and move away while opening to (2h)[L].

THREATEN - DANGER.

EAT-UP - [5:] touches FT to palm of [B], PO > DS, FO up, and DH closes and opens as is travels up the palm, as if taking small bites of it, while gnashing the teeth with each bite.

TREMBLE - (2h)[1^], POs down, FOs away, hands vibrate from side to side symmetrically to show legs shaking.

FEAR - (2h)[5], POs away, FOs up, hands are held far from body and move back to body in a wavy pattern.

DICTATOR - (2h)[X], POs away, FOs > respective sides, alt. move > signer and away, like CONTROL but with a smug facial expression.

RAGE - (2h)ANGRY with intensity.

CONFRONT - (2h)[B], POs ><, FOs away, DH above NDH, hands moves away, then tilt until FOs are up.

4-CAN'T - CAN'T with a [4] replacing the usual DH [1].

JUSTICE - (2h)[B^], POs ><, FOs up, tap FT while moving in a horizontal circle.

ETERNAL - ALWAYS + DH produces STILL in the usual way, and the NDH produces STILL so that it moves back over the shoulder. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Eternal.

AMMUNITION - BULLET (DH [G] strokes FTs against NDH [1], PO > DS, FO away) + (2h)[4], PO up, FO away, start next to one another and then separate to show a line of bullets. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see ASL browser - ammunition.

HOLY - H-CLEAN. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Holy - 1.

TAKE-UP - (2h)[5:], POs away, FOs up, move down quickly and close to (2h)[S], POs down, FOs away, as if grabbing hold of something, then hands ascend.

SPOUSE - HUSBAND, WIFE with the NDH staying in place.

KINGDOM - KING + [5], PO down, FO away, circles horizontally. For an animated gif of this sign, see Valley Bible Church - ASL dictionary: Kingdom.

Lyrics:

1. A mighty fortress is our God,
A sword and shield victorious;
He breaks the cruel oppressor's rod
And wins salvation glorious.
The old satanic foe
Has sworn to work us woe.
With craft and dreadful might
He arms himself to fight.
On earth he has no equal.

2. No strength of ours can match his might.
We would be lost, rejected.
But now a champion comes to fight,
Whom God himself elected.
You ask who this may be?
The Lord of hosts is he,
Christ Jesus, mighty Lord,
God's only Son, adored.
He holds the field victorious.

3. Though hordes of devils fill the land
All threatening to devour us,
We tremble not, unmoved we stand;
They cannot overpower us.
Let this world's tyrant rage;
In battle we'll engage.
His might is doomed to fail;
God's judgment must prevail!
One little word subdues him.

4. God's Word forever shall abide,
No thanks to foes, who fear it;
For God himself fights by our side
With weapons of the Spirit.
Were they to take our house,
Goods, honor, child, or spouse,
Though life be wrenched away,
They cannot win the day.
The Kingdom's ours forever!

treble clef as a symbol for musicTo hear the music (without words), go to A mighty fortress is our God.

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