He Will Hold Me Fast

When I fear my faith will fail,
Christ will hold me fast;
When the tempter would prevail,
He can hold me fast.

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

I could never keep my hold,
He will hold me fast;
For my love is often cold,
He must hold me fast.

I am precious in His sight,
He will hold me fast;
Those He saves are His delight.
He will hold me fast.

He’ll not let my soul be lost,
Christ will hold me fast;
Bought by Him at such a cost,
He will hold me fast.

Once again, you can give credit, or blame, to Pastor Alistair Begg for this hymn.  It was unfamiliar to me, but after hearing the lyics and looking up the history behind the song, I thought it needed to be shared.

Robert Harkness was a hymnwriter and composer in the early 1900’s.  He attended a revival meeting in Canada and encountered a young man dealing with the fear that he would not be able to “hold out.”  He had recently been saved but was concerned that he could not “finish the race.”  Mr. Harkness mentioned this man in a letter to Ada Habershon, and also mentioned the need for a song which would give “definite assurance of success in the Christian life.”  Mrs. Habershon took that thought and inspiration and wrote seven songs.  One of them was “He will hold me fast.”  Mr. Harkness set the song to music and it was used in revival meetings from that day on.

Often times in the Bible, we are admonished to “hold fast.”  I Thess 5:21 tells us to “Hold fast to what is good.”  2 Tim 1:13 tells us to “Hold fast the form of sound words…in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”  We are instructed to hold on, to remain diligent, to persevere.  But I like the thought of this song as well.  Jesus holding us fast.  This thought reminded me of John 10:28-29 which assures us “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”  I pray the words today of this hymn will encourage you to know that Jesus is holding you fast.

Couple of comments on the lyrics:

• “For my love is often cold” – This phraseology reminded me of the Ephesian church in Revelation chapter 2.  This church had a lot going for it.  Works, patience, standing up for what was right.  But Jesus says that they lost their first love. Their love had grown cold.  One of the best ways to re-kindle our love that has grown cold for God or for people is to be reminded of how great God’s love is for us.  A love that nothing can separate us from (Romans 8).  A love that patience, kind, enduring.  A love that looks past our “coldness” and warms our heart with blessings from above.

• “I am precious in His sight” – One of the great things about the Bible is that it deals with us in our own personal weaknesses.  For those that tend to have arrogance in their own abilities, we read the last few chapters of Job and God’s words humble us.  They remind us how insignificant we really are.  But for those who struggle with insecurity and “poor” spirits, the Bible tells us how important we are to Him.  That we are “knit together” in our mother’s womb.  That He knows the hairs on our head.  That He knows our rising up and our going down.  We are truly precious in His sight.

There was a popular song in the 1970’s sung by the Eagles entitled “Life in the fast lane.”  For many people in the world, that “fast lane” represents a life of riotous living, sin, and debauchery.  A life spent going 100 mph with no purpose and that often times ends in great tragedy – death at an early age, drug overdose, etc.

However, we as Christians can live a life in a different kind of “fast” lane.  That “fast” lane that gives us confidence that “He who began a good work in us will be faithful to complete it.”  That “fast” lane that gives us assurance that the Shepherd is seeking the one lost sheep and that He will find it.  That “fast” lane that gives us the knowledge to proclaim “I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.”  I am thankful today that He will hold me fast, and I know you are too.