The God Culture: Defacing Luther's Most Famous Hymn

Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God culture as well as Foundations Echo Collective has released official lyric and sheet music for some of the songs on his new album The Awakening. In my initial review I noted that he rewrote Martin Luther's famous hymn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God with no attribution to Luther. That oversight has not been corrected. 

https://foundationsrising.org/ws/media-library/b3a553b8261d56604fa74a621a7dc61c/a-mighty-fortress-yahuah-reigns.pdf

As can be seen here only Timothy Schwab is given credit on this sheet music. That is pretty dishonest. But perhaps even worse are some of the changes Tim made to the lyrics. Let's examine these changes verse by verse.

􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋A mighty fortress is 􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋our YAH, A bulwark never failing, Our helper he amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing. For still our ancient foe Does seek to work us woe, His craft and power are great And armed with cruel hate. On earth is not his equal. 

Yahuah regins, let’s praise His name. Mighty is He. I will not profane His holy name. Yahuah is mighty.

Now, that's not too bad. He changed God to YAH and added a chorus section between verses but Luther's words and message remain intact in the first verse. The same cannot be said for the second verse. 

Did we in our own strength confide? Our striving would be losing. We're not the right man on our 􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋side, The man of Yah’s own choosing. You ask who that may be, Yahusha’s sure it is He. Lord of Sabbath, His name from age to age the same And He must win the battle. 

These changes are devastating to Luther's message. Here is the original. 

You ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is he; Lord Sabaoth his name,

Tim changes the name of Christ Jesus to Yahusha. In Luther's version the words tell us very plainly that the man of God's own choosing is Christ Jesus. In Tim's new verse that confidence is gone. Yahusha is sure it is he. What if he is wrong? That weakens the message of Luther that Christ Jesus is our savior. 

The second change of Lord Sabaoth to Lord of Sabbath dilutes Luther's message that God is mighty. Lord Sabaoth means Lord of armies, or Lord of Hosts. This title appears hundreds of times in the Bible. Here Luther applies this name and title to Jesus Christ. By declaring that the Old Testament title "Lord of Hosts" belongs to Jesus Christ, Luther affirms the divinity of Christ. This is a core Trinitarian tenet, that Jesus is co-equal and co-eternal with God the Father. In this context, the hymn is a declaration of Christ's supreme power over all spiritual and earthly enemies.

But Tim has eighty-sixed this name and title for Lord of Sabbath because doing no work on Saturday is the most important doctrine for him. According to Tim it's what defines one as being a Christian. 

People ask at times how do we know we are saved? Well, are you keeping the sabbath? That is the sign of one who is saved and in relationship with Him. Sorry, we tell the truth here. 

https://youtu.be/qfAybCvlAuM?t=1666

Tim redirects the hymn’s emphasis toward his own doctrinal priorities and in doing so obscures the deity of Christ. This change fundamentally weakens the message of Luther about Christ Jesus winning the battle because He is God.

Tim skips verse 3 entirely, which is itself a theological reduction of Luther’s original argument. Let's see what Tim has omitted. 

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, we will not fear, for God has willed his truth to triumph through us. The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him; his rage we can endure, for lo! his doom is sure; one little word shall fell him.

Why would Tim excise this crucial verse about God defeating the prince of darkness?

 Instead he goes straight to verse four which also introduces significant changes to Luther's message. 

Heard above all earthly powers, No thanks to them abides. The Spirit and the gifts are ours, Through Him who with the sights Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also. The body they may kill, Yah's truth abides still, His kingdom is forever. 

Here is the original. 

That Word above all earthly powers no thanks to them abideth; the Spirit and the gifts are ours through him who with us sideth.

Tim's bastardization of Luther now makes zero sense. Luther says The Word abides above all earthly powers. Tim ditches The Word for heard. Who is being heard? No thanks to them abides is now out of place. 

"The Spirit and the gifts are ours, Through Him who with the sights" is ungrammatical nonsense. However all of this is AI generated so that could be an AI error. But then again these are official lyrics and sheet music which Tim has published on his website. Surely he read them first? 

Oddly enough the correct lyrics for verses two and three are written in a word document Tim has linked on his website. 

https://foundationsrising.org/original-praise-songs/

You ask who that may be? Yahusha, it is He;

That Word above all earthly powers No thanks to them abides; 

The Spirit and the gifts are ours Through Him who with us sides.

Why the discrepancy? Because the sheet music and lyrics were generated by Klangio! It's AI slop and full of errors Tim did not correct. And as of this moment they remain the official lyrics to this song. However, listening to the song one can hear that Tim's Word document lyrics are what is being sung. 

These errors might seem small and inconsequential but they are not. Tim has defaced Luther's hymn by inserting sabbath keeping and hiding the fact the God is the Lord of hosts. Its bad enough that he has not given credit to Luther where it's due but frankly Luther would want nothing to do with Timothy Jay Schwab. Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God culture as well as Foundations Rising has released official lyric and sheet music for some of the songs on his new album The Awakening. In my initial review I noted that he rewrote Martin Luther's famous hymn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God with no attribution to Luther. That oversight has not been corrected. 

https://foundationsrising.org/ws/media-library/b3a553b8261d56604fa74a621a7dc61c/a-mighty-fortress-yahuah-reigns.pdf

As can be seen here only Timothy Schwab is given credit on this sheet music. That is pretty dishonest. But perhaps even worse are some of the changes Tim made to the lyrics. Let's examine these changes verse by verse.

􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋A mighty fortress is 􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋our YAH, A bulwark never failing, Our helper he amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing. For still our ancient foe Does seek to work us woe, His craft and power are great And armed with cruel hate. On earth is not his equal. 

Yahuah regins, let’s praise His name. Mighty is He. I will not profane His holy name. Yahuah is mighty.

Now, that's not too bad. He changed God to YAH and added a chorus section between verses but Luther's words and message remain intact in the first verse. The same cannot be said for the second verse. 

Did we in our own strength confide? Our striving would be losing. We're not the right man on our 􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋side, The man of Yah’s own choosing. You ask who that may be, Yahusha’s sure it is He. Lord of Sabbath, His name from age to age the same And He must win the battle. 

These changes are devastating to Luther's message. Here is the original. 

You ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is he; Lord Sabaoth his name,

Tim changes the name of Christ Jesus to Yahusha. In Luther's version the words tell us very plainly that the man of God's own choosing is Christ Jesus. In Tim's new verse that confidence is gone. Yahusha is sure it is he. What if he is wrong? That weakens the message of Luther that Christ Jesus is our savior. 

The second change of Lord Sabaoth to Lord of Sabbath dilutes Luther's message that God is mighty. Lord Sabaoth means Lord of armies, or Lord of Hosts. This title appears hundreds of times in the Bible. But Tim has eighty-sixed this name and title for Lord of Sabbath because doing no work on Saturday is the most important doctrine for him. According to Tim it's what defines one as being a Christian. 

People ask at times how do we know we are saved? Well, are you keeping the sabbath? That is the sign of one who is saved and in relationship with Him. Sorry, we tell the truth here. 

https://youtu.be/qfAybCvlAuM?t=1666

Tim redirects the hymn’s emphasis toward his own doctrinal priorities. This change weakens the message of Luther about Christ Jesus winning the battle.

Tim skips verse 3 entirely, which is itself a theological reduction of Luther’s original argument. Let's see what Tim has omitted. 

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, we will not fear, for God has willed his truth to triumph through us. The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him; his rage we can endure, for lo! his doom is sure; one little word shall fell him.

Why would Tim excise this crucial verse about God defeating the prince of darkness?

 Instead he goes straight to verse four which also introduces significant changes to Luther's message. 

Heard above all earthly powers, No thanks to them abides. The Spirit and the gifts are ours, Through Him who with the sights Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also. The body they may kill, Yah's truth abides still, His kingdom is forever. 

Here is the original. 

That Word above all earthly powers no thanks to them abideth; the Spirit and the gifts are ours through him who with us sideth.

Tim's bastardization of Luther now makes zero sense. Luther says The Word abides above all earthly powers. Tim ditches The Word for heard. Who is being heard? No thanks to them abides is now out of place. 

"The Spirit and the gifts are ours, Through Him who with the sights" is ungrammatical nonsense. However all of this is AI generated so that could be an AI error. But then again these are official lyrics and sheet music which Tim has published on his website. Surely he read them first? 

Oddly enough the correct lyrics for verses two and three are written in a word document Tim has linked on his website. 

https://foundationsrising.org/original-praise-songs/

You ask who that may be? Yahusha, it is He;

That Word above all earthly powers No thanks to them abides; 

The Spirit and the gifts are ours Through Him who with us sides.

Why the discrepancy? Because the sheet music and lyrics were generated by Klangio! It's AI slop and full of errors Tim did not correct. And as of this moment they remain the official lyrics to this song. However, listening to the song one can hear that Tim's Word document lyrics are what is being sung. 

These errors might seem small and inconsequential but they are not. Tim has defaced Luther's hymn by inserting sabbath keeping and hiding the fact the God is the Lord of hosts. Its bad enough that he has not given credit to Luther where it's due but frankly Luther would want nothing to do with Timothy Jay Schwab. Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God culture as well as Foundations Rising has released official lyric and sheet music for some of the songs on his new album The Awakening. In my initial review I noted that he rewrote Martin Luther's famous hymn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God with no attribution to Luther. That oversight has not been corrected. 

https://foundationsrising.org/ws/media-library/b3a553b8261d56604fa74a621a7dc61c/a-mighty-fortress-yahuah-reigns.pdf

As can be seen here only Timothy Schwab is given credit on this sheet music. That is pretty dishonest. But perhaps even worse are some of the changes Tim made to the lyrics. Let's examine these changes verse by verse.

􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋A mighty fortress is 􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋our YAH, A bulwark never failing, Our helper he amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing. For still our ancient foe Does seek to work us woe, His craft and power are great And armed with cruel hate. On earth is not his equal. 

Yahuah regins, let’s praise His name. Mighty is He. I will not profane His holy name. Yahuah is mighty.

Now, that's not too bad. He changed God to YAH and added a chorus section between verses but Luther's words and message remain intact in the first verse. The same cannot be said for the second verse. 

Did we in our own strength confide? Our striving would be losing. We're not the right man on our 􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋􏰋side, The man of Yah’s own choosing. You ask who that may be, Yahusha’s sure it is He. Lord of Sabbath, His name from age to age the same And He must win the battle. 

These changes are devastating to Luther's message. Here is the original. 

You ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is he; Lord Sabaoth his name,

Tim changes the name of Christ Jesus to Yahusha. In Luther's version the words tell us very plainly that the man of God's own choosing is Christ Jesus. In Tim's new verse that confidence is gone. Yahusha is sure it is he. What if he is wrong? That weakens the message of Luther that Christ Jesus is our savior. 

The second change of Lord Sabaoth to Lord of Sabbath dilutes Luther's message that God is mighty. Lord Sabaoth means Lord of armies, or Lord of Hosts. This title appears hundreds of times in the Bible. But Tim has eighty-sixed this name and title for Lord of Sabbath because doing no work on Saturday is the most important doctrine for him. According to Tim it's what defines one as being a Christian. 

People ask at times how do we know we are saved? Well, are you keeping the sabbath? That is the sign of one who is saved and in relationship with Him. Sorry, we tell the truth here. 

https://youtu.be/qfAybCvlAuM?t=1666

Tim redirects the hymn’s emphasis toward his own doctrinal priorities. This change weakens the message of Luther about Christ Jesus winning the battle.

Tim skips verse 3 entirely, which is itself a theological reduction of Luther’s original argument. Let's see what Tim has omitted. 

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, we will not fear, for God has willed his truth to triumph through us. The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him; his rage we can endure, for lo! his doom is sure; one little word shall fell him.

Why would Tim excise this crucial verse about God defeating the prince of darkness?

 Instead he goes straight to verse four which also introduces significant changes to Luther's message. 

Heard above all earthly powers, No thanks to them abides. The Spirit and the gifts are ours, Through Him who with the sights Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also. The body they may kill, Yah's truth abides still, His kingdom is forever. 

Here is the original. 

That Word above all earthly powers no thanks to them abideth; the Spirit and the gifts are ours through him who with us sideth.

Tim's bastardization of Luther now makes zero sense. Luther says The Word abides above all earthly powers. Tim ditches The Word for heard. Who is being heard? No thanks to them abides is now out of place. 

"The Spirit and the gifts are ours, Through Him who with the sights" is ungrammatical nonsense. However all of this is AI generated so that could be an AI error. But then again these are official lyrics and sheet music which Tim has published on his website. Surely he read them first? 

Oddly enough the correct lyrics for verses two and three are written in a word document Tim has linked on his website. 

https://foundationsrising.org/original-praise-songs/

You ask who that may be? Yahusha, it is He;

That Word above all earthly powers No thanks to them abides; 

The Spirit and the gifts are ours Through Him who with us sides.

Why the discrepancy? Because the sheet music and lyrics were generated by Klangio! It's AI slop and full of errors Tim did not correct. And as of this moment they remain the official lyrics to this song. However, listening to the song one can hear that Tim's Word document lyrics are what is being sung. 

These errors might seem small and inconsequential but they are not. Tim has defaced Luther's hymn by inserting sabbath keeping and hiding the fact the God is the Lord of hosts. Its bad enough that he has not given credit to Luther where it's due but frankly Luther would want nothing to do with Timothy Jay Schwab.