1 Built on the Rock, the church shall stand
even when steeples are falling;
Christ builds his church in every land;
bells still are chiming and calling,
calling the young and old to rest,
calling the souls of those distressed,
longing for life everlasting.

2 Not in a temple made with hands
God the Almighty is dwelling;
high in the heavens his temple stands,
all earthly temples excelling.
Yet he who dwells in heaven above
chooses to live with us in love,
making our bodies his temple.

3 We are God's house of living stones,
built for his own habitation;
he fills our hearts, his humble thrones,
granting us life and salvation.
Yet to this place, an earthly frame,
we come with thanks to praise his name;
God grants his people true blessing.

The Danish hymnwriter, Nicholai Frederik Severin Grundtvig (1783-1872) was more famous during his lifetime for his eloquent preaching, his work in education, and his defense of Christianity in a time of religious unbelief than he was for his hymn writing. In fact, this hymn is the only one that is commonly used today. It first appeared in "Sang-Vaerk til den Danske Kirke" (1837) and in 1840 this hymn tune was written by Ludvig Mathias Lindeman (1812-1887). Besides being an organ virtuouso, Lindeman compiled several volumes of Norwegian folk tunes whose influence one can hear in this melody.

The Danish name of this hymn is "Kirken Den Er Gammelt Hus" which means literally, "Church it is an old house." The words remind us that the church is not only a physical building, but a body of believers established through the ages by Christ and a temple where Christ resides within us. --Greg Scheer, 1995