When I see the phrase “hold fast” or “holding fast,” I think about what it means for Jesus to hold me so tightly that nothing can snatch me from His hand (John 10:28). It often reminds me of reading Love You Forever by Robert Munsch to my children. When I get to the end of the book, tears stream down my face, or I am trying to hold them back. What a beautiful description of how a mother loves and holds her child fast, close to her heart.
And as I go through life, I am learning to hold on as tightly as I can to Jesus. His arms of love are wrapped around me. I rest. Safe. Secure in His love.
What Bible Passages Talk about How God Will Hold Us Fast?
The New Testament gives us several ways to hold fast.
Hold fast to Jesus (John 8:31). We must hold fast to Jesus because it shows we are His disciples. In the John 8 passage, Jesus tells listeners to keep to His teaching, which is evidence that they are genuine believers. We must also abide in Him and produce fruit (John 15:1-8) because we love Him.
Hold fast to His Word (1 Corinthians 15:1-2). The older we grow, the more we realize it takes strength, courage, and perseverance. It is not about physical strength but spiritual and emotional strength. The Apostle Paul faced the same thing, admonishing the Corinth church to hold firmly to the truth of God’s Word (Psalm 119:160).
Hold fast with confidence (Hebrews 3:5-6). The book of Hebrews is rich and deep and speaks about the sufficiency and superiority of Christ. Hebrews focuses on living by faith and how Christ’s followers must persevere and mature. Studying the thirteen chapters will encourage and help the Believer to grow in confidence in God.
Hold fast to your confession (Hebrews 4:14). Confession means to acknowledge. As Christ’s followers, we must confess Him as Lord of our lives. He is our High Priest. We can come boldly to Him through prayer and with complete assurance, bringing to Him. Here I “obtain mercy and find grace to help in time to need.”
Hold fast to what is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21). The Apostle Paul gives this verse in a series of exhortations. In today’s world, it takes discernment and wisdom to know the “truth.” As Christ’s followers, we are to do our homework and test things to be sure they are genuine, to know that it is from God. Then, we are to hold fast to those good things.
Who Wrote 'He Will Hold Me Fast'?
One day a friend and I were conversing about the song “He Will Hold Me Fast.” About halfway through our conversation, I realized she was talking about the hymn written by Ada Ruth Habershon, and I was talking about the hymn sung by Keith and Kristen Getty. One is built upon the other. Both have remarkable stories behind their compositions.
Ada Ruth Habershon was born on January 8, 1861, to Grace and Dr. Samuel Habershon, a prominent physician. They were a part of the Plymouth Brethren in London, England, but they were also known to frequent the Metropolitan Tabernacle to hear Charles H. Spurgeon, the Baptist preacher. He also became a close family friend.
D. L. Moody and Ira Sankey came to London in 1884 to participate in the London evangelistic crusade. Ada Habershon participated in the crusade, and networking began. Later in 1892, she met D. L. Moody again at the Keswick Convention. Moody asked Habershon to annotate a Bible. When the project was completed, she accepted the invitation to come to the United States and deliver the Bible into the hands of Moody. She made the trip in 1895. Habershon spent the next three months giving lectures to the seminary women, traveling to Chicago, and delivering more lectures to women’s groups at Moody Bible Institute and Moody’s Chicago Avenue Church.
She returned home, and in 1889, both of her parents died. By 1901, Ada wrote one of her first poems, “Apart with Him,” while she was ill.
Habershon was engaged in other Christian ministries throughout her 57 years (she passed away on February 1, 1918). Her endeavors included working with the Gray’s Yard Ragged Church and Schools. The schools offered a free Christian and secular education for the poor in England.
She took two voyages to the North Sea aboard Dr. Wilfred Grenfell’s hospital ships. While working as the honorary finance secretary of the YWCA of London, she taught Bible studies through the London YWCA. This experience paved the way for her to focus on writing and publishing on biblical subjects. In an article written by Brian P. Irwin, he points out that Habershon had a “remarkable knowledge of Scripture and superb memory.”
When Was 'He Will Hold Me Fast' Written?
In 1905, Ada R. Habershon met music director Charles Alexander (1867-1920) and Robert Harkness (1880-1961) in London while they were part of the team for American evangelist R. A. Torrey (1856-1928).
In the 1924 book Reminiscences and Gospel Hymn Stories, George C. Stebbins wrote:
“Miss Habershon sang with me frequently during those weeks. Up to that time, she neither had attempted to write hymns nor to give attention to the special Bible that in later years brought her into prominence. During the Torrey and Alexander Mission in London, Mr. Alexander discovered her ability as a writer of gospel hymns and arranged with her to write for him exclusively, which arrangement continued until her death, a few years prior to his own passing.”
It is said that within a year, Alexander received 200 hymns!
Songstress Ada penned the words, “He Will Hold Me Fast.” The song was introduced at a Moody Bible Conference in 1907, Northfield, Massachusetts, and later printed in a hymnal. She added more text when a young man from Canada asked about the keeping power of Christ.
You can listen to one of the earliest recordings of the hymn in the video below:
The story about the son that Keith and Kristen Getty recorded is equally inspiring. You can hear the full story behind its composition in the video below:
“He Will Hold Me Fast” - The Story Behind the Song with Matt Merker
What Biblical Ideas Appear in 'He Will Hold Me Fast'?
Read the words slowly to the hymn below and think about the following:
When your faith fails, you can put your confidence in Christ.
When you are dealing with temptation, you can trust His Word.
When your love grows cold, know He holds you in the palm of His hand.
What joy is found in knowing you are precious in His sight; you can bask in His goodness.
When you see your need for the saving work of grace on the Cross, you see His great love for you.
1) When I fear my faith with fail, Christ will hold me fast;
When the tempter would prevail, He can hold me fast
2)I could never keep my hold, He will hold me fast;
For my love is often cold, He must hold me fast;
3) I am precious in His sight, He will hold me fast;
Those He saves are His delight, He will hold me fast.
4) He’ll not let my soul be lost, Christ will hold me fast;
Bought by Him as such a cost, He will 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.
Now go through the hymn again and look at each line’s ending. How many times do you see “He will”? Out of the ten lines, eight of them tell us, “He will.” The other lines use He can and “He must.”
What a wonderful hymn to memorize. Perhaps you can begin your day by saying the words aloud or singing the hymn. Life is filled with joy and challenges. What a wonderful reminder that, as believers, no matter what may happen throughout the day, we have this promise: He will hold me fast.
Classic Books by Ada R. Habershon
Habershon wrote many books as well as hymns. Here is where you can find her works:
Study of the Types
Outline Studies of the Tabernacle: Its Sacrifices, Services, and Priesthood
Israel’s Exodus: Past and Future
Types in the Old Testament
“Things Concerning Himself”: Sacred Songs and Bible Studies
The Study of the Miracles
Hidden Pictures in the Old Testament: Or How the New Testament is Concealed in the Old Testament
The Study of the Parables
Israel’s Exodus, Past and Future: Paper Read at the Women’s Branch of the Prophecy Investigation
Ada R. Habershon: A Gatherer of Fresh Spoil: An Autobiography and Memoir Compiled by Her Sister compiled by E.M. Habershon
You can find many of her shorter works for free on the Brethren Archive.
Photo Credit: © Getty Images/ Motortion
Laura Lee Leathers is a writer and speaker. Imagine Lois Lane, over sixty-five, and living on a farm. Her metropolis is the area of freelance writing. Her primary love interest is the Word of God. She digs for information, interviews fascinating people, offers a cup of biblical hospitalit-tea, encourages, and helps others with the ‘how-to’s’ of life. To sign up for her newsletter, connect with her at http://lauraleeleathers.com - - - “Helping You Flourish in Faith & Finish Well by His Word”
