Tower of Strength

by John Miner

Background

In this version, my friend, Lex Sleeman, plays the opening section of “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” on bagpipes, at the end of Tower of Strength, in remembrance of 9/11. Thank you Lex!

For those of us who lived through it, September 11, 2001 was a day of unbelievable trauma and heartache. Fear and uncertainty filled our land, and many were deeply shaken by the horrific events that unfolded throughout that day. The sight of the World Trade Center twin-towers burning and crumbling to the ground, along with the devastation to the Pentagon and the smoldering crater in the Pennsylvania countryside, came to symbolize that day.

We suddenly realized just how vulnerable we were despite our nation’s relative geographical isolation, great wealth, influence, and military strength as the world’s lone super-power.

Hundreds of innocent people were killed.

Millions around the world were driven to their knees and cried out to God.

On that day, and for many days following, the unimaginable yet indelible image of the formidable twin-towers crashing to the ground kept triggering in my mind the phrase from Psalm 61, “(God) You have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe”. I became focused on this contrast: the stark reality that even the loftiest works of mankind are all subject, ultimately, to destruction; while only God, Himself, stands forever strong and cannot be shaken or moved.

And so, I set out to write this song using Psalm 61 for words and inspiration. While this song can have broad application for anyone who finds themselves in a particularly threatening situation, as was David when he wrote this verse thousands of years ago, for me, it always recalls the haunting images and feelings of that fateful day in 2001.

Even so, God is our rock and our salvation.

A Tower of Strength is my God; He will never be shaken.
A Tower of Strength is my Lord; He can never be moved.

Keyboards - Rick Drake
Guitars - John Miner
Vocals - John Miner
Bagpipes - Lex Sleeman (recorded at Bethel Grove Bible Church, Ithaca, NY)

3:33

Tower of Strength

John Miner