前陣子按普天頌讚的中文譯詞，以粵韻重譜了《千古保障歌》，算是我譜曲以來最有滿足感的一次。在普頌的樂譜裡，《千古保障歌》配上的Tune是William Croft的ST. ANNE；按Hymnary.org，此調最常配用的聖詩除了O God, Our Help in Ages Past之外，還有就是O Where Are Kings and Empires Now，即普天頌讚278首《教會穩定歌》（普頌配以較為冷門的WINCHESTER OLD，卻附註通用調有ST. ANNE及TALLIS’ ORDINAL）。但不論唱什麼樂調，「邦國帝王興亡代謝，回首如今安在」一句譯詞，已成經典。我曾經嘗試按WINCHESTER OLD的調子以粵韻重譯《教會穩定歌》，可惜靈感不足，只能譯成第一節，而且那句經典珠玉在前，似乎再譯也是吃力不討好。然而，重譜《千古保障歌》似乎開了一條新路徑，容讓我在那曲子的基礎上，也重譜《教會穩定歌》，而事也就這樣成了。

詞：Ａrthur Cleveland Coxe
中譯：劉廷芳（adopted from 普天頌讚277《教會穩定歌》）
曲：海牛

邦國帝王興亡代謝　回首如今安在
惟主教會千年不變　禱聲依舊不衰
O where are kings and empires now
Of old that went and came?
But, Lord, your Church is praying yet,
A thousand years the same.

從外看她根基穩固　看她壁壘堅深
從內聽她莊嚴訓誨　聽她不絕歌聲
We mark her goodly battlements
And her foundations strong;
We hear within the solemn voice
Of her unending song.

主啊　我信聖潔教會不像世上列邦
教會不怕地震山崩　不怕浪打風狂
For not like kingdoms of the world
Your holy Church, O God,
Though earthquake shocks are threatening her,
And tempests are abroad,

教會如同永恆山嶽　堅定雄立不移
如同廣廈非人所造　如山滿蓋大地
Unshaken as eternal hills,
Immovable she stands,
A mountain that shall fill the earth,
A house not made by hands.