1
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save me from its guilt and power.
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save me from its guilt and power.
2
Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All could never sin erase,
Thou must save, and save by grace.
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All could never sin erase,
Thou must save, and save by grace.
3
Nothing in my hands I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress,
Helpless, look to Thee for grace:
Foul, I to the fountain fly,
Wash me, Savior, or I die.
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress,
Helpless, look to Thee for grace:
Foul, I to the fountain fly,
Wash me, Savior, or I die.
4
While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
When mine eyes shall close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
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Benin City, Edo, Nigeria
Rock of ages, save me from its guilty and power in Jesus Christ name,
United States
The tune written for Toplady’s hymn, “Rock of Ages, ” was written by a renowned American church musician Thomas Hastings in 1830. Hastings was the first musician of sacred music to dedicate his life to elevate the music of churches all around America. He wrote at one time, “The homage that we owe to the Almighty God calls for the noblest and most reverential tribute that music can render. ”
Thomas Hastings was born on October 15, 1784, in Washington, Connecticut. Though his formal musical training was small, and he suffered eye problems throughout his life because he was an albino, he wrote more than fifty volumes of church music including 1000 hymn tunes and more than 600 original hymn texts as well as editing more than fifty music collections. In 1858 the University of the City of New York awarded him with the degree of Doctor of Music in recognition for his achievements. Along with Lowell Mason, Thomas Hastings is credited with being one of the most influential musicians in shaping the development of church music in the United States.
The hymn “Rock of Ages, ” has been preserved for over 200 years and has been enjoyed by Calvinists and Armenians alike despite its original inspiration born out of controversy.
United States
This hymn has been ranked as one of the most popular hymns ever written of the English language. It has been described as a “hymn that meets the spiritual needs of all sorts and conditions of men from the derelict snatched from the gutter by the Salvation Army to Prime Minister Gladstone at whose funeral it echoed through the dim spaces of Westminster Abbey. ”
Whereas most hymns have been written out of some personal need or experience, this hymn was born in a spirit of “passionate controversy. ” Augustus Toplady was sixteen years old when he was saved while visiting Ireland. Augustus writes of his conversion:
“Strange that I, who had so long sat under the means of grace in England, should be brought right with God in an obscure part of Ireland, midst a handful of people met together in a barn, and by the ministry of one who could hardly spell his own name. Surely it was the Lord’s doing and is marvelous. ”
At first Toplady associated himself with the Wesley brothers and the Methodists but later he strongly followed John Calvin and the doctrine of “election” which radically opposed Arminianism promoted by the Wesleys. They carried theological warfare through pamphlets, public debates and sermons.
Toplady-I believe him (John Wesley) to be the most rancorous hater of the gospel system that ever appeared on the Island.... Wesley is guilt of Satanic shamelessness... of uniting the sophistry of a Jesuit with the authority of a pope.
Wesley-I dare not speak the deep things of God in the spirit of a prize fighter or a stage player, and I do not fight with chimney sweeps.
In 1776 Toplady published this hymn text in “The Gospel Magazine” as a climax to an article attempting to prove his argument that even as England could never pay her national debt, so man through his efforts could never satisfy the eternal justice of a holy God. He entitled the hymn “A Living and Dying Prayer for the Holiest Believer in the World. ”
Some of the phrases in the hymn are satirical in nature against the teachings of the Wesleyan Arminian concepts:
Could my tears forever flow, could my zeal no languor know, these for sin could not atone- Thou must save and Thou alone.
Dr. Louis J. Benson, a noted hymnologist, in “The Studies of Familiar Hymns, ” calls attention to the fact that Toplady actually plagiarized his text from a hymn that Charles Wesley had written thirty years ago in a collection, “Hymns on the Lord’s Supper. ” A paragraph of the preface from this collection reads as follows:
O Rock of Israel, Rock of Salvation, Rock struck for me, let those two streams of Blood and Water which once gushed out of Thy side, bring down Pardon and Holiness into my soul. And let me thirst after them now, as if I stood upon the Mountain whence sprang this Water; and near the Cleft of that Rock, the Wounds of my Lord, whence gushed this Sacred Blood.
Augustus Toplady was born at Farnham, England, on November 4, 1740, the son of Major Richard Toplady, who died while serving his country at the time Augustus was still a baby. Later Augustus graduated from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, and was ordained an Anglican minister in 1762. He also pastored the French Calvinist Chapel at Leicester Fields, London, where he became known as a powerful and zealous evangelical preacher. Although he was known as a controversial preacher for his opposition to the Armenian theology, Toplady was highly influential as a spiritual leader. Because of his delicate constitution and the strain that work had on his body, he died of tuberculosis at thirty-eight years of age. These are his final words before parting to be with the Lord:
My heart beats every day stronger and stronger for glory. Sickness is no affliction, pain no cause, death itself no dissolution.... my prayers are now all converted into praise.
New Hope, MN, United States
Was born in Kenya, grew in a humbled family where people could ask can something good come from out of our roof ? Now I stand as a soldier in USA . indeed Lord is our hiding place . Very much convinced that Gods promises are true.
Nairobi, Kenya
Wonderful song
Abuja, FCT, Nigeria
I was led by the Spirit to sing this song tonight. And I have the assurances that it will speak for me.
Lagos, Nigeria
I woke up this morning and this hymn was ministered to my heart for morning worship by the holy spirit, considering the time of uncertainty surrounding the world birth by the ongoing pandemic. God please heal the world.
Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria
The Holy Spirit inspired me to sing this song tonight. Such a powerful song for such a time as this when the world is in turmoil and confusion every where. Let the water and the blood of Jesus be a double cure!! Amen.
Van, BC, Canada
Let me hide myself in thee Amen thank you for saving us Lord that we can go to you for refuge.
Luton, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom
As we spoke of this unique season of our lives and the dawning of a new day wherein dwelleth righteousness. Let us put our hope and trust in CHRIST and Christ alone.