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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Austin, Texas, United States
Simply to the cross I cling.
Marysville, WA, United States
My beloved mother said she heard "Rock of Ages" "in the basement" from her hospital bed on 10/30/17 while her health was declining. There is no basement for the seventh floor(hers) and I could hear activity only on the seventh while she said she was hearing it and none of it was musical. Her hearing had diminished somewhat by that point in time. I believe she was getting "glimpses" into heaven; beyond the veil. She passed away forty days later, five days past her 85th birthday.
God bless and keep you always Mom... and all God's children.
Now Heaven awaits... I look up... Come Lord Jesus!
Minneapolis, MN, United States
This is a wonderful resource but is this version the original? I have sung it different ways:
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath and make me pure
And:
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone
Also there are other changes: behold Thee on Thy throne
So I am wondering which is the original. Thanks
Detroit, Michigan, United States
A British magazine invited its readers to submit a list of the 100 English hymns that stood highest in their esteem. "Rock of Ages" was the overwhelming favorite.
Augustus Toplady was born at Farnham, England. His father, an officer in the English army, was killed in action one year after his son's birth. The widowed mother eventually moved to Ireland to allow her son to be educated at the prestigious Trinity College in Dublin. It was here that 16 year old Augustus happened to visit a gospel service held in a nearby barn. The preacher was an uneducated layman, but his simple message was based on Ephesians 2:13 "You who sometimes were far off, are made nigh by the blood."
So gripped the heart of the young man that he determined to give his life to God and His service.
Toplady wrote, "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, amidst 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 the age of 22 Augustus Toplady was graduated from Trinity college and was ordained as a minister of the Church of England. Though frail in body and always living under the threat of tuberculosis, he became known as a fervent evangelical preacher and writer until his death at the early age of 38. Someone described him in this way:
"He had an ethereal countenance. His voice was music. He had such simplicity in his words that to hear was to understand."
In his early ministry, Augustus was strongly attracted to the teachings of John and Charles Wesley and their Methodist followers. As time went on, however, Toplady changed his theological views and became a staunch proponent of the "election" doctrine of John Calvin as opposed to the "free will" or Arminian convictions promoted by the Wesleys. With public debates, pamphlets and sermons, Augustus Toplady and John Wesley began to carry on theological warfare:
Toplady: "I believe John Wesley to be the most rancorous hater of the gospel system that ever appeared on this island. Wesley is guilty of Satanic shamelessness - of uniting the sophistry of a Jesuit with the authority of a Pope."
John Wesley: "I dare not speak of the deep things of God in the spirit of a prizefighter or a stage player, and I do not fight with chimney sweeps ..."
In 1776, just 2 years before his death, Toplady published his "Rock of Ages" text in 'The Gospel Magazine', of which he was the editor.
The poem was the climax to an article he had written attempting to prove his argument that even as England could never repay her national debt, so man through his own efforts could never satisfy the eternal justice of a Holy God. Toplady titled his poem "A Living and Dying Prayer for the Holiest Believer in the World".
The 2nd stanza appears to be a satirical swipe at the Wesleyan teaching that there had to be contrite and remorseful repentance involved in one's salvation experience.
In spite of this doctrinal controversy, Toplady was highly respected as a deeply spiritual leader. A few hours before his death he exclaimed, "My heart beats every day stronger and stronger for glory. Sickness is no affliction, pain no curse, death itself no dissolution. My prayers are all converted into praises."
The tune, named for Pastor Toplady, was written for this text more than 50 years later by a well-known American church musician, Thomas Hastings, composer of more than 1,000 hymn tunes and texts.
This hymn, despite the apparent argumentative intent of its author, has been preserved by God for more than 2 centuries to minister spiritual blessing to believers of both Calvinistic and Arminian theological persuasions. It reinforces these foundational truths of Scripture:
"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." - Acts 4:12
"But let all who take refuge in You be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You." - Psalm 5:11
As we sing this favorite hymn, may these words by Augustus Toplady also be our earnest plea -
"When I soar to worlds unknown, and behold Thee on Thy throne -
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee." - '52 Hymn Stories Dramatized' by Kenneth W. Osbeck
Glory be to the LORD, He is the end of the law for righteousness, to anyone who believe.
Crown Point, IN, United States
I love the lyrics...Grace...Salvation.....Christ's Cross.....we have a most wonderful, merciful Savior, Friend, & Father!😘
Eloy, Arizona, United States
I heard this song off and on all my life. I'm 64 and im watching Warlock this western they was singing Rock of Ages I looked it up to see the fullness of the song & its touching especially the last of it. It's good to know how to sing the whole song.
Ghana
Everyday I listen to this song I fill my spirit move up. Lord to You only I run to and cling myself to.
London, United Kingdom
This is excellent melody. It brings back my memories of those years in Teachers' College back home in Nigeria. Each time I hear this tone I vividly my former Principal, Mr G.O Arungwa. I can picture all my old school mates and teacher, especially the Chapel prefect, Theophilus. This is great. I love it.
Lester Prairie, MN, United States
My grandmother helped me learn to play this song on the organ when I was young. I use to play it over and over. I was in the car crying one day and parts of this song kept coming to me I felt my nana was reaching out to me. I am so glad I found all the words.