Rock of Ages
Cleft for me
I love old hymns.
What I mean is I love old familiar hymns that take me back to younger years.
Sometimes I see faces back there that are no longer around. Whatever tunes you enjoy today, listen to them again after a few decades and they will bring you the same feeling.
But I also love old hymns for their content, their depth of meaning, and their poetic beauty. They remind me that our Christian heritage is wide and deep. There is much I can learn and relate to about life contained in old dusty hymns.
Because most of the time my return to old hymns happen in the middle of church services, I don’t in those moments have the luxury of time to just drink in the words. So this is our opportunity, apart from any church service, to quietly pause and do just that. And if you want to listen to a contemporary version of this hymn, I have that for you as well.
Rock of Ages is a classic of classics. As familiar as Amazing Grace. It was published in a year easily remembered, 1776.
Words and music by Augustus Toplady.
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee; let the water and the blood, from thy wounded side which flowed, be of sin the double cure; save from wrath and make me pure. Not the labors of my hands can fulfill thy law's demands; could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow, all for sin could not atone; thou must save, and thou alone. Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the 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. 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.
Hiding within a rock is like hiding within a strong fortress not built by human hands. Also to hide within this rock it first had to be broken in two as an act of God himself.
That’s amazing imagery in my opinion.
So let me know your thoughts. I am especially interested in hearing from those who do not have much of a background in singing old hymns like this one. Any new insights?