Thursday Hymn Reflection: “Rock of Ages”

[Each Thursday, we “reflect” on a hymn suggested by our readers. Please leave your favorite hymns (up to 3) in the comments, and we’ll add them to our list.]

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A classic song, “Rock of Ages” was written in 1773 by Augustus Montague Toplady, and was first published in 1775. Though he lived to be just 38 years old, Toplady’s hymn has far outlived him. In fact, Robert J. Morgan quotes an anonymous source in stating that “Rock of Ages” is “the best known, best loved, and most widely useful” hymn in the English language (page 75).

While not able to be proven, there is a theory as to how this song was inspired. I have seen this story in a few locations. Here is Wikipedia’s summary of it:

According to a famous but largely unsubstantiated story, Rev. Toplady drew his inspiration from an incident in the gorge of Burrington Combe in the Mendip Hills in England. Toplady, a preacher in the nearby village of Blagdon, was travelling along the gorge when he was caught in a storm. Finding shelter in a gap in the gorge, he was struck by the title and scribbled down the initial lyrics on a playing card.

Whether that is the case or not, the deeply theological words of this hymn have helped it stand the test of time. The song is one of trust in the power of the blood of Jesus to save. While the words have, at times, been changed, the message continues to be the same: we could not save ourselves, but we must have the blood of Jesus to give the “double cure,” as Toplady put it.

The reason the words have changed over time is primarily because the poem had four stanzas, and most songbooks contain just three verses. The books take lines from the four stanzas to make the four, and some choose different lines! If you’ve ever wondered why certain books have different lyrics to this song, that is the main reason.

Here are the four original verses to Toplady’s poem:

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 labor 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 my eye-strings break in death,
[usually changed to When my 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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Enjoy these young people singing this grand old hymn: