Rock of Ages

Augustus Toplady · 1763 · tune TOPLADY
Key of G · public domain

Words

Verse 1Rock 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

Verse 2Not 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

Verse 3Nothing in my hand 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

The story

Augustus Toplady was a fierce controversialist who spent much of his short life arguing with John Wesley in print, in terms that make uncomfortable reading now. He died of tuberculosis at thirty-eight. The legend that he sheltered from a storm in a cleft of rock in Burrington Combe and wrote the hymn on a playing card is Victorian invention. The image is older and better than the legend: in Exodus 33 Moses asks to see God's glory and is told no man can see it and live, so God puts him in a cleft of the rock and covers him with His hand while it passes by. Toplady is asking to be hidden in the same place. Nothing in my hand I bring is the whole argument of the hymn in six words.

Chords in G

Verse 1 G C G Rock of Ages, cleft for me G D G Let me hide myself in Thee G C G Let the water and the blood G D G From Thy wounded side which flowed G D G Be of sin the double cure G D G Save from wrath and make me pure Verse 2 G C G Not the labors of my hands G D G Can fulfill Thy law's demands G C G Could my zeal no respite know G D G Could my tears forever flow G D G All for sin could not atone G D G Thou must save, and Thou alone Verse 3 G C G Nothing in my hand I bring G D G Simply to Thy cross I cling G C G Naked, come to Thee for dress G D G Helpless, look to Thee for grace G D G Foul, I to the fountain fly G D G Wash me, Savior, or I die

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Common questions

Who wrote Rock of Ages? Augustus Toplady wrote the words in 1763.

What tune is it sung to? TOPLADY, set here in the key of G.

What scripture is it built on? Exodus 33:22.

Is Rock of Ages free to use in church? Yes. The words are public domain, which means any church may sing them, print them in a bulletin, put them on a screen or record them, without asking permission and without paying anyone.

Themes

Atonement · Refuge · Assurance

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