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 mine eyes shall close in death,
[originally When my eye-strings break 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.
Augustus Montague Toplady (1740 to 1778), was an unusual child. His father died when he was very young and so he was raised by his mother who adored and spoiled him. He was not very well liked by his peers or his relatives, partly because they did not relate to his extreme intelligence, and partly because he was sickly and neurotic.
Controversy followed Toplady throughout his short 38 years of life, but he did not let that stop him. At a very young age he showed a keen interest in developing a relationship with God. By age 12 he was preaching sermons, and at age 14 he began writing hymns. He was ordained as an Anglican priest at the age of 22. Although some thought him to be arrogant and obstinate, excerpts from his writings verify that he was a devoted and humble follower of Christ.
an excerpt from his personal journal, at age 27:
O, my Lord let not my ministry be approved only, or tend to be no more than conciliating the esteem and affections of my people to Thy unworthy messenger; but to do the work of Thy grace upon their hearts: call in Thy chosen; seal and edify Thy regenerate; and command Thy everlasting blessing upon their souls! Save me from self-opinion, and from self-seeking; and may they cease from man, and look solely upon Thee. (faithclipart.com)
1 O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms.
3 For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
4 In His hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is His also.
5 The sea is His, and He made it: and His hands formed the dry land.
6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. Psalm 95: 1-6
6 Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on Him shall not be confounded. 7 Unto you therefore which believe He is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the Stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the Head of the corner, 8 And a Stone of stumbling, and a Rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the Word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. 1 Peter 2: 6-8
The Vine Vigil 
