This week’s blog will be the first instalment of an ongoing series reflecting on some of the hymns that I love. If the term “hymn” is not familiar to you, it means song, but used in a church rather than in the car. Though, the car is a great place to listen to hymns. I grew up on hymn singing and those melodies and lyrics are my most consistent and persistent earworms. Some hymns will be old, some will be new and I will reflect on their lyrics, the people who wrote them, and the stories that brought them about.

My first hymn is Rock of Ages (1756), by Augustus Toplady

The Hymn Writer

Augustus Toplady was born in 1740 at Farnham, Surrey, southwest of London, England. After his father’s death, he and his mother moved to Ireland. At the age of 16 Augustus heard the message of Jesus in a Sunday sermon and recounts in his diary:

At night, after my return from Exeter, my desires were strongly drawn out, and drawn up to the Lord. I could indeed say that I groaned with groans of love, joy, and peace; but so it was, even with comfortable groans that cannot be uttered.

– Augustus Toplady, February 29th, 1768

As you can see, Augustus had a talent for poetic language and would publish his first book of poems at the age of 13. It is for his poems and lyrics that we know him best. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin and pastored in various Churches in England as his health allowed. 

During his ministry, he was able to meet and learn from many remarkable figures of Christian history, including George Whitefield, John Gill, and William Romaine. He was also a contemporary of John Wesley, though their relationship was marked by debate rather than amicable friendship.

Augusts Toplady died in London in August of 1778 from Tuberculosis at the age of 38.

The Hymns

Toplady did not live a long life, a mere 38 years, but his total collected work covers over 900 pages that we still have to reference. He was a defender of the truth of the Gospel whether it was preached, written, or sung.

Today, Augustus Toplady is remembered as the writer of many treasured hymns. At the Church in Broadhembury, where he preached for seven years there was a memorial erected in memory of their pastor, praising his love of truth and his hymn writing. In the Believer’s Hymnbook, which we use in our Breaking of Bread service at Bethel, we have five hymns penned by Toplady included in the collection.

Rock of Ages

This hymn has a very specific memory for me. Whenever my Dad would sit down to prepare for a sermon he would put on a Tenessee Ernie Ford album, sit down at the dining room table, and get his message planned and prepared. I would wake up to that rich baritone voice singing “Rock of ages cleft for me…” and other classics like “The Old Rugged Cross”, “Sweet Hour of Prayer”, and “Peace in the Valley”. It’s a tradition I keep to when preparing my sermons often. 

The story goes that this song began in Toplady’s mind while he was caught in a rainstorm one day on a walk and had to take shelter in a small ridge in a rock face to stay dry. The literal “cleft of the rock”. There is a plaque on the spot where this event presumably occurred to this day. There he was left alone in the storm to contemplate the sheltering power of his Saviour. The term “Rock of Ages” was a familiar term at the time of writing in Christian vocabulary though this hymn made it a permanent fixture.

Toplady may have also recalled the episode of 1 Kings 19:9,11-13:

There [Elijah] came to a cave and lodged in it… And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Whatever the case may be, Toplady was reminded of God’s immense love and power to protect, save, and sustain His people. 

The words of this song have endured so long in Christian worship because of the richness of the gospel message it communicates. In verse one, we must cast ourselves on the Rock that has the power to save us from our sin. This comes only through Jesus’ blood spilled for us to conquer death and sin on the Cross. In verses two and three, we are reminded that the salvation we need comes only from God’s gracious hand. It is not something we earn or buy, but something He gives freely to us because of His love. Finally, in verse four, we are reminded that our time on this earth is short. One day we will close our eyes at the end of this life and see Jesus in glory and judgement. A full gospel picture that can encourage and save.

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 its guilt and power.

Not the labors of my hands
can fulfill thy law’s commands;
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.

Songs with this depth of gospel truth are precious. The Church has been richly blessed by hymn writers like Augustus Toplady, who steeped themselves in God’s word to the extent they could create memorable and powerful verses for generations to inherit and proclaim the great truths of the gospel.

References

https://hymnary.org/person/Toplady_Augustus

banneroftruth.org/us/resources/articles/2011/augustus-toplady-1740-1778/