We have been singing Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me with our church recently. It is a really nice modern arrangement by Dustin Kensrue. The original hymn was written in 1763 by Augustus Toplady. Augustus' original hymn is packed full of beautiful theology that shows Christ as our covering and hiding place. One of the famous lines and also one of my favorite phrases is, "Be of sin the double cure...save from wrath and make me pure."  This line poetically points out a double-sided truth:  Christ shields of from the wrath of God that we, in our natural state, are running towards at full speed and at the same time changes us into a new creation. Kensrue gives this hymn new life with a great melody and then takes the idea of "Christ cleft for us" in a new direction with a fresh chorus.  In the stanzas, Christ is seen as our cleft and hiding place. In the chorus, Krensrue focuses on Christ as cleft or "cutoff" for us.  In other words, Christ was cleft so that he could be our cleft.

The fresh twist in the chorus has made this a perfect song to sing with our local gatherings.  I encourage you to check it  out. You can find some resources and chord sheets here.

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 the law's commands Should my passion never fade And my efforts all be weighed All for sin could not atone You must save and you 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 Wretched to the fount I fly Wash me, Savior, or I die



Rock of Ages No one takes your life 
Yet you died that I might live 
Costly grace you freely give Rock of Ages You have paid the price You were cleft to cover me 
Let my hide myself in thee

And while I draw my final breath I'll rest upon your grace And when I close my eyes in death I'll wake to see your face

Our church has enjoyed William Cowper's hymn How Long (originally Love Constraining to Obedience). The hymn focuses on the work of the Law in the life of a Christian. It demonstrates our inability  to keep the Law until we trust Christ's fulfillment of the Law. By placing our faith in Christ's work on the cross we are given the ability to serve Christ freely. [vimeo 60582890 w=700 h=393]

How Long (Love Constraining To Obedience) from Wayfarer: Repurposed Hymns on Vimeo.

Original Hymn Lyrics

No strength of nature can suffice To serve the LORD aright;

And what she has, she misapplies, For want of clearer light.

How long beneath the law I lay In bondage and distress!

I toiled the precept to obey, But toiled without success.

Then to abstain from outward sin Was more than I could do;

Now, if I feel its pow’r within, I feel I hate it too.

Then all my servile works were done A righteousness to raise;

Now, freely chosen in the Son, I freely choose his ways.

What shall I do was then the word, That I may worthier grow?

What shall I render to the LORD? Is my enquiry now.

To see the Law by CHRIST fulfilled, And hear his pard’ning voice;

Changes a slave into a child, And duty into choice.

A bit about the Author: William Cooper was a long time friend of John Newton. After being institutionalized for insanity from 1765-1767 Cooper found refuge and relief from his insanity in Christ. Cooper was well-known for his poetry on nature and his hymn writing. In 1779 John Newton published the Olney Hymnal which contained both Newton's and Cowper's hymns in including Love Constraining to Obedience.