Rock of Ages

 

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart

be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19:14 

Agustus Montague Toplady was born in 1740 in Farnham, England.  His father, a British Army major, was killed in the war without ever seeing his son.  Toplady was preaching sermons at the age of 12, writing hymns at the age of 14, and ordained an Anglican priest at the age of 22. 

As a staunch Calvinist, Augustus despised Charles and John Wesley’s Arminian theology.  As one historian says, “for many years, they were rather unpleasant to each other.”  His most famous hymn was written as part of an article on forgiveness, written as a slap to the Wesley’s.  Fortunately, the hymn outlasted the animosity of these three men. 

Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee.

Let the water and blood, from Thy riven side which flowed.

Be of sin the double cure, cleanse me from its guilt and power.

 

Fountainview Academy, British Columbia, Canada