Rock of Ages

Narrator: Chris Genthree
Duration: 1min
 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 7
Listen from:
• BibleTruthPublishers.com
Augustus Toplady was a boy of sixteen when he visited relatives in Ireland. An earnest Christian farmer was holding gospel meetings in a barn nearby, and August went and listened. That night the preacher took for his text Eph. 2:1313But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:13): “But now, in Christ Jesus, ye who sometime were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”
Young Augustus was soundly converted to Christ that night.
Some time later he was going home when a storm came on. He took refuge in the shelter of a great rock which had been split perhaps ages before. As a result he wrote the well-known hymn, “Rock of Ages, cleft for me.” The Rock in which August found refuge still stands, and his hymn has been sung by countless thousands since.
Rock of ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
Where the water and the blood
From Thy riven side which flowed.
Are of sin the double cure,
Cleansing from its guilt and power.
ML-04/09/1978