Rock of Ages (Christian hymn)

Augustus Toplady

"When my eyes shall close in death" was originally written as "When my eye-strings break in death".[1]

There has been speculation that, though Toplady was a Calvinist, the words, "Be of sin the double cure, Save from wrath, and make me pure," suggest that he agreed with the teachings of the Methodist preacher under whom he received his religious conversion, and of his contemporary, John Wesley, who taught the "double cure", in which a sinner is saved by the atonement of Jesus, and cleansed from inbred sin by the infilling of the Holy Spirit.[2] Toplady's own published hymnal of 1776, however, contains a variant which reads: "Be of sin the double cure, Save me from its guilt and power".[3]

"Rock of Ages" is usually sung to the hymn tune "Toplady"[4] by Thomas Hastings or "Redhead 76", also called Petra,[5] by Richard Redhead or "New City Fellowship" by James Ward. "Toplady" is most typical in the United States and "Redhead 76" in the United Kingdom, although both tunes circulate in the churches of both countries.

[6][7]

• The Gunfighter (1950) – sung at the funeral at the end of the film.[8]
• How the West Was Won (1962) – performed by all at the Prescotts' burial.[9]
• Norwood (1969)[10]
• Paper Moon (1973) – sung during the opening sequence at Addie Pray's mother's funeral
• House Calls (1978)
• Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983) – sung the first time in remembrance of De Jong, who committed suicide, and second time for major Jack Celliers, executed for insubordination.
• The Silence of the Lambs (1991) – played in a funeral scene.
• Hang 'Em High (1968) – sung by the crowd watching the six-man hanging.
• Rogue Male(1976) – sung by boat captain.
• Ernest Saves Christmas (1988) – the main character mumbles the first few lines of Rock of Ages.[11]

• 1914 Alma Gluck and Louise Homer - a popular version on the Victor label.[12]
• 1949 Bing Crosby recorded it on 6 May 1949 for Decca Records[13] and it was included in his album Beloved Hymns.
• 1950 Jo Stafford with the Ravenscroft Quartet. Recorded 2 June 1950. Issued October 1950. Songs of Faith Capitol CC-9014.[14]
• 1950 Perry Como recorded it 29 June 1950 and included in the 1952 EP Favorite Songs of Worship.[15]
• 1959 Pat Boone for his album He Leadeth Me.[16]
• 1959 Rosemary Clooney included it in her album Hymns from the Heart.[17]

The hymn was a favourite of Prince Albert, who asked it to be played to him on his deathbed, as did Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart. It was also played at the funeral of William Gladstone.[18]

In Chapter IX of MacKinlay Kantor's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "Andersonville" (1955), prisoners at the Civil War camp at Belle Isle sing the hymn to commemorate the death of a comrade.

In his book Hymns That Have Helped, W. T. Stead reported "when the SS London went down in the Bay of Biscay, 11 January 1866, the last thing which the last man who left the ship heard as the boat pushed off from the doomed vessel was the voices of the passengers singing "Rock of Ages".[19]

The opening lines of the hymn are used in the chorus of "Birmingham" by the band Shovels & Rope.

1980s British rock band Def Leppard were inspired by the ancient hymn's text when a member of a choir left their hymn book in their recording studio. Joe Elliott later wrote the lyrics to their song "Rock of Ages" after reading it and in their music video the band members dress up as monks.

This hymn tune was featured throughout the Westminster location in the game Assassin's Creed: Syndicate. It is heard from the music boxes as well atop Buckingham Palace at the vantage point.

This hymn was regarded as one of the Great Four Anglican Hymns[20] of the 19th century.

Johannes Maas, a leader in the faith movement, commented on this hymn, "The words of this hymn are among the most profound, inspiring, encouraging, sacred, devotional and precious words ever penned."[2]

In his score for Altered States, John Corigliano made reference to this hymn many times, to symbolise the religious struggle of the hero and the memories of his anti-religious father, which figures in one of his hallucinations.

A large rounded stalagtite in Carlsbad Caverns is named "Rock of Ages." Rangers leading tours would stop there, turn out the lights, and lead the group in singing the hymn.

The hymn has appeared in other languages including German (as "Fels der Ewigkeit") and Swedish ("Klippa, du som brast för mig").

There were also Latin translations by William Gladstone as "Jesus, pro me perforatus" and by Canadian linguist Silas Tertius Rand as "Rupes saeculorum, te."[21][22] On reading this version, Gladstone wrote to Rand, "I at once admit that your version is more exact than mine".[23]

This hymn was also translated to Tamil, a south Indian language spoken by nearly by 120 million people. The hymn is included in Christhu Sabai Paamalai, the hymnal of the Church of South India (CSI) headquartered in Chennai. It is titled Pilavunda malaye and is hymn number 350.

This hymn was also translated to Telugu, a south Indian language spoken by nearly eighty million people. The hymn is included in Andhra Christava Keerthanalu, the hymnal of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church headquartered in Guntur. It is titled Naakai cheelcha badda and is hymn number 342. It was translated into Mizo (a language of northeast India) by Rev. Rohmingliana as Chatuan lungpui, aw Krista and appears in a hymnbook called Kristian Hlabu.

Wikisource has original text related to this article: Rock of Ages

• The story behind "Rock of Ages" and a brief biography of Toplady
• An analysis of the poem and tune
• Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me (mp3 with organ only)