Rock Of Ages

Hiding is the governing image: "Rock of Ages cleft for me / Let me hide myself in Thee." Shane & Shane sing the plea from the position of someone with empty hands. The first verse asks for "the water and the blood / From thy wounded side which flowed" as a "double cure" for sin, both pardon and cleansing.

The second verse closes off every attempt at self-rescue: labors, zeal and endless tears "could not atone," so "Thou must save and Thou alone." What follows reads like an inventory of poverty. "Nothing in my hand I bring," "Naked come to Thee for dress," "Helpless look to Thee for grace," ending on the stark "Wash me Savior or I die."

A repeated refrain here, "Jesus holy pure and lovely / King of mercy," leads into the last verse, which looks ahead to "this fleeting breath," death and the judgment throne before returning to the opening plea. Exodus 33 pictures Moses sheltered in a cleft of the rock, Isaiah 26:4 calls the Lord an everlasting rock, Ephesians 2:8-9 says salvation is by grace and not by works, and John 19:34 records water and blood flowing from Jesus' side.