Hiding from, or Hiding in …

By Rhiannonw

Sun, 21 Jun 2026
  • 360 reads
4 comments
 

[Continuing the hymn-for-Sundays series] 

*They’d listened to the devil’s lies,
God’s purpose good they doubted –
his simple rule – thought they’d be wise
if his command they flouted:
    but soon aware of shame, defiled,
    and from their God they tried to hide.

Some thought the writer sheltered there
in rocky cleft in rainstorm,
and wrote the famous hymn** to share
his wonder and his vision:
    Jesus, the Rock with speared side –
    in Him we’re washed and safely hide.

From troubles many want to hide,
keep secret all their failure.
The help of Jesus they’ve decried,
don’t want a sheltering Saviour.
    The contrite at his side abide.
    His love is wide, He will provide.

** “Rock of Ages, cleft for me …” by Augustus Toplady
There is a plaque on a rock in the Mendip Hills I think about this story, but it seemed to originate long after he wrote the hymn, but it is a good illustration.

*Verse 1 is about Adam and Eve as recorded in Genesis chapter 3

[IP: Hiding]

http://rhiannonshymns.co.uk

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Comments

Submitted by Nolan on

What a beautiful story, “Rock of Ages”, it is the first time I hear of it. Your reference to paradise I find a bit ironic? Intended so? You have used some fixed pattern here Rhiannon, what is it, what is it called?

Especially your final verse,

In the King James Bible Jesus teaches, “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?”
“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father”.
“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?”

Have a good week, see you! Nolan &

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks, Nolan. and for the quotes about provision.

By 'Paradise' you were referring to Eden before they listened to Satan through the snake? wasn't sure what you meant by ironic?

it is very hot here! so warm greetings! Rhiannon

 

 

Submitted by Nolan on

I said so because they knew they were naked, and tried to hide From God.

Keep well & Nolan

(Yes we hear it is so hot in Europe, in general it seems we are having a mild winter in the southern hemisphere climates. Global warming?)

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

I didn't reply about the form or fixed pattern of the verse you had asked about at first.

Hymns have often been written to a fixed meter, ie line length and number of syllables in each line and tunes are listed accordingly and sometimes according to the stress pattern, or rhythm. Written in fixed patterns helped the singabiltiy and the memorability! This one is 87 87 88 and I haven't found a tune to that meter exactly, though a tune called 'Luther's Hymn' to a hymn 'Great God, what do I see and hear …' is 87 87 887, and the words I have written fit it if we add a line eg 'The holy God is gracious' after each verse!