Rock of Ages (Christian hymn)
Rock of Ages is a well-known Christian hymn written by Augustus Montague Toplady, an Anglican minister, in 1763. He is said to have written it while sheltering from a storm at Burrington Combe in England, though a famous story about its origin is debated by scholars. Another possible inspiration suggested is a 1673 sermon by Daniel Brevint.
The hymn’s first lines appeared in The Gospel Magazine in October 1775, and the full text was published in March 1776 with some revisions. A further revision was printed in July 1776 in Toplady’s own collection, Psalms & Hymns for Public and Private Worship. Since then, the wording has been edited many times by different churches, creating several versions. For example, “When my eye-strings break in death” was later changed to “When my eyes shall close in death.” The line about the “double cure” has also been discussed, and the alt version from 1776 reads: “Be of sin the double cure, Save me from its guilt and power.”
In the United States, Rock of Ages is usually sung to the tune Toplady by Thomas Hastings (revised by Lowell Mason). In the United Kingdom, the common tune is Redhead 76, also known as Petra. Other tunes are used in various hymnals, and newer tunes have been added over time.
The hymn has been loved by many and has been part of notable moments, including being requested for Prince Albert’s deathbed, sung at the funeral of William Gladstone, and reportedly heard on the ship SS London as it sank in 1866. It is regarded by many as one of the Great Four Anglican Hymns of the 19th century.
Rock of Ages has been translated into several languages. German: Fels des Heils; Swedish: Klippa, du som brast för mig; Latin versions include Jesus, pro me perforatus and Rupes saeculorum, te. William Gladstone praised Rand’s Latin translation, and a Malayalam version exists as well.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 11:43 (CET).