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Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee. Let the water and the blood, from Thy wounded side which flowed, be of sin and the double cure, save from wrath and make me pure.

Could my tears forever flow, could my zeal no languor know, these for sin could not atone; Thou must save, and Thou alone, in my hand no price I bring; simply to Thy cross I cling.

While I draw this fleeting breath, when my eyes shall close in death, when I rise to worlds unknown and behold Thee on Thy throne, Rock of Ages cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee.

Augustus Montague Toplady was born to Richard and Catherine, on November 4, 1740, in Surrey, England. His father was an officer in the Royal Marines and died in 1742, during the War of the Jenkins Ear, from yellow fever. After the death of her husband, Catherine and Augustus moved to Westminster and Augustus attended school in Westminster for 5 years. In 1755, Catherine and Augustus moved to Ireland. At 15, he was enrolled in Trinity College of Dublin and attended a service that John Wesley was preaching. Augustus says that he felt spiritually awakened. Several years later, Augustus wrote his first book. He graduated in 1760, and he and Catherine returned to Westminster. He was strongly influenced by many prominent Calvinist preachers. In 1763, he wrote his most famous hymn, “Rock of Ages”, after seeking shelter during a bad thunderstorm. A year later he returned to London and was ordained as a preacher and briefly served for 1 year. He served a few other congregations in other areas. He never married but had fell in love twice. He lived in London for the last 3 years of his life. He acquired tuberculosis and passed away on August 11, 1778.