Hymn
O God, the Rock of Ages
O God, the Rock of ages,
Who evermore hast been,
What time the tempest rages,
Our dwelling-place serene:
Before Thy first creations,
O Lord, the same as now,
To endless generations
The Everlasting Thou!
Our years are like the shadows
On sunny hills that lie,
Or grasses in the meadows
That blossom but to die:
A sleep, a dream, a story
By strangers quickly told,
An unremaining glory
Of things that soon are old.
O Thou, who canst not slumber,
Whose light grows never pale,
Teach us aright to number
Our years before they fail.
On us Thy mercy lighten,
On us Thy goodness rest,
And let Thy Spirit brighten
The hearts Thyself hast blest.
Lord, crown our faith's endeavour
With beauty and with grace,
Till, clothed in light for ever,
We see Thee face to face:
A joy no language measures;
A fountain brimming o'er;
An endless flow of pleasures;
An ocean without shore.
O God, the Rock of Ages — Text from Methodist Hymn and Tune Book, 1917. Public domain. https://yeshuanow.com/hymns/o-god-the-rock-of-ages
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Questions about this hymn
Who wrote O God, the Rock of Ages?
The words of O God, the Rock of Ages were written by Edward Henry Bickersteth; the version here was published in 1917. The library holds 3 more hymns by Edward Henry Bickersteth, including Pardon Implored For National Sins and Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin?
Is O God, the Rock of Ages public domain?
Yes. The words here are taken from Methodist Hymn and Tune Book, published in 1917. Works published before 1931 are out of copyright in the United States, so you can print, project, perform and record this hymn freely. How we source and check every hymn.
What is the metre of O God, the Rock of Ages?
O God, the Rock of Ages is in 7.6.7.6 D. Hymns in the same metre can usually be sung to the same tunes — for example, Departing Missionaries, Now Be the Gospel Baner and Sing to the Lord of Harvest.