The Hiding Place

Verse 1

Hail, sovereign love, that first began The scheme to rescue fallen man! Hail, matchless, free, eternal grace, That gave my soul a hiding-place!

Verse 2

Against the God who rules the sky I fought with hand uplifted high; Despised the mention of his grace, Too proud to seek a hiding-place.

Verse 3

But thus the eternal counsel ran: “Almighty love, arrest that man!” I felt the arrows of distress, And found I had no hiding-place.

Verse 4

Indignant Justice stood in view; To Sinai’s fiery mount I flew; But Justice cried, with frowning face, “This mountain is no hiding-place!”

Verse 5

Ere long a heavenly voice I heard, And Mercy’s angel-form appeared; She led me on, with placid pace, To Jesus, as my Hiding-place.

Verse 6

Should storms of seven-fold thunder roll, And shake the globe from pole to pole, No flaming bolt could daunt my face, For Jesus is my Hiding-place.

Verse 7

On him almighty vengeance fell, That must have sunk a world to hell; He bore it for a chosen race, And thus became their Hiding-place.

Verse 8

A few more rolling suns, at most, Will land me on fair Canaan’s coast, Where I shall sing the song of grace, And see my glorious Hiding-place.