Scripture Verse

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer. 2 Samuel 22:2

Introduction

Words: Will­iam R. Lan­don, in On Joy­ful Wing, ed­it­ed by John Swe­ney & Will­iam J. Kirk­pat­rick (Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia: John J. Hood, 1886), num­ber 26.

Music: John R. Swe­ney (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Lan­don (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

portrait
John Sweney (1837–1899)

Lyrics

Savior, break this heart of mine,
Melt it now with love di­vine;
Only Thou my help must be,
Only Thou canst set me free.

Refrain

Out of the deep and mi­ry clay,
Take me away, oh, take me away;
Show me the Rock, O Lord, I pray,
Rock of eter­nal ag­es.

Bend Thine ear and hear my cry,
Leave me not in sin to die;
This my hope, my on­ly plea―
Thou didst come to res­cue me.

Refrain

Reach Thy hand and lift my soul
From the wav­es that o’er me roll;
Where for re­fuge can I flee?
Lord, I per­ish; save Thou me.

Refrain

Save me now and ev­er­more;
Lord, I would Thy name ado­re;
Hide my tremb­ling soul in Thee;
Lord, I per­ish, save Thou me.

Refrain