The Solid Rock

The Solid Rock: by Edward Mote

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. 

I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.  All other ground is sinking sand. 

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When darkness seems to hide His face, I rest on His unchanging grace. 

In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil. 

On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand.

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His oath, His covenant, His blood, support me in the whelming flood. 

When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my Hope and Stay. 

 On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand. 

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When He shall come with trumpet sound, O may I then in Him be found! 

Dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne!

On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand. 

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1 Corinthians 3: 11 ~ For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  

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Edward Mote, author of this famous hymn, was born into poverty on January 21, 1797, in London. His parents, who were innkeepers, would not allow a Bible in their house, but somehow Edward heard the gospel and came to Christ as a teenager. He eventually became a skilled carpenter and the owner of his own cabinet shop. "One morning," he recalled, "it came into my mind as I went to labor to write a hymn on the 'Gracious Experience of a Christian.' As I went up to Holborn I had the chorus:  On Christ the solid Rock I stand / All other ground is sinking sand. In the day I had four verses complete, and wrote them off. 

"On the Sabbath following, I met brother King...who informed me that his wife was very ill, and asked me to call and see her. I had an early tea and called afterwards. He said that it was his usual custom to sing a hymn, read a portion, and engage in prayer before he went to meeting. He look for his hymnbook but could find it nowhere. I said, 'I have some verses in my pocket; if he liked, we would sing them.' We did, and his wife enjoyed them so much that after service he asked me, as a favor, to leave a copy of them for his wife. 

"I went home, and by the fireside composed the last two verses, wrote the whole off, and took them to sister King...As these verses so met the dying woman's case, my attention to them was the more arrested, and I had a thousand printed for distribution." 

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In 1852, Edward, 55, gave up his carpentry to pastor the Baptist Church in Horsham, Sussex, where he ministered 21 years. He resigned in 1873, in failing health, saying, "I think I am going to heaven; yes, I am nearing port. The truths I have been preaching, I am now living upon and they'll do very well to die upon. Ah! The precious blood." He passed away at age 77.  

Here is a verse from Mote's original that is omitted from most hymnals today. 

I trust His righteous character, 

His council, promise, and His power;

His honor and His Name's at stake

To save me from the burning lake;

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand, 

All other ground is sinking sand.   

Taken from Then Sings My Soul by Robert J. Morgan.

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I hope you all enjoyed learning about Edward Mote. I want to say thank you to Mrs. R for suggesting this hymn. :) Remember, if any of you have a hymn in mind that you would like to learn more about, please leave a comment. :) 
Have a joyful week in the love of the Savior.
Love your friend,
Ashley