Psalms and Hymns for Public and Private Worship

Jan 1776 · E. and C. Dilly

Ratings and reviews

This is an important collection of hymns. From the Preface: "With regard to the following Collection I can only say that (excepting the very few hymns of my own which I have been prevailed with to insert) it ought to be the best that has yet appeared considering the great number of volumes (no fewer than between forty and fifty) which have ... contributed to this Compilation." Among those "very few hymns of my own" Toplady has included Rock of Ages Cleft for Me, which is number 337 and begins on page 308. I suppose this is likely to be the first hymnal in which this wonderful piece occurs. Notice the much better "riven" in the first stanza where most modern versions have "wounded". (rive: "to break into pieces, as by a blow; cleave or split asunder" Am. Her. Dictionary. Don't miss the strong connection this hymn has to Ex 33:22; 17:6; 1Cor 10:4; Mark 14:22, 24, 27; and John 19:34.) I like how Water, Blood, Side, Cross, and Fountain are all capitalized. Note also that ROCK (both times) and SAVIOR are in all caps, after the tradition in which "LORD" is used to render YHWH in many English versions of the Old Testament. While I highly regard this hymn as here published, I do think someone's latter version of the last line of the first stanza is an improvement: Save from wrath and make me pure. J.W.

Related Subjects:(1) 1776. Subject headings: Hymns, English. LCCN:BV