Hymn For The Week: Hail, Sovereign Love

: Sorry I am so late to publish this today. :

Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.

Psalm 32:7 

 

I love this old song. It tells the story of man's plight and God's plan so beautifully. Apparently, it is has not been widely published. I grew up singing it in church so I did not know it was uncommon. Please let me know in the comments if you have ever sung this song before.

 I like the way this hymn includes the symbolism that is found in the old testament, likening salvation to coming out of the "black Egyptian night," and, also the truth that the law from Mt. Sinai can never justify mankind.

Hail, Sovereign Love

1. Hail, sovereign love that formed the plan
To save rebellious, ruined man!
Hail, matchless, free, eternal grace,
That gave my soul a hiding-place.

2. Against the God that rules the sky,
I fought, with weapons lifted high,
I madly ran the sinful race,
Regardless of a hiding-place. 

3. Enwrapped in thick Egyptian night,
And fond of darkness more than light,
Madly I ran the sinful race,
Secure without a hiding place.

4. But thus th’ eternal counsel ran,
Almighty Love, arrest that man!
I felt the arrows of distress,
And found I had no hiding place. 

5. Indignant justice stood in view,
To Sinai’s fiery mount I flew,
But Justice cried with frowning face,
This mountain is no hiding place!

6. But a celestial voice I heard,
A bleeding Savior then appeared;
Led by the Spirit of His grace,
I found in Him a hiding-place. 

7. On Him the weight vengeance fell,
That else sunk a world to hell;
Then, O my soul, forever praise
Thy Savior God, thy hiding-place! 

8. Should storms of sevenfold vengeance roll,
And shake this earth from pole to pole;
No flaming bolt could daunt my face,
For Jesus is my hiding place.

9. A few more rolling suns at most,
Shall land me safe on Heaven’s coast.
There I shall sing the song of grace,
To Jesus Christ, my hiding place!

The version of this hymn that I learned was slightly different. The first verse began, "Hail, Soveregn love that first began the scheme to rescue fallen man......'' I have only heard this song sung to the tune Duane Street. To use this tune you have to sing two verses for ever one time the tune is sung. I had never heard verse 7 before.

 

You can find a PDF file with a printable version of this music by clicking HERE .