Hail, sovereign love that first began, The scheme to rescue fallen man; Hail matchless free eternal grace, That gave my soul a hiding place. 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. Enwrapped in thick Egyptian night, And fond of darkness more than light, Madly I ran the sinful race, Secure without a hiding place. But thus th’ eternal counsel ran, “Almighty Love, arrest that man!” I felt the arrows of distress, And found I had no hiding place. Indignant justice stood in view, To Sinai’s fiery mount I flew, But Justice cried with frowning face, “This mountain is no hiding place!” Ere long a heavenly voice I heard, And Mercy’s angel form appeared. Who led me on with gentle pace, To Jesus Christ, my hiding place. 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. 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. 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! |