[Biblemat] hymn study, "Hiding in Thee"

[Wayne S Walker]

Wayne Walker here with another weekly hymn study, that will also be my
lesson for tomorrow evening.

"HIDING IN THEE"
"My God is the rock of my refuge" (Ps. 94:22)
     
     INTRO.:  A hymn which looks to God as the Rock of our refuge is
"Hiding in Thee" (#379 in Hymns for Worship Revised, #125 in Sacred
Selections for the Church).  The text was written by William Orcutt
Cushing, who was born at Hingham Center, MA, on Dec. 31, 1823.  His
parents were Unitarians, and his early training was along these lines,
but he decided at the age of eighteen to become a minister and served for
more than twenty years in Christian Churches (Disciples of Christ) at
Searsburg, Auburn, Brookley, Buffalo, and Sparta, NY.  In 1854 he married
Rena Proper.  Following her death at Searsburg in 1870, he was afflicted
with a paralysis which ultimately deprived him of his power of speech. 
This health affliction forced his retirement from the active ministry,
and after this he made his home with a minister friend, E. E. Curtis, in
Lisbon Center, NY.
   
     During this time, Cushing prayed, "Lord, give me something to do." 
His prayer was seeming answered with the gift of authoring songs.  As a
result, he became intensely interested in hymn production and provided
more than 300 texts for Sunday school songs and gospel hymns which were
set to music by various well-known hymn-tune composers.  His "Ring the
Bells of Heaven" and "When He Cometh" have tunes by George Frederick Root
(1820-1895).  His "Down in the Valley" has a tune composed by Robert
Lowry (1826-1899).  His "There'll Be No Dark Valley" and "Under His
Wings" have tunes composed by Ira David Sankey (1840-1908).

     "Hiding in Thee" dates from 1876 when Cushing was in Moravia, NY. 
According to the author, it was the outgrowth of many tears,
heart-conflicts, and soul-yearnings unknown to anyone else.  Sankey had
written to Cushing, saying, "Send me something new to help me in my
gospel work."  The response was these words.  The hymn, with Sankey's
tune, first appeared in Welcome Tidings, compiled in 1877 by Sankey,
Lowry, and William Howard Doane (1832-1915).  Cushing was known as a most
noble, sweet, and spiritual gentleman.  His friends often said that his
life was an inspiration to all who came in contact with him.  He died at
Lisbon, NY, on Oct. 19, 1902.

     Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church during the
twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, the song appeared in the
1925 edition of the 1921 Great Songs of the Church (No. 1) and the 1937
Great Songs of the Church No. 2 both edited by E. L. Jorgenson; the 1935
Christian Hymns (No. 1) and the 1948 Christian Hymns No. 2 both edited by
L. O. Sanderson; and the 1963 Christian Hymnal edited by J. Nelson
Slater.  Today it may be found in the 1978/1983 Church Gospel Songs and
Hymns edited by V. E. Howard; and the 1992 Praise for the Lord edited by
John P. Wiegand; in addition to Hymns for Worship and Sacred Selections.

     This hymn encourages us to seek refuge in the Lord our Rock.

I. Stanza 1 talks about the Rock being higher than we are
"O safe to the rock that is higher than I, My soul in its conflicts and
sorrows would fly;
So sinful, so weary, Thine, Thine would I be; Thou blest Rock of Ages,
I'm hiding in Thee."
 A. The Psalmist saw the need to be led "to the rock that is higher than
I": Ps. 61.2
 B. It is to this Rock that we must fly that we might be delivered from
this present evil age: Gal. 1.4
 C. The reason that we must come to Him is that we are weary with the
burden of sin and need rest: Matt. 11.28-30

II. Stanza 2 talks about the Rock being a haven from sorrow, temptation,
and other problems
"In calm of the noontide, in sorrow's lone hour, In times when temptation
casts o'er me its power,
In tempests of life, on its wide heaving sea, Thou blest Rock of Ages,
I'm hiding in Thee."
 A. Life on this earth will have its share of sorrow: Ps. 13.1-2
 B. These sorrows and other situations present times of temptation of
which we must beware: Jas. 1.12-16
 C. Such sorrows, temptations, and similar problems are like tempests
during which we need to hold to the Rock which serves as our fortress and
deliverer: Ps. 18.1-2

III. Stanza 3 talks about the Rock being a refuge from conflicts and
trials
"How oft in the conflict, when pressed by the foe, I've fled to my Refuge
and breathed out my woe;
How often, when trials like sea-billows roll, I've hidden in Thee, O thou
Rock of my soul."
 A. We face many conflicts in this life because our foe, the devil, seeks
whom he may devour: 1 Pet. 5.8
 B. However, like the Psalmist, we can call on God to hear and deliver us
as our "rock of refuge": Ps. 31.2
 C. Therefore, we can look to Him to give us strength to endure our
trials: 1 Cor. 10.13

     CONCL.:  The chorus emphasizes how important it is to hide in our
Rock:
"Hiding in Thee, Hiding in Thee,
Thou blest Rock of Ages, I'm hiding in Thee."
Whenever tempests arise in our journey on the sea of life, like
frightened children running to hide in their mother's or father's arms,
we should not hesitate to fly for refuge to God and tell Him, "We are
'Hiding in Thee.'"

      Brotherly,
Wayne S. Walker
9024 Amona Dr.
Affton, MO  63123
home phone: (314) 638-4710
office phone: (314) 544-1612
e-mail: wswalker310 at juno.com
website: www.defenderoftruth.com
     Notes: Other hymn studies are available at the Defender of Truth
website.  Also, some of my previous hymn studies are now included in book
that I have written entitled Songs of Zion.  It can be ordered from the
publisher by calling 1-800-423-2484 or going to www.faith-facts.com.  And
if you would like to receive a similar daily hymn study by e-mail, you
can join the Hymn of the Day list by sending a blank e-mail to
hymnoftheday-subscribe at yahoogroups.com or subscribing from the Web at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hymnoftheday/ .