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. Ere long a heav’nly voice I heard,
And mercy’s angel form appeared;
She led me on with placid pace,
To Jesus, as my hiding-place.

7. Should storms of sevenfold thunder roll,
And shake the globe from pole to pole;
No flaming bolt could daunt my face,
For Jesus is my hiding place.

8. On Him almighty vengeance fell,
That must have sunk a world to hell;
He bore it for the chosen race
And thus became their hiding-place.

9. A few more rolling suns at most,
Shall land me on fair Canaan’s coast.
Where I shall sing the song of grace,
And see my glorious hiding-place.


Another version of the words as appeared in 1800 are as follows:

1. Hail sovereign love, that first began
The scheme to rescue fallen man;
Hail, matchless free eternal grace,
That gave my soul a hiding place.

2. Against the God that built the sky,
I fought with hands uplifted high;
Despised the mansions of his grace,
Too proud to seek a hiding place.

3. Enwrapt in dark Egyptian night,
And fond of darkness more that light,
Madly I ran the sinful race,
Secure without a hiding place.

4. But lo! th’eternal council rang,
Almighty love arrests the man;
I felt the arrows of distress,
And found I had no hiding place!

5. Vindictive 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 lo! a heavenly voice I heard,
And mercy’s angel soon appeared:
He lead me on a pleasing pace,
To Jesus Christ, my hiding place!

7. Should seven fold storms of vengeance roll,
And shake this globe from pole to pole:
No thunder-bolt shall daunt my face,
While Jesus is my hiding place!

8. On Him almighty vengeance fell,
Which else had sunk a world to hell;
He bore it for His chosen race,
And thus became a hiding place!

9. Roll on, thou sun, in rapid haste,
And bring me to that constant feast,
Where mirthful songs of sovereign grace,
Are sung to Him the hiding place.