Songs & Their Stories: "The Hiding Place"

Does anyone else have the following problem? It's finally time for bed. You lay your head down on your pillow grateful for the chance at resting and hopeful recuperation... Then your mind starts racing with all the things you want to do, things you forgot to do, didn't quite finish doing and/or still need to do?!. Yeah, I don't have that problem. Ha ha... One of the things that came to mind last night and stayed with me this morning was to post another "songs and their stories" story. I hope the lyrics of this song minister to you today...

My sweet talented friend, Stephanie from New Orleans, has been a blessing to me in many ways. One of which, is sharing a love of music. Here's a snapshot of the "chick band" back at Temple BC in Hattiesburg, Mississippi leading for a women's conference...

Here's Steph and another sweet friend, Karla, with our kiddos hanging at the park in NOLA.

For Christmas a few years back, Stephanie gave Tony and I a copy of Gadsby's Hymnal (which is basically a collection of old hymn lyrics without music). One morning, as I was reading through some of them, the lyrics of #711 resonated with me. I sat down at the piano to help me focus and wade through the lyrical depth. The Lord met me there with music.

Interestingly, the Scripture that comes to mind regarding these lyrics is the very Scripture Stephanie and I often challenged each other with...

"Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." Colossians 3:2-3

The Hiding Place

Words by D. Herbert

The Gadsby Hymnal #711

Music by Kimberly Merida

(1)

Amidst the sorrows of the way,

Lord Jesus, teach my soul to pray;

And let me taste thy special grace,

And run to Christ, my Hiding place

Thou know’st the vileness of my heart,

So prone to act the rebel’s part;

And when thou veil’st thy lovely face,

Where can I find a hiding place?

Where can I find a hiding place?

(2)

Lord, guide my silly, wandering feet,

And draw me to Thy mercy seat.

I’ve naught to trust but sovereign grace;

Thou only art my Hiding place

O how unstable is my heart!

Sometimes I take the tempter’s part,

And slight the tokens of thy grace,

And seem to want no hiding place,

And seem to want no hiding place

(3)

But when thy Spirit shines within,

And makes me feel the plague of sin;

Then how I long to see thy face!

‘Tis then I want a hiding place.

Lord Jesus, shine, and then I can

Feel sweetness in salvation’s plan;

And as a sinner, plead for grace,

Through Christ, the sinner’s Hiding place

Through Christ, the sinner’s Hiding place