My Hiding Place

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 that rules the sky
I fought with hand uplifted high
Despised His rich abounding grace
Too proud to seek a hiding place.

Enwrapt 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!"
E'er long a heavenly voice I heard
And Mercy's angel form appeared
Who led me on with gentle pace
To Jesus as my hiding place.

Should storms of thund'ring vengeance roll
And shake the earth from pole to pole,
No flaming bolt shall daunt my face
For Jesus is my hiding place.
A few more rolling suns at most
Will land me safe on Canaan's coast
Where I shall sing the songs of grace
And see my glorious hiding place!

--Jehoida Brewer 1752-1817 (1776)