"Rock of Ages, cleft for me;
let me hide myself in thee."
Then something like this.
"Let the water and the blood,
From Thy bleeding side did flow," etc.
The chorus of The Solid Rock is:
"On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand –
All other ground is sinking sand –
all other ground is sinking sand."
Both of these songs emanate from Scripture.

What does the Bible say about Rocks? Rocks are often composed of flint (Deut. 8:15; Deut. 32:13). Rocks are described as: Hard (Jer. 5:3); Durable (Job 19:24); Barren (Eze. 26:4,14; Amos 6:12; Luke 8:6). Rocks are often sharp-pointed and craggy (1 Sam. 14:4). Rocks often had holes and clefts (Exodus 33:22). Rocks were a defense to a country (Isa. 33:16). Rocks were dreaded by mariners (Acts 27:29). Rocks are inhabited by: Wild goats (Job 39:1); Conies (Psa. 104:18; Pro. 30:26); Doves (Song of Solomon 2:14; Jer. 48:28); Eagles (Job 39:28; Jer. 49:16).

The olive tree flourished amongst Rocks (Deut. 32:13; Job 29:6). Bees often made their honey amongst Rocks (Deut. 32:13; Psa. 81:16). Rocks were used as: Altars (Judges 6:20,21,26; Judges 13:19); Places for idolatrous worship (Isa. 57:5); Places of Observation (Exo. 33:21; Num. 23:9); Places of safety in danger (1 Sam. 13:6; Isa. 2:19; Jer. 16:16; Rev. 6:15); Places for shelter by the poor in their distress (Job 24:8; Job 30:3,6). The shadow of Rocks, grateful to travelers during the heat of the day (Isa. 32:2). Houses were often built on Rocks (Matt. 7:24,25). Tombs were often hewn out of Rocks (Isa. 22:16; Matt. 27:60).

Important events were often engraved upon Rocks (Job 19:24). Rocks mentioned in Scripture: Adullam (1 Chr. 11:15); Bozez (1 Sam. 14:4); Engedi (1 Sam. 24:1,2); Etam (Judges 15:8); Horeb in Rephidim (Exo. 17:1-6); Meribah in Kadesh (Num. 20:1-11); Oreb (Judges 7:25; Isa. 10:26); Rimmon (Judges 20:45); Seneh (1 Sam. 14:4); Sela-hammahlekoth in the wilderness (2 Kings 14:7 — margin; 2 Chr. 25:11,12). Man's industry in cutting through Rocks (Job 28:9,10); Hammers used for breaking Rocks (Jer. 23:29). Casting down from Rocks, a punishment (2 Chr. 25:12).

Miracles connected with Rocks: Water brought from (Exo, 17:6; Num. 20:11); Fire ascended out of (Judges 6:21); Broken in pieces by the wind (1 Kings 19:11); Rent at the death of Christ (Matt. 27:51); God's power exhibited in removing (Job 14:18; Nah. 1:6). Rocks are Illustrative of: God as creator of His people (Deut 32:18); God as a strength of His people (Psa. 18:1,2; Psa. 62:7; Isa. 17:10); God as defense of His people (Psa, 31:2,3); God as refuge of His people (Psa. 94:22); God as salvation of His people (Deut. 32:15; Psa, 89:26; Psa. 95:1); Christ as refuge of His people (Isa. 32:2); Christ as foundation of His church (Matt. 16:18 with 1 Peter 2:6); Christ as source of spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 10:4); Christ as a stumbling stone to the wicked (Isa 8:14; Rom. 9:33; 1 Peter 2:8); A place of safety (Psa. 27:5; Psa. 40:2); Whatever we trust in (Deut. 32:31,37); The ancestor of a nation (Isa. 51:1).

In Exodus 33, it is reported that God met with Moses on Mount Horeb; and during the conversation Moses said, "I beseech thee, show me thy glory. And He said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. And He said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. And the Lord said, Behold there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a Rock: And it shall come to pass while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in the cleft of the Rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen."

From this Scripture was the song inspired that says, "He hideth my soul in the cleft of the Rock and covers me mere with His hand." This is also the Scripture that inspired the text of the song that says, "Rock of Ages, cleft for me; let me hide myself in Thee." The idea is when the storms of life come and when the judgment of God falls, we need a "hiding place" and there can be no better "hiding place" or place of protection than in the "cleft of the Rock," covered by the Hand of Almighty God. Christ is symbolized as being the Rock of Ages and the cleft for us to hide within.

Now as to the Solid Rock and Sinking Sand, let us turn to Matthew 7:24-27. "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a Rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it."

If you will substitute the word "hope" there for the word "house," you will readily see that Jesus Christ is talking about the fact that if you put your hope or trust in Him alone, as the Solid Rock," you will be among the "few" He mentions above in Matthew 7:13,14 who "enter in at the 'strait gate,'" and the foolish man had his hope in, for example, baptism, church membership, good works, or one of the many false religions that abound. Revelation 1:5 says, "Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood." You see, it's Jesus' Blood, nor water, that washes away our sins, by dying on the cross and paying the penalty of our sin.

Matthew 7:13,14 says, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Society says that everybody is going to heaven. Jesus said only a few are going. I wish it were otherwise, but I must believe Jesus. There is hope, though. In John 10:9 Jesus says He is the Door or Entranceway to Heaven, thus saying that He is that "strait gate" or only gate or door to heaven. In John 14:6 Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me." So again, Jesus said that He is that "narrow way" or only way to heaven. Take Him!

Then in Matthew 7:15 Jesus said, "Beware of false prophets" which would tell you otherwise; for example, that all are going to heaven, that one doesn't need to be born again (John 3:3). In Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus says that "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is heaven." These are the things Jesus meant when he said in Matthew 7:24, "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them..." built his house on the Solid Rock. Let's look at the phrase "but he that doeth the will of God."

What is this "will of God" that one must do to enter heaven? Again the answer is in Scripture. In John 6:37-40 Jesus said, "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."

So the will of God as to salvation is that you come to him and believe on Him or trust in Him as your only hope of heaven; and He will give you everlasting life and raise you up at the last day. How about the "work of God?" John 6:28,29 says, "Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent." So the Will of God as to Salvation is to Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. And then the First Work of God is to Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. That's plain.

If you are not sure of heaven, of which you can be sure (1 John 5:10-13), and you are sick and tired of sin and its dominion over you, why not pray, "Lord, I am a sinner; forgive my sins; save my soul; and take me to heaven when I die? I am now trusting in Jesus Christ alone as my only hope of heaven." Then set out to read the Bible (New Testament first) and obey its principles through the power of God now given you in the form of the Holy Spirit residing within (Romans 5:5; Romans 8:9; Galatians 4:6; 1 Cor. 3:16).

Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 10:13, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord {for salvation} shall be saved." You get what you ask for! Eternal life is a gift that can’t be paid for by us in any form. Jesus met all the demands of the law, died in our place, shedding His Blood, which Blood washes away our sins (Rev. 1:5), not water, not baptism. Also eternal life is not conditional life, conditioned on our helping Jesus save us or keep us saved, as we are kept by the power of God through faith (1 Peter 1:3-5), not through works or a combination of faith and works.