What does cleft mean in the hymn rock of ages?

Answer 1

"Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee; "

Cleft, pronunciation:/kleft/ past and past participle of cleave1.

"Cleft" is a variant of the Old English word "cleave" meaning to adhere, cling, or be faithful to something.

"Cleave" can also mean split, divide, separate.

The word "cleft" or "cleave" is a famous example of what is casually called a "Janus" word. Janus was the Roman god of doorways, and of comings and goings. He was represented as having two faces, one on the front and one on the back of his head. The upshot is that a "Janus" word is a word that also means its opposite. There are many such words. Cleave, as in 'cleaver', means to split, divide or separate, and yet a husband and wife ideally 'cleave', or adhere, to one another.

While cleave is one of the best known Janus words, the dictionary suggests that cleft, a past tense, is usually connected with the "split or divide by a cutting blow". Cleaved is usually used in the context of adhering loyally.

In the context of the gospel hymn, "Rock of Ages" is a metaphor for God, which is a metaphor used in Genesis and in the Psalms. Cleft, in this context, means in metaphor, a wide opening, such as God opening his arms wide to accept me-- or making a wide entrance in 'rock', like Mount Sinai, for that is just a small metaphor for how majestic God is. In metaphor, this wide opening can refer to the crucifixion -- a drastic moment when Christ opened the heavens to all who believed in him. The verse "let me hide myself in Thee" creates the image of running into the wide opening (to God) where we can hide ourselves in his protection.

Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me The United Methodist Hymnal Number 361

Text: Augustus M. Toplady, 1740-1778

Music: Thomas Hastings, 1784-1872

Tune: TOPLADY, Meter: 77.77.77 1. Rock of Ages, cleft for me,

let me hide myself in thee;

let the water and the blood,

from thy wounded side which flowed,

be of sin the double cure;

save from wrath and make me pure.

2. Not the labors of my hands

can fulfill thy law's commands;

could my zeal no respite know,

could my tears forever flow,

all for sin could not atone;

thou must save, and thou alone.

3. Nothing in my hand I bring,

simply to the cross I cling;

naked, come to thee for dress;

helpless, look to thee for grace;

foul, I to the fountain fly;

wash me, Savior, or I die.

4. While I draw this fleeting breath,

when mine eyes shall close in death,

when I soar to worlds unknown,

see thee on thy judgment throne,

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,

let me hide myself in thee.

Answer 2

A cleft is a space or opening...so it's referring to an opening within the rock that you can hide in.

Answer 3

The writer is referring to Jesus as a cleft. He wants to hide himself in the cleft/Jesus.