Bradbury for Mote’s hymn text, and first published in 1864. The most commonly used tune is SOLID ROCK, composed by William B. Mote’s original text consisted of six verses today’s modern hymnals generally contain the first four verses (the new first verse is made from the first 2 lines of verse 2, and the last 2 lines of verse 1), and verse 6 with a modified first line, from “When I shall launch in worlds unseen” to “When he shall come with trumpet sound.” Tune: Almost two centuries later, we continue to sing these words of hope and assurance, our declaration that in the midst of all trials and storms, we will cling to the rock that is our Savior. The wife enjoyed them so much she asked for a copy, and Mote went home to finish the last two verses and sent it off to a publisher, saying, “As these verses so met the dying woman’s case, my attention to them was the more arrested, and I had a thousand printed for distribution” ( Lutheran Hymnal Handbook).

Later that week, he visited his friend whose wife was very ill, and as they couldn’t find a hymnal to sing from, he dug up his newly written verses and sang those with the couple. As Edward Mote was walking to work one day in 1834, the thought popped into his head to write a hymn on the “Gracious Experience of a Christian.” As he walked up the road, he had the chorus, “On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand All other ground is sinking sand.” By the end of the day, he had the first four verses written out and safely tucked away in his pocket.

In christ alone chords piano free