My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name
On Christ the solid Rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand
When darkness veils His lovely face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil
His oath His covenant His blood
Support me in the whelming flood
When all around my soul gives way
He then is all my hope and stay
When He shall come with trumpet sound
O may I then in Him be found
Dressed in His righteousness alone
Faultless to stand before the throne
— Edward Mote (1834)
Edward Mote, born in 1797 to pub-owning parents, grew up in the unruly streets of London without any knowledge of the Bible or the loving presence of Christ. As he later recalled, his ignorance was so profound that he didn’t even realize the existence of God.
However, God had a plan for Edward Mote. As a young apprentice cabinetmaker, his life took a pivotal turn when his master introduced him to the Tottenham Court Road Chapel. There, under the passionate preaching of John Hyatt, Mote encountered Jesus Christ and embraced Him as his Savior. This transformative experience would forever alter the course of his life.
Despite his newfound faith, Mote continued to work diligently as a cabinetmaker and eventually established his own successful business. However, his heart was now filled with a deep love for hymns and a desire to express his gratitude to God through music.
One fateful morning in 1834, as Mote walked to his workshop in Holborn, London, the words of a chorus came to his mind: “On Christ the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand.” By the end of the day, he had penned four verses of what would become one of the most beloved hymns of all time.
On the following Sunday, Mote visited a friend whose wife was gravely ill. As they gathered to sing a hymn and offer prayers together, Mote realized he had forgotten his hymnal. In a moment of desperation, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the verses he had written just days before. The words he had penned brought immense comfort and solace to the ailing woman.
At the age of 55, Edward Mote answered the call of God and embarked on a journey to become a Baptist preacher. For an unwavering 21 years, he faithfully served the Strict Baptist Church in Horsham, Sussex, never missing a single Sunday for any reason. In gratitude for his dedication, his congregation offered to give him the deed to the church property. However, Mote humbly declined, expressing his desire for the pulpit rather than the chapel. He stated, “I do not want the chapel. I only want the pulpit, and when I cease to praise Christ, then turn me out of that.”
As Mote lay on his bed of sickness in his 77th year, his unwavering faith shone through. He expressed his belief that he was nearing the gates of heaven. He reflected on the truths he had preached and the fact that he was now living them out. He spoke of the precious blood that takes away all our sins and the peace it brings with God. He said, “I think I am going to heaven. Yes, I am nearing port. The truths I have preached I am now living upon, and they will do to die upon. Ah! The precious blood, which takes away all our sins. It is this, which makes peace with God.”
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