A Stranger Cut the Rope

1. One day, a wayward boy,
I strayed away from home,
I sought no other joy,
Than far away to roam.
I saw the ebbing flood,
Of a deep and dang'rous lake,
And lur'd upon its mud,
Was tied there to a stake.

Chorus:
A Stranger cut the rope,
It was my only hope,
when my poor soul
Upon the shoal of sin and death did lie,
The tide was coming in,
The consequence of sin;
A Stranger heard my helpless cry,
And cut the final string.

2. 'Twas early in the day;
The sun was shining bright,
I thought to go my way,
And get back home by night.
But when my captor tied
Me down and left me there,
"No hope for me," I cried,
And sank into despair.

3. Afar off on the lake
I saw the billows roll,
They were making for my stake
With breath that chilled my soul.
No mortal eye beheld,
And no one offered hope,
Nor went my friends to tell,
Or cut the awful rope.

4. The sun was sinking low,
The shadows growing long,
The wind began to blow,
And night was coming on;
Around me angry waves,
Began to foam and break,
And still I found no way
To quit that awful stake.

5. The tide was rising high,
'Twould soon be over me,
No one had heard my cry,
Or seen my misery.
I thought my doom was sealed,
And to this seeming fate,
I was about to yield,
And die fast to that stake.

6. Just then I saw a light,
'Twas hope's fast fading ray,
I cried with all my might
For help to get away.
A stranger's voice now broke
Upon my listening ear
Saying, "I will cut the rope,
I'll help you, do not fear.'

7. He came to me with haste,
He reached me just in time,
For I'd begun to taste
The awful sprays of brine,
One blessed, mighty stroke,
With weapon keen and sure,
He cut that awful rope
And brought me to the shore.

Source: Soul Echoes: a collection of songs for religious meetings (No. 2) #31