Lord’s Day, Vol. 5 No. 51

Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne

John 10:10b I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Emily Elliot was born at Brighton, England, on July 22, 1836. Throughout her life she was associated with the evangelical faction of the Anglican Church. She gave of herself tirelessly in working with the rescue missions and Sunday Schools in her area. Emily was a niece of Charlotte Elliott, author of the hymn “Just As I Am”. For six years she edited a magazine called the Church Missionary Juvenile Instructor. Forty-eight of her hymns were published in a book entitled Under the Pillow, a book of verse for the special use of people who are ill in hospitals, infirmaries or at home.

This particular text was printed by Miss Elliott privately for the choir and for the school children of her father’s church, St. Mark’s, at Brighton, England. It was written for the purpose of teaching children the truths of the Advent and Nativity season. The text for the hymn was based on the haunting phrase taken from Luke 2:7, “because there was no room for them in the inn.”

It is interesting to note the vivid contrast that Miss Elliott achieved in the first four verses of this hymn with the contrasting phrase of each verse with the word “but”

Stanza One … Heaven’s throne and crown – but no room in Bethlehem.

Stanza Two … Heaven’s royal degree – but earth’s great humiliation.

Stanza Three … Earth’s creatures have their homes – but for Him the desert.

Stanza Four … He came bringing redemption – but men gave Him Calvary.

Stanza Five – Here the contrast is reversed: Death is changed into victory, and Heaven’s arches of stanza two will ring again when He comes for His second advent.

The refrain is the personalizing of the truth expressed in each stanza.

The tune, “Margaret,” was composed especially for this text by Timothy Richard Matthews. Matthews was born at Bedford, England, on November 4, 1826, and was recognized in Great Britain as one of the leading organists of his day. He was also a clergyman and the composer of more than 100 tunes.

Expectation has and always will be of a believer’s necessary part of a believer’s life. In the Old Testament, there was the anxious expectancy of a coming Messiah. Our expectancy is the sound of the trumpet, meeting the Lord, and the prospect of an eternal home with our Saviour.

Thou didst leave Thy throne, And Thy kingly crown
When Thou camest to earth for me;
But in Bethlehem’s home,

Was there found no room
For Thy holy nativity.

(Refrain for stanzas 1-4)
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus –
There is room in my heart for Thee!

Heaven’s arches rang, When the angels sang,
Proclaiming Thy royal degree;
But of lowly birth, Didst Thou come to earth,
And in great humility.

The foxes found rest, And the birds their nest
In the shade of the forest tree;

But Thy couch was the sod, O Thou Son of God,
In the deserts of Galilee.

Thou camest, O Lord, With the living word
That should set Thy people free;
But with mocking scorn, And with crown of thorn,
They bore Thee to Calvary.

When the heavens shall ring, And the angels sing
At Thy coming to victory,
Let Thy voice call me home, Saying, “Yet there is room –
There is room at My side for thee.”

(Refrain for stanza 5)
My heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus,
When Thou comest and callest for me!

 [Extracted and Edited from 101 Hymns Stories by Kenneth W. Osbeck]

Yours Lovingly,

Pastor Lek Aik Wee