Hymns

Day 7 – Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne

Once there was a great King who ruled his kingdom with great love as well as with an iron rod. He showered his people with blessings. But when his people were wicked, he meted out judgment. No one escaped punishment when they did wrong.

The King had a wonderful son who absolutely adored his father. He went into the village to show the King’s good will and was an outstanding ambassador to the throne. The village people loved the Prince and followed him wherever he went when he would come to visit them. The Prince loved his people as well. When one was sick, he was there to help nurse them to health. When another was destitute, the Prince gave him his own robe to wear. Everywhere the Prince went in the kingdom, the people knew he was the King’s ambassador because the Prince always spoke so highly of his father.

One day, one of the villagers was caught red-handed trying to steal potatoes so his family could eat. He was immediately imprisoned because the law of the land demanded justice. A fine of 500 farthings was imposed but the villager did not have even a farthing to go toward the fine. Because the King was just and demanded punishment for all crimes, the villager was sentenced to prison. Oh how distraught was this man. He knew that his family would be without a bread winner and, therefore, they would die of starvation. His family sent messengers to plead with their King but they were told that the King’s justice must be served. The debt had to be paid.

The King was heart broken! He, too, loved the people of his kingdom. He paced back and forth hoping that an idea would come to him. How could he provide a way of escape for this villager and yet his justice still be served? Suddenly, an idea came upon the King. The King knew how much the Prince loved the villagers and that he would do anything for them. The King went to his son and presented the dilemma to him. Because the father and the son were of like mind, the son immediately knew what his father was thinking. He told his father that he would gladly take the punishment for this villager so that he would be set free. The King was greatly moved by the compassion of his son and allowed it to be so. The Prince went to the prison guard and had the villager released. He then stepped into the prison cell and took his place. The villager’s entire debt was paid in full as the Prince took upon himself the villager’s punishment!

Isn’t this a wonderful display of love by the son?

Our Prince, Jesus Christ – the Prince of Peace – left His throne to take on our punishment for sin so that His Father’s justice would be served. Sin demands judgment, my friend. Aren’t you glad that Christ paid the penalty so we would not have to? I know that I am!

This lovely hymn by Emily Elliott totally blessed my heart today. Emily Elliott was born on Ju­ly 22, 1836, in Bright­on, Eng­land. She passed away on Au­gust 3, 1897, in Islington, Eng­land. There is not much history on the Internet that I could find about Emily. Her father was a rector at St. Mark’s Church in Brighton. Emily was editor of the Church Missionary Juvenile Instructor.

This hymn is one of three that are credited to her and it is the only that I had ever heard. The words are absolutely beautiful! They lead us into a direction in our mind’s eye that is not all that common. Yes, we know that Christ is King of Kings. But do we really meditate on His true royalty? It is helpful at times to think on these things and realize exactly where Christ came from – His work then becomes more meaningful. This same Christ came from the greatest Kingdom of all, the Kingdom of Heaven. He came to glorify His Father and lead us to Him. He did not stop there – He even paid the penalty for our own sins so that His Father’s judgment would be served! Praise His Holy Name!

Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne
Emily E. Elliott

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

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.

Refrain

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.

Refrain

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.

Refrain

When the heav’ns shall ring, and her choirs shall 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.”

Oh what precious words!

Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown: Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face. (Psa 89:14)

But in Bethlehem’s home was there found no room: And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luk 2:7)

O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, There is room in my heart for Thee: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Rom 10:9)

The foxes found rest, and the birds their nest: And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. (Mat 8:20)

Thou camest, O Lord, with the living Word, That should set Thy people free: And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (Joh 6:35)

But with mocking scorn and with crown of thorn: And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! (Mat 27:29)

When the heav’ns shall ring, and her choirs shall sing, At Thy coming to victory: A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. (Mat 12:20)

Let Thy voice call me home, saying “Yet there is room, There is room at My side for thee: And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. (Luk 14:22)

Praise the Lord that our King of Kings left His royal throne to take upon Himself the penalty for our sin! Praise the Lord that it is not left to us or we would all be doomed. Our Heavenly Father cannot look upon sin and cannot allow sin into His Heaven. Only because of the righteousness of Christ are we able to gain entrance.

Amen and amen!