Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne

     Emily Elliott had a special concern for those who
were sick. She wrote many poems and hymn texts
especially for the infirm, publishing forty-eight of them
in a little book called Under the Pillow. She may have
been influenced by her aunt, Charlotte Elliott, who
wrote "Just As I Am". Charlotte was a prolific poet
and was sickly for much of her life.

     This particular hymn was written for children, to
teach them about Jesus' birth. It has a simple construc-
tion--each of the first four stanzas presents a contrast
with the word but. Given the first two lines of each
stanza, you might expect the world to welcome Christ,
but no--it had no room for Him. The chorus is a natural
response to the predicament, something that even a child
could understand. Though the world had no room for the
Lord, we have room for Him in our hearts.
   
     The last stanza provides a stirring conclusion. The
Lord, once rejected and displaced, will soon come in
victory--and we should all be waiting.
                                       --Wm. J. & Randy Petersen

Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne

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.

  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 decree;
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 heav'ns 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."

  My heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus,
  When thou comest and callest for me!

   --Emily Elizabeth Steele Elliott (1836-1879)