I love the month of December for many reasons. I especially enjoy once again hearing the beautiful Christmas music which is played and sung throughout the month. Sadly the music usually ends on December 26, and is gone for another year One of my favorites is "Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne", written by Emily E. Elliott in 1864, for the children and the choir in her father's parish, St. Mark's in Brighton, England. Elliott wrote her hymn to clarify for children the meaning of Advent and Nativity. The text takes its theme from Luke 2:7, "but there was no room for them in the inn." The first four stanzas of Elliot's hymn employ the technique of antithesis, placing the poverty of Jesus's birth in contrast to the splendor of heaven. Elliott achieves this contrast by beginning in heaven with the first two lines of each stanza, and then by using "but," contrasts Christ's lowly estate during his life on earth. In heaven Christ had a "kingly crown," but on earth "no room" in stanza one. While the "angels sang" in heaven, Christ was born in "great humility" in stanza two. While the animals all had homes, Christ wandered the "deserts of Galilee" in stanza three. In stanza four, Christ came as the "living word" but was offered "mocking scorn" and a "crown of thorn" instead. The fifth stanza calls us to look to heaven where Christ will say, "There is room at my side for thee." The brief refrain includes a clever play on words. While there was no room for the Holy Family at the inn, the refrain invites Christ into the heart of the singer. What a beautiful and meaningful message this hymn shares of the real and incredible meaning of Christmas. This Christmas season may we remember that we have an eternal home because, in amazing grace, Jesus was willing to leave his home, then have no home, so that He could pay the penalty for our sin and provide for us an indescribable eternal home.
(1) 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.
(2) 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.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.
(3) 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.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.
(4) 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.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.
(5) 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."
My heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus,
When Thou comest and callest for me.
Listen to it here. LISTEN
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