Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne Lyrics Emily E. S. Elliott, 1864
4 verses, public domain, free to print and project.
The words
Verse 1. Thou didst leave thy throne and thy kingly crown,
When thou camest to earth for me;
But in Bethlehem’s home there was found no room
For thy holy nativity.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for thee!
Verse 2. Heaven’s arches rang when the angels sang,
Proclaiming thy royal degree;
But in 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!
Verse 3. 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!
Verse 4. When heav’n’s arches 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.”
And my heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus,
When thou comest and callest for me.
Words copied from New Baptist Hymnal (1926). They were published in 1864, so they are in the public domain in the United States, and your church may print them, show them and sing them without a license.
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The story behind Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne
Emily E. S. Elliott wrote the hymn to explain Advent and the birth of Christ to children. UMC Discipleship Ministries compares it to Cecil Frances Alexander's Once in royal David's city. Elliott was the daughter of the Rev. E. B. Elliott, whose parish was St. Mark's in Brighton, England. The hymn was first printed separately for the children and choir of that parish. UMC Discipleship Ministries names Luke 2:7, the inn with no room, as the theme. The first four stanzas set the splendor of heaven against the poverty of Christ's birth and life, and stanza three alludes to Matthew 8:20, where the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head. The fifth stanza looks ahead to heaven. The refrain plays on the inn's lack of room and invites Christ into the singer's heart. Elliott edited the Church Missionary Juvenile Instructor for six years. She also wrote Under the Pillow, a large-print hymnbook for the sick. Timothy R. Matthews wrote the tune MARGARET for this text in 1876, since the stanzas have irregular syllable counts and need their own tune. UMC Discipleship Ministries says the hymn ties Christ's first coming to his return.
Emily E. S. Elliott
1836-07-22 to 1897-08-03
Emily Elizabeth Steele Elliott was born at Brighton on 22 July 1836, the third daughter of the Rev. E. B. Elliott, author of Horae Apocalypticae. Her father served St. Mark's Church in Brighton, and she wrote hymns for its choir. She edited the Church Missionary Juvenile Instructor for six years. Her books include Chimes of Consecration (1873) and Chimes for Daily Service (1880), whose second part was also issued as Under the Pillow, a large-print hymnbook for the sick in hospitals and at home. She died at Mildmay, London, on 3 August 1897.
- UMC Discipleship Ministries, History of Hymns, Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne , read 2026-10-16
- Hymnary.org, Emily E. S. Elliott , read 2026-10-16
- Hymnary.org, Christian Youth Hymnal 1948, Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne , read 2026-10-16
Scripture in Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne
The Bible passages behind the words, with the verse of the hymn that draws on each.
- Luke 2:7 In verse 7 of the hymn
- Matthew 8:20 In verse 20 of the hymn
Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne videos
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Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne- Congregational Singing stillamazed27, Congregation
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Thou Did'st Leave Thy Throne & Thy Kingly Crown (Tune: Margaret-5vv) [with lyrics for congregations] Chet Valley Hymns and Songs, Congregation
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Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne | E.E Steele Elliott | VocalEssence Chorale GH Choral Music, Choir
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THOU DIDST LEAVE THY THRONE | Piano | Instrumental with Lyrics | Hymn Don Salmon Music, Piano
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Print and project
Chords and keys
Hymnals print it in D.
Questions people ask
Who wrote Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne?
Emily Elliott wrote it for the children and choir of her father's parish in Brighton, England. She also edited a missionary magazine for children.
What Bible verse is Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne based on?
The theme is Luke 2:7, which says there was no room for them in the inn. Stanza three alludes to Matthew 8:20.
What is the tune for Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne?
The tune is MARGARET, written by Timothy R. Matthews in 1876. It was written for this text and is printed in D major.
Is Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne in the public domain?
The words are public domain in the United States. The library's core text is dated 1864. Matthews' tune MARGARET dates from 1876.
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