Before the Throne

Charitie Lees Smith was born in Ireland in 1841, and wrote “Before the Throne” in 1863, when she was only 22 years old. She married Arthur Bancroft in 1869, and lived a portion of her life in the U.S., being buried in California in 1923. The music was written by Vikki Cook in 1997, while she and her husband were a part of Covenant Life Church.

This hymn reminds us of our Savior’s current work on our behalf as our Risen Savior. It is his name that we plead before the Father. He is our Great High Priest, who endured God’s wrath as our substitute and now intercedes for us. When we struggle under a load of condemnation and guilt, we can look to our Savior’s full and final sacrifice for us as the basis of a right relationship with God.

Sheet music can be found at Sovereign Grace Ministries.

Links: Cyberhymnal
Lyrics Sheet

Before the Throne

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea,
A great High Priest whose name is love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart;
I know that while in heav’n He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart,
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free,
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me,
To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there! the risen Lamb,
My perfect, spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of Glory and of Grace.
One with Himself I cannot die;
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God,
With Christ my Savior and my God.