Before the throne of God above

I learned this hymn while I was a Curate in Liverpool in the late 1990s.  In preparing to write this post, I've learned that the tune we sing it to was only written in 1997, so it was a very new addition to the modern repertoire!  It's a powerful and emotional hymn, reminding us that we can't possibly approach the throne of Almighty God on the basis of anything we have done, or anything we are, but only on the basis of the work of Jesus Christ, his death on the cross, his resurrection and ascension to heaven, where he is ever interceding (praying) for us.

The words of Before the throne of God above were written by Charitie Lees Smith/Bancroft/De Cheney (1841 - 1923).  She was born Charitie Lees Smith in Ireland.  Her father was a clergyman.  She married Arthur Bancroft in 1869, and was widowed in 1881.  Charitie later emigrated to California, where she married again in 1891: she and Frank De Cheney divorced in 1915.  All three of her surnames are used in different hymn books.

Before the throne of God above was first published in England in 1863, and in America in 1865.  Charles Spurgeon included it in Our Own Hymn Book in 1866, and he clearly memorised the words, because he quoted part of this hymn in his last public address (quoted by Chris Fenner, taken from The Sword and the Trowel) (London: Passmore & Alabaster, February 1892), p 51):

Though I have preached Christ crucified for more than forty years, and have led many to my Master's feet, I have at this moment no ray of hope but that which comes from what my Lord Jesus has done for guilty men.

                           Behold him there! the bleeding Lamb!
                           My perfect, spotless Righteousness,
                           The great unchangeable "I AM,"
                           The King of glory and of grace.

Miss Smith included this hymn as the title piece in her own collection of 26 poems, Within the Vail and Other Sacred Poems in 1867.  She wrote the following preface to the book:

The following hymns and verses, illustrative of some phases of a believer's experience, have been written at various intervals during the last few years.  With some of them the public is already acquainted, and the favour with which these have been received, in their separate form, has emboldened the author to offer this unpretending little collection to the reader.

May these verses find an echo in other hearts, and be of help, especially in hours of trial, by reminding of a Saviour's sympathy and a Father's love.  May they help some to take humbly and patiently the chastisement which is sent, not less in tenderness than in wisdom.  We are 'not as yet come to the rest, and the inheritance.'  Thank God, we shall soon enjoy both!

The author will make but one, it is hoped, reasonable request, namely, that those who are disposed to reproduce any of the following pieces, will do so without altering the form in which, after consideration, the writer has thought it best to leave them.

This shows how the hymn appeared in the author's own book:-

Before the recent tune was written in 1997, Before the throne of God above was set to many different tunes.  Hymnary.org lists or gives page scans showing it set to: Dunedin, Breslau, Sweet Hour, Festus, Jerusalem, Intercession, Galilee, Duke Street and Darley.  

Chris Fenner, in his comments on Hymnology Archive quotes a letter from Vikki Cook, who composed the modern tune, Before the throne.  She tells of how she first heard the hymn in 1997.  She was part of the worship team in  her church, who learned the hymn to the tune Jerusalem and taught it to the congregation.  It didn't go down well!  The tune wasn't familiar to American ears, and as Vikki says, "it was not a very good match for these words and did nothing to highlight the truths being communicated.  I didn't care for the melody much either, but I fell in love with the words!"

Vikki took a copy of the words home with her, and stuck them in her Bible, so she could read them in her quiet times.  She continues, "I spent many mornings with God weeping over those lyrics.  I had to find a way to sing these words to God, even if it was only for myself.  When I made up my mind to write a new melody it came surprisingly quick, in about an hour."  She played the tune to her husband, and then to their worship leader, and it began to take off.  "I'm amazed at how God has used this song in the church at large, especially when I think that I just wrote this new melody so that I could worship God in my quiet times with Him.  Even though it has been several years, I still weep when I sing the part that says, "for God the Just is satisfied to look on Him, and pardon me."

If you know the modern version of the hymn, you'll have probably noticed that Vikki Cook made some minor changes to the words in her version.  She's also written a fourth verse, which appears in Anglican Hymns Old and New (Kevin Mayhew, 2008).  It was written to be included in Jesus Son of God: A Dramatic Musical for Easter (Nashville: LifeWay, 2003), created and arranged by Gary Rhodes, but isn't usually included in hymn books or recordings.  (I'm grateful to Chris Fenner for researching this and letting me know).  I include the words to that verse here, with the author's permission:

            I bow before the cross of Christ,
            and marvel at this love divine;
            God's perfect Son was sacrificed
            to make me righteous in God's eyes.
            This river's depths I cannot know
            but I can glory in its flood,
            the Lord Most High has bowed down low
            and poured on me his glorious love,
            and poured on me his glorious love.

You can hear Vikki's original recording of Before the throne of God above here.

There's a lyric video here.