45th Day of Easter - Before the Throne of God Above

I thought I posted this song earlier; it is one of my favorites. The words were written in 1863 by Charitie Lees Smith, an Irish pastor’s daughter. Not much is known about her life, other than that she wrote devotional poetry and was widowed once or twice.

I had never heard the song until the late 90s or so and thought it was a new composition. 

Here is a sparse, socially distance version. Before the Throne - Bradshaw and McCracken

If you want to sing along, go with this one. Before the Throne - Congregational

I love the text change at the end of verse one from “No tongue can bid me thence depart” to “No power can force me to depart” in the congregational version. Here is the text most of us know.

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