Before the throne of God above: Original Lyirc Video by Worship 4 You

Words: Charitie Lees Bancroft Music: Vikki Cook Performed: Lou fellingham As important, even supreme as words are in the context of a worship song, we sometimes need to be reminded of the power of melody to take those words and transform them. A case in point is the 1860’s hymn “Before The Throne of God Above,” If you know the text to this song, you know that it powerfully reminds us that Jesus is our advocate before the Father. In fact, the writer of the text–Charitie Lees Bancroft–originally entitled the hymn “Advocate”. Charitie was the child of an Irish minister, born in county Dublin in 1841 The text includes a multitude of scriptural allusions and images that assure us of the ministry of our “great high priest whose name is love.” Before Vikki Cook of Sovereign Grace Ministries wrote the tune in 1997, this rarely heard text was typically paired with hymn tunes (including the tune to “Sweet Hour of Prayer”) that give the words a mournful quality. This beautiful hymn was set free with the strong and joyous folk tune that Ms. Cook penned, the text expresses the confidence and joy of a person secure in the powerful grace of Christ. It is a compliment to the melody that many have mistakenly believed text and tune were created together, or that the tune predates the text. Lyrics: Before the throne of God above I have a strong, a 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 heaven 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 to 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! 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!