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About Numbered Notation

Numbered Notation (also called Jianpu, 简谱) writes each melody note as a number from 1 to 7 instead of a note on a staff. The number shows the note's position in the song's scale -- not its exact pitch -- so the same tune looks identical no matter what key it's sung in.

Within one octave, the numbers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 correspond to the familiar do re mi fa sol la ti. A dot above a number raises it an octave higher; a dot below lowers it an octave lower -- no dot means the middle, as-written octave.

A plain number lasts one beat. A dash (-) right after a number holds that same note for one more beat. A line underneath a number shortens it instead -- one line is half a beat, two lines a quarter of a beat. A 0 is a rest: silence for one beat.

The label at the top of the sheet, like "1=C" or "1=Ab", shows which pitch scale degree 1 ("do") is tuned to. A song in a minor key is labeled "6=X" instead -- scale degree 6 ("la") is the true tonic. Chord names printed above the notes (like "C" or "G7") always use their familiar letter names, never numbers.

For example, under a "1=C" heading, the numbers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 sound as C D E F G A B. Under a "1=G" heading, those very same numbers sound as G A B C D E F# instead -- same shape, different key.

Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown

Gospel Crying to the Lord

English1060
1
Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown,
When Thou camest to earth for me;
But in Bethlehem’s home was there found no room
For Thy holy nativity:
 
Oh, come to my heart, Lord Jesus!
There is room in my heart for Thee;
Oh, come to my heart, Lord Jesus, come,
There is room in my heart for Thee.
2
Heaven’s arches rang when the angels sang,
Proclaiming Thy royal degree;
But of lowly birth cam’st Thou, Lord, on earth,
And in great humility:
3
The foxes found rest, and the birds had their nest
In the shade of the forest tree;
But Thy couch was the sod, O Thou Son of God,
In the deserts of Galilee:
4
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:
 
Oh, come to my heart, Lord Jesus!
Thy cross is my only plea;
Oh, come to my heart, Lord Jesus, come,
Thy cross is my only plea.
5
When heaven’s arches shall ring, and her choirs shall sing
At Thy coming to victory,
Let Thy voice call me up, 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;
And my heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus!
When Thou comest and callest for me.

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Margaret

Manchester, Wigan, United Kingdom

Aug 31, 2026

I got my Bible at school 1969 I was 10. I must have sung this hymn.

That's when we were taught about Christianity And it was not ignored.

What a great Hymn

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Debi

Kingstown, NA, Saint Vincent And The Grenadines

Mar 28, 2025

The chorus keeps repeating in my mind - and I sing it!

A wonderful invitation for the Lord to live in my heart. 💕

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K Thangsuanmung

Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Aug 24, 2024

This song sums up God's love for us and how our soul must long for him

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Cyril Hassanally

Etobicoke, ON, Canada

May 21, 2024

I woke up this morning with this song in my mind which generated thoughts of my Saviour’s love for lost mankind when He left His father's throne in heaven to come down to sinful earth and complete His work of redemption and transformation so that we can enjoy a new life with Him living in us. It’s love like this that truly humbles us.

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Dwight B. (Bradley) King

Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas

Dec 25, 2023

A real blessing. Thank you so much.

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Lenganji Nalwamba

Lusaka, Zambia

Sep 1, 2021

Thank you, thank you so much Craig Apel for sharing this hymn. I was trying to interpret if from my native language to English so that I could then Google it, and came across your post! I have been trying to look for the English version for the last 9 years till today! I would like to share it this Christmas season at my church in my native language but I would love the meaning to be beamed on projector screen in English!

You suffered from Covid at exactly the same period as my family and I did. We thank God for His healing, and for sending His Son to be our Savior!

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Craig Apel

Holland, Michigan, United States

Dec 26, 2020

It is Christmas night and I am isolated from family and friends, quarantined with the Covid-19 virus. I couldn’t attend the Christmas Eve service at church. The family gathering had to be canceled. No gifts were exchanged. No great dinner. We lit up the Christmas tree, but already I’m tired of looking at its garish ornaments. Then, just a few minutes ago, this wonderful song came to mind. I couldn’t remember all the words soI “Googled” it and wound up on this website. Having now sung the song through, this has become a good day.

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Ana Lara

United States

Aug 23, 2020

Emily Eliott was born in Brighton, England, on July 22, 1836. Throughout her life she was associated with the evangelical faction of the Anglican Church. She worked tirelessly with the rescue missions and Sunday Schools in her area. Emily was the nice of Charlotte Eliott, author of the hymn “Just as I Am”. For six years she was the editor of “The Church Missionary Juvenile Instructor” magazine. Forty-eight of her hymns were published in a book called “Under the Pillow”, a book used especially for patients in hospitals, infirmaries or at home.

The text was printed by Miss Eliott privately for the choir and for the school children of St. Mark’s at Brighton, England where her father ministered. She wanted to teach children about the Lord Jesus’ incarnation, human living, crucifixion and second coming. The text for this hymn was based on the verse from Luke 2:7 “but there was no room for them in the inn. ”

In the four verses of the hymn, Miss Eliott is able to achieve a stark paradox in each of the stanzas separated by the word “but”:

Stanza One... Heaven’s throne and crown-but no room in Bethlehem.

Stanza Two... Heaven’s royal degree-but earth’s great humiliation.

Stanza Three... Earth’s creatures have their homes-but for Him the desert.

Stanza four... He came bringing redemption-but men gave Him Calvary.

Stanza Five... there is no contrast here, it speaks only of Christ’s victory in His second coming: When heaven’s arches shall ring and the choirs shall sing at Thy coming to victory.

The tune “Margaret” was composed especially for this text by Timothy Richard Matthews. Matthews was born at Bedford, England, on November 4th, 1826 and was recognized in Great Britain as one of the leading organists of his day. He was also a clergyman and the composer of more than 100 hymn tunes.

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Martha Aurora

Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico

Jun 23, 2020

As I thought of the Father giving the Son, and the Son giving His life and the Holy Spirit willing to come and live in temples of clay I began to sing this hymn. “Such a wonderful salvation ever can a mortal know” praise His name!!

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Denny

Bluffton, Ohio, United States

Jan 5, 2020

Just read Revelation 5:9 and the lyrics to this hymn popped into my head. The Lamb gave up His life to purchase “Men from Every Tribe and Nation “. “Every knee shall bow and Every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord “. Amen!

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