Thanks for being a Hymnary.org user. You are one of more than 10 million people from 200-plus countries around the world who have benefitted from the Hymnary website in 2024! If you feel moved to support our work today with a gift of any amount and a word of encouragement, we would be grateful.

You can donate online at our secure giving site.

Or, if you'd like to make a gift by check, please make it out to CCEL and mail it to:
Christian Classics Ethereal Library, 3201 Burton Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
And may the promise of Advent be yours this day and always.

Just as I Am, Without One Plea

Representative Text

1 Just as I am, without one plea,
but that thy blood was shed for me,
and that thou bidd'st me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

2 Just as I am, and waiting not
to rid my soul of one dark blot,
to thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

3 Just as I am, though tossed about
with many a conflict, many a doubt,
fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

4 Just as I am, thou wilt receive,
wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
because thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Psalter Hymnal, (Gray)

Author: Charlotte Elliott

Elliott, Charlotte, daughter of Charles Elliott, of Clapham and Brighton, and granddaughter of the Rev. H. Venn, of Huddersfield, was born March 18, 1789. The first 32 years of her life were spent mostly at Clapham. In 1823 she removed to Brighton, and died there Sept. 22, 1871. To her acquaintance with Dr. C. Malan, of Geneva, is attributed much of the deep spiritual-mindedness which is so prominent in her hymns. Though weak and feeble in body, she possessed a strong imagination, and a well-cultured and intellectual mind. Her love of poetry and music was great, and is reflected in her verse. Her hymns number about 150, a large percentage of which are in common use. The finest and most widely known of these are, "Just as I am” and "My God… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Just as I am, without one plea
Title: Just as I Am, Without One Plea
Author: Charlotte Elliott (1836)
Meter: 8.8.8.8
Language: English
Notes: Polish translation: See "Jak jestem, idę całkiem tak" by Paweł Sikora; Spanish translation: See "Tal como soy de pecador" by Thomas M. Westrup; Swahili translation: See "Nitwae hivi nilivyo"
Copyright: Public Domain
Liturgical Uses: Communion Songs, Confession Songs

Engish

English

German

Hebrew

Korean

Spanish

Welsh

Yiddish

Notes

Scripture References:
all st. = John 6:37

At the age of 32, Charlotte Elliott (b. Clapham, London, England, 1789; d. Brighton, East Sussex, England, 1871) suffered a serious illness that left her a semi-invalid for the rest of her life. Within a year she went through a spiritual crisis and confessed to the Swiss evangelist Henri A. Cesar Malan (PHH 288) that she did not know how to come to Christ. He answered, "Come to him just as you are." Thinking back on that experience twelve years later, in 1834, she wrote “Just as I Am" as a statement of her faith.

Hymn writing provided a way for Elliot to cope with her pain and depression – she wrote approximately 150 hymns, which were published in her Invalid's Hymn Book (several editions, 1834-1854), Hymns for a Week (1839), and Thoughts in Verse on Sacred Subjects (1869). Many of her hymns reflect her chronic pain and illness but also reveal that faith gave her perseverance and hope.

“Just as I Am" was first published in the 1836 edition of Invalid's Hymn Book with the subheading "Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37). She added a seventh stanza that same year, when the hymn was also published in her Hours of Sorrow Cheered and Comforted (1836). The Psalter Hymnal prints the four most common stanzas. Widely translated, this hymn has brought consolation to millions.

Liturgical Use:
Service of confession and forgiveness; in response to preaching; for the Lord's Supper; in evangelistic services as a hymn of invitation.
--Psalter Hymnal Handbook

==========================

Just as I am, without one plea. Charlotte Elliott. [The Lamb of God.] Written for and first published in the Invalid's Hymn Book, 1836, in 6 stanzas of 4 lines, and headed with the text, "Him that cometh unto Me, I will in no wise cast out." During the same year it also appeared in Miss Elliott's Hours of Sorrow Cheered and Comforted, with the additional stanza, "Just as I am, of that free love," &c. From this last work the hymn has been transferred to almost every Hymn published in English-speaking countries during the past fifty years. It has been translated into almost every European language, and into the languages of many distant lands. The testimony of Miss Elliott's brother (the Rev. H. V. Elliott, editor of Psalms and Hymns, 1835) to the great results arising from this one hymn, is very touching. He says:—

"In the course of a long ministry, I hope I have been permitted to see some fruit of my labours; but I feel far more has been done by a single hymn of my sister's."

The text of this hymn is usually given in full, and without alteration, as in Church Hymns, 1871, No. 408. It ranks with the finest hymns in the English language. Its success has given rise to many imitations, the best of which is R. S. Cook's "Just as thou art, without one trace." A Latin rendering, "Ut ego sum! nee alia ratione utens," by R. Bingham, is given in his Hymnologia Christiana Latina 1871, and a second by H. M. Macgill, in his Songs of the Christian Creed and Life, 1876, as, "Tibi, qualis sum, O Christe!"

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

===============

Just as I am, without one plea, p. 609, ii. In the Record, Oct. 15, 1897, Bp. H. C. G. Moule of Durham, then Principal of Ridley Hall, Cambridge, gave a most interesting account of Miss Elliott, and of the origin of this hymn. Dr. Moule, who is related to the family, derived his information from family sources. In an abbreviated form this is the beautiful story:—

"Ill-health still beset her. Besides its general trying influence on the spirits, it often caused her the peculiar pain of a seeming uselessness in her life while the circle round her was full of unresting serviceableness for God. Such a time of trial marked the year 1834, when she was forty-five years old, and was living in Westfield Lodge, Brighton. . . . Her brother, the Rev. H. V. Elliott Lp. 328, ii.] had not long before conceived the plan of St. Mary's Hall, at Brighton, a school designed to give, at nominal cost, a high education to the daughters of clergymen; a noble work which is to this day carried on with admirable ability and large success. ]n aid of St. Mary's Hall there was to be held a bazaar. . . . Westfield Lodge was all astir; every member of the large circle was occupied morning and night in the preparations, with the one exception of the ailing sister Charlotte—as full of eager interest as any of them, but physically fit for nothing. The night before the bazaar she was kept wakeful by distressing thoughts of her apparent uselessness; and these thoughts passed—by a transition easy to imagine—into a spiritual conflict, till she questioned the reality of her whole spiritual life, and wondered whether it were anything better after all than an illusion of the emotions, an illusion ready to be sorrowfully dispelled.
"The next day, the busy day of the bazaar . . . the troubles of the night came back upon her with such force that she felt they must be met and conquered in the grace of God. She gathered up in her soul the grand certainties, not of her emotions, but of her salvation: her Lord, His power, His promise. And taking pen and paper from the table she deliberately set down in writing, for her own comfort, 'the formulas of her faith' .... So in verse she restated to herself the Gospel of pardon, peace, and heaven. . . . There, then, always, not only at some past moment, but 'even now,' she was accepted in the Beloved, ‘Just as I am.'
"As the day wore on, her sister-in-law, Mrs. C. V. Elliott [p. 329, i.] . . . came in to see her and bring news of the work. She read the hymn, and asked (she well might) for a copy. So it first stole out from that quiet room into the world, where now for sixty years it has been sowing and reaping, till a multitude which only God can number have been blessed through its message."

Dr. Moule follows with a statement that the hymn was printed in the Invalid's Hymn Book, 1834. With a copy of that book before us we can positively say it is not there. Its earliest date of publication in that collection was the edition of 1836. The actual date, month and day of the bazaar we are unable to trace; neither have we seen, after an extended search, any printed form of the hymn of an earlier date than 1836.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907)

Timeline

Media

You have access to this FlexScore.
Download:
Are parts of this score outside of your desired range? Try transposing this FlexScore.
General Settings
Stanza Selection
Voice Selection
Text size:
Music size:
Transpose (Half Steps):
Capo:
Contacting server...
Contacting server...
Questions? Check out the FAQ

A separate copy of this score must be purchased for each choir member. If this score will be projected or included in a bulletin, usage must be reported to a licensing agent (e.g. CCLI, OneLicense, etc).

This is a preview of your FlexScore.
Baptist Hymnal 1991 #307
  • Bulletin Score (melody only) (PDF)
  • Bulletin Score (PDF)
  • Full Score (PDF)
The Cyber Hymnal #3481
  • Adobe Acrobat image (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer score (NWC)
  • XML score (XML)
Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #263
The United Methodist Hymnal #357
  • Bulletin Score (melody only) (PDF)
  • Bulletin Score (PDF)
  • Full Score (PDF)
Worship and Rejoice #354

Instances

Instances (1 - 100 of 132)

A Teaching Hymnal #126

Text

African American Heritage Hymnal #344

TextPage Scan

African American Heritage Hymnal #345

TextPage Scan

African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal #257

TextPage Scan

African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal #258

AGO Founders Hymnal #34

Ambassador Hymnal #417

Text

Ancient and Modern #451a

Text

Ancient and Modern #451b

Anglican Hymns Old and New (Rev. and Enl.) #413a

Anglican Hymns Old and New (Rev. and Enl.) #413b

TextAudio

Baptist Hymnal 1991 #303

TextFlexScoreAudio

Baptist Hymnal 1991 #307

TextFlexScoreAudioPage Scan

Baptist Hymnal 2008 #435

Blessed Refuge #101

TextPage Scan

Celebrating Grace Hymnal #500

TextPage Scan

Chalice Hymnal #339

TextPage Scan

Christian Worship (1993) #397

TextPage Scan

Christian Worship #814

Church Family Worship #411

Church Gospel Songs and Hymns #119

Church Hymnal, Fifth Edition #587

Church Hymnal, Mennonite #566

TextPage Scan

Church Hymnary (4th ed.) #553a

TextPage Scan

Church Hymnary (4th ed.) #553b

Clarion Call #115

Page Scan

Common Praise (1998) #615

TextPage Scan

Common Praise #308a

TextPage Scan

Common Praise #308b

TextPage Scan

Complete Anglican Hymns Old and New #374a

TextPage Scan

Complete Anglican Hymns Old and New #374b

TextPage Scan

Complete Anglican Hymns Old and New #374c

Page Scan

Complete Mission Praise #396a

Page Scan

Complete Mission Praise #396b

TextPage Scan

CPWI Hymnal #504

TextPage Scan

Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary #319

TextAudio

Evangelical Lutheran Worship #592

Page Scan

Evening Light Songs #358

Text InfoTextAudio

Glory to God #442

Gospel Songs of Praise #0b

Great Songs of the Church (Revised) #346

Hymnal #516

Hymns Ancient and Modern, New Standard Edition #246

Hymns and Psalms #697a

Hymns and Psalms #697b

TextPage Scan

Hymns for a Pilgrim People #325

Hymns for Today's Church (2nd ed.) #440a

Hymns for Today's Church (2nd ed.) #440b

Hymns for Today's Church (2nd ed.) #440c

TextPage Scan

Hymns of Faith #334

TextPage Scan

Hymns of Glory, Songs of Praise #553a

TextPage Scan

Hymns of Glory, Songs of Praise #553b

Text

Hymns of Promise #121

Hymns of the Christian Life #558

Hymns of the Saints #119

Hymns Old and New #287

TextPage Scan

Lead Me, Guide Me (2nd ed.) #632

TextPage Scan

Lift Every Voice and Sing II #137

TextFlexScoreAudioPage Scan

Lift Up Your Hearts #627

TextPage Scan

Lutheran Service Book #570

Text

Lutheran Worship #359

TextPage Scan

Moravian Book of Worship #762

New Songs of Inspiration (vol. one) #139

Text

One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism #384

TextPage Scan

One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism #385

Page Scan

Praise for the Lord (Expanded Edition) #380

Praise y Adoración #391a

Praise! Our Songs and Hymns #306

Page Scan

Precious Memories #44

Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs #813

Text InfoTune InfoTextScoreFlexScoreAudioPage Scan

Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #263

Redeeming Love #211

Page Scan

Rejoice Hymns #481

Text

Rejoice in the Lord #467

TextPage Scan

Rejoice in the Lord #468

TextPage Scan

Renew! Songs and Hymns for Blended Worship #140

Page Scan

Sacred Selections for the Church #605

Sacred Songs of the Church #411

Text

Santo, Santo, Santo #500

Tune InfoText

Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal #313

TextPage Scan

Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal #314

Sing Glory #507

TextPage Scan

Sing Joyfully #387

TextPage Scan

Sing With Me #156

Singing the Faith #556a

Singing the Faith #556b

Singing the Faith #556c

Audio

Small Church Music #89

Audio

Small Church Music #90

Songs of Faith and Praise #924a

Songs of Fellowship #316a

Songs of Fellowship #316b

Text

Songs of Zion #208

Page Scan

Soul-stirring Songs and Hymns (Rev. ed.) #270

Page Scan

The A.M.E. Zion Hymnal #415

The Baptist Hymnal #283

The Book of Hymns (A fresh anthology of favourite hymns) #50

TextPage Scan

The Book of Praise #682

Text

The Celebration Hymnal #488

The Christian Life Hymnal #293

Pages

Include 2006 pre-1979 instances
Suggestions or corrections? Contact us
It looks like you are using an ad-blocker. Ad revenue helps keep us running. Please consider white-listing Hymnary.org or getting Hymnary Pro to eliminate ads entirely and help support Hymnary.org.