O Sacred Head Now Wounded
Description
O Sacred Head Now Wounded
Words by Medieval Latin attributed to Arnulf of Leuven or Bernard of Clairvaux; German paraphrase by Paul Gerhardt; English translation by James W. AlexanderMusic by Hans Leo Hassler; later adapted and harmonized by Johann Sebastian BachWritten 1656; English translation 1830Tune PASSION CHORALE
O sacred Head, now wounded,
With grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded
With thorns, Thine only crown;
How pale Thou art with anguish,
With sore abuse and scorn!
How does that visage languish
Which once was bright as morn!
What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered
Was all for sinners' gain;
Mine, mine was the transgression,
But Thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Savior!
'Tis I deserve Thy place;
Look on me with Thy favor,
Vouchsafe to me Thy grace.
What language shall I borrow
To thank Thee, dearest Friend,
For this Thy dying sorrow,
Thy pity without end?
O make me Thine forever;
And should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never
Outlive my love to Thee.
Be near me when I am dying,
O show Thy cross to me;
And for my succor flying,
Come, Lord, to set me free!
These eyes, new faith receiving,
From Jesus shall not move;
For he who dies believing
Dies safely in Thy love.
Story Behind the Song
Scripture
Found In
The Lutheran Hymnal, Lutheran Service Book, Trinity Hymnal, The Presbyterian Hymnal, The Hymnal 1982, United Methodist Hymnal, Baptist Hymnal