Passion Chorale

Here is a second Easter hymn played by our organist, Paul, on his keyboard

O sacred head, sore wounded,
with grief and shame weighed down;
O royal head, surrounded
with thorns, thy only crown;
O Lord of life and glory:
what bliss till now was thine!
I read the wondrous story,
I joy to call thee mine.

What thou, my Lord, hast suffered,
was all for sinner’s gain;
mine, mine was the transgression,
but thine the deadly pain.
By this, thy bitter passion,
Good Shepherd, think on me;
vouchsafe to me compassion,
unworthy though I be.

For this thy dying sorrow,
O Jesus, dearest friend,
what language shall I borrow
to thank thee without end?
O make me thine for ever,
and, should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never
outlive my love to thee.

Be near when I am dying,
and show thy cross to me
that I, for succour flying,
may rest my eyes on thee.
My Lord, thy grace receiving,
let faith my fears dispel,
that I may die believing,
and in thee, Lord, die well.

Paul Gerhardt (1607-76)
tr. J. W. Alexander (1804-59), H. W. Baker (1821-77), and others*

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