More Favorite Hymns - O Sacred Head

Having completed my survey of my five favorite hymns, I thought I would, at least for a time, follow the lead of others and post a hymn (I may on occassion post prayers) for the Lord's day.

The first hymn I posted was Bernard of Clairveaux's Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts. It seems fitting then to begin this next series with another hymn attributed to Bernard, that being O Sacred Head, Now Wounded. There are more stanza's at cyberhymnal.org, but this is how we used to sing it.

O Sacred Head, Now Wounded

1 O sacred head, now wounded,

With grief and shame weighed down;

Now scornfully surrounded

With thorns, Thine only crown;

How art Thou pale with anguish,

With sore abuse and scorn;

How does that visage languish,

Which once was bright as morn!

2 O sacred Head, what glory

What bliss till now was Thine!

Yet though despised and gory,

I joy to call Thee mine:

Thy grief and Thy compassion

Were all for sinners gain;

Mine, mine was the transgression,

But Thine, the deadly pain

3 What language shall I borrow

To thank Thee, dearest Friend,

For this Thy dying sorrow,

Thy pity without end?

O make me Thine for ever;

And, should I fainting be,

Lord, let me never, never

Outlive my love to Thee.

It is the second stanza that means the most to me, especially the last two lines. In this stanza I see the reminder that, "He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5 ESV)