O Sacred Head Once Wounded Hymn Lyrics

1 O sacred Head once wounded,

With grief and pain weighed down ,

How 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 praise Thee, heavenly Friend,

For this Thy dying sorrow,

Thy pity without end ?

Lord, make me Thine for ever,

Nor let me faithless prove;

Oh, let me never, never

Abuse such dying love !