O Sacred Head, Now Wounded

John 19:2 "The soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on His head."

O Sacred Head, Now Wounded

Written by Paul Gerhardt, based on a Latin poem

"O sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down,

now scornfully surrounded, with thorns, thine only crown;

O sacred Head, what glory, what bliss till now was Thine!

Yet, though despised and gory, I joy to call Thee mine.

What Thou, my Lord, has 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."

The Sacrifice

My sister and I will be singing this song on Sunday for the Easter service, with two of our friends.  It is a beautiful song both to the ear as well as to the heart :]   Soon after we heard it on the CD "God Meant if for Good" by the Wilds, we wanted to sing it for Easter.

Here are the lyrics to the song.  I hope you find it as much of a blessing as we did.

I also added a quote at the bottom that I found while I was reading for my "Life of Christ" class.  It meant a lot to me and I wanted to share it with you.

The Sacrifice

by

Darcy Stanley

"The sacrifice, a spotless lamb, was God's command.

This offering continually made.

Yet there would come one final lamb from God's own hand.

 All glory to the lamb that was slain.

  

Nailed to the cross He died willingly, bearing the weight of man's sin.

Full blood atonement at Calvary, Come now for cleansing withing.

The law is satisfied. Our Savior Jesus Christ became the sacrifice.

A crown of thorns, a scarlet robe placed mockingly.

A jeering crownd cried "Crucify!"

Without a word, He bore the stripes in agony,

as sinful man condemned Christ to die.

Nailed to the cross He died willingly, bearing the weight of man's sin.

Full blood atonement at Calvary, Come now for cleansing withing.

The law is satisfied. Our Saviour Jesus Christ became the sacrifice.

The final sacrifice."

"Who delivered up Jesus to die?  Not Judas, for money; not Pilate, for fear; not the Jews, for envy - but the Father for love." ~ Octavious Winslow



All Creation Tells Thy Fame....

"O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth." - Psalm 8:1

How Majestic Is Thy Name

by

Ron Hamilton

"When I consider the work of thy hands, the sun, moon and stars above,

What is man that thou thinkest of him who is so unworthy of thy love?

(Chorus)

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is thy name,

Mountains, valleys, all creation tells thy fame.

Heavens declare it, all the wondrous works proclaim:

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Thy name.

Heavens are telling the glory of God, each tree points to God on high.

Why would God, the Creator of all, take the form of lowly flesh to die?

(Chorus)

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is thy name.

Mountains, valleys, all creation tells thy fame.

Heavens declare it, all thy wondrous works proclaim:

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is the name."

Jesus, Creator and Ruler of all, left heaven to die for me,

Came to earth, laid aside heaven's throne in exchange for death on Calvary.

(Chorus)

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is thy name.

Mountains, valleys, all creation tells thy fame.

Heavens declare it, all thy wondrous works proclaim:

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is the name."

In Remembrance

As Easter is fast approaching, I have been trying to think of something to write that brings our hearts back to the true meaning Easter and why we celebrate it.  I have come to the conclusion that nothing I write could be as meaningful as what some famous poets have written about Jesus' betrayal, trial, abuse, death on the cross, burial and ressurection.  I refer, of course, to the hymn writers.  Men and women whom God blessed with a talent for writing.  Talents that were used for His glory and have been blessings for hundreds of years to those who share in the inheritance of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Over the next few days I will post a hymn or song that has been written, in remembrance of what happened.  As we draw close to one of the most important holidays we celebrate, may we never forget how much we owe our loving and forgiving Savior.

Today I will start with an old familiar hymn that I believe most of you will know.  Please read it with a prayer that our nation will always cherish that "Old Rugged Cross."

The Old Rugged Cross

by

George Bernnard

1873 -1960

"On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, the emblem of suffering and shame;

And I love that old cross where the dearest and best for a world of lost sinners was slain.

(Chorus)

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross, till my trophies at last I lay down;

I will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it some day for a crown.

O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world, has a wondrous attraction for me;

For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above to bear it to dark calvary.

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross, till my trophies at last I lay down;

I will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it some day for a crown.

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true, It's shame and reproach glady bear;

Then He'll call me someday to my home far away, where His glory forever I'll share.

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross, till my trophies at last I lay down;

I will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it some day for a crown."

Amen!