Pondering

Jesus, I will ponder now on Your holy passion....

Make me see Your great distress, anguish, and affliction,

Bonds and stripes and wretchedness and Your crucifixion;

Make me see how scourge and rod, spear and nails did wound You,

How You died for those, O God, who with thorns had crowned You.

Yet, O Lord, not thus alone make me see Your Passion;

But its cause to me make known, and its termination.

For I also, and my sin, brought Your deep affliction;

This the shameful cause has been of Your crucifixion.

If my sins give me alarm

And my conscience grieve me,

Let Your cross my fear disarm,

Peace and pardon give me.

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A blessed Good Friday to you all.

"Jesus, I Will Ponder Now"

Lyric by Sigismund von Birken, 1653

Translated by August Crull, 1889, alt.

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