JESU, as the ruffians take Thee,
And Thou seest Thine own forsake Thee,
LORD, with Thee who would not weep?
Grant from Thee no terror scare us;
Weal nor woe nor Satan tear us;
At Thy side Thy servants keep.
O SAVIOUR of the world.
JESU, Thou in bonds appearest,
Silent all Thy charge Thou hearest,
Meekness' self, Thou standest, LORD!
From ill thought and sentence idle,
Rein my heart, my utterance bridle,
Chasten every wish and word.
O SAVIOUR of the world.
JESU, thrice Thy friend denied Thee,
Then with bitter grief descried Thee,
Melted by Thy piercing glance:
LORD, O might I ne'er deny,
Or mid floods of tears descry
Thy returning countenance.
O SAVIOUR of the world.
JESU, with false judgment weighed,
In white robes, in sport, array'd!
Thou true Judge, and Heav'n Thy Throne : Let me never judge my brother,
Self-condemned, condemn none other,
Stand or fall to Thee alone.
JESU, as the scourges scar Thee,
Spitting shames, and smitings mar Thee,
And Thy spotless Form deface:
Bid me count what stripes abide me,
By Thy stripes in mercy hide me,
From the tortures of that place!
O SAVIOUR of the world.
JESU, lo, with thorns they crown Thee,
As a King in mockery own Thee-
King Thou art, Thy realm this ball!
O may I with reverence due,
Heartfelt praise, and service true,
At Thy footstool ever fall.
O SAVIOUR of the world.
JESU, when to their fierce ban
Pilate cries, "Behold the Man,"
Maddening crowds "Barabbas" crave,
King of sorrows, melt in me
What might aught prefer to Thee,
Slay my King, a murderer save.
O SAVIOUR of the world.
Hear, Creator, good and great!
Hear us, SAVIOUR, mild and sweet!
Hear us, Holy PARACLETE!
GOD Triune; my GOD, mine all!
SAVIOUR, Who from sin hast freed me
In life's barren desert feed
Through death's darksome valley lead me
Homeward to my FATHER'S hall.
JESU, now the hard Cross bearing,
Its huge weight Thy shoulders wearing,Oh that I might follow Thee!
Take my daily cross and learn Thee,
Step by step the more discern Thee,
Till that Tree's sweet fruit I see.
JESU, vest by vest laid bare,
To rude gaze and cruel stare,
Thou Thy Virgin Limbs dost yield:
Oh! may no foul fiend e'er strip me,
Of the robe which Thine would keep me,
Holy shame, our soul's bright shield.
O SAVIOUR of the world.
JESU, on Thy Cross suspended,
Stretched each Limb, each nerve distended, Strong, life-giving agony !
Aye may I my glory count
That dread Cross, that healing Fount,
Glorying, LORD, in nought but Thee.
O SAVIOUR of the world.
JESU, thrice with omen bright
In three tongues Thy Name they write,
To all eyes Thy style is shown:
JESU, SAVIOUR, Nazarene!
for the sons of men
No such saving Name have known.
O SAVIOUR of the world.
JESU, LORD, Who, as Thou bleedest,
For Thy cruel torturers pleadest;
Lesson of all-conquering Love!
Grant, by good o'er ill prevailing,
Love unfeigned o'er hate unfailing,
I my FATHER's child may prove.
O SAVIOUR of the world.
JESU, Fount of endless joy,
Who that mild forgiving Eye
On the contrite thief dost cast:
Give me, LORD, a broken heart,
So in Paradise a part
I with Thee may have at last.
JESU, who Thy Blessed Mother
And Thy Friend, Thy more than Brother,
Each to other's care didst give :
May learn, beneath their feet,
Mindful of their solace sweet,
In this vale of tears to live.
O SAVIOUR of the world.
JESU, with that death-cry shaken,
FATHER, why hast Thou forsaken ?"
Strongest agony of all!
JESU, SAVIOUR, ne'er forsake me,
Lest the pains of Hell o'ertake me,
And from Thee in death I fall.
O SAVIOUR of the world.
JESU, with what draught accurst
Do they slake Thy burning thirst,
And in mockery pledge Thee, LORD!
Oh! of earth's soft sensual pleasure,
Be that bitter draught the measure,
Deep within this bosom stor'd.
O SAVIOUR of the world.
JESU, yea, ""Tis finished,"
By that Death sin's spell is dead,
Thy Redeemer's crown is won.
Give me life, and love deep yearning,
Aye Thy blest obedience learning,
Till my work, Thy Will be done.
O SAVIOUR of the world.
JESU, in Thy FATHER'S Breast
As Thou bid'st Thy Spirit rest,
Day's veil'd eye bewails Thee fled.
LORD, may I at life's dark close,
My free soul in Thee repose:
Cheer, true Light, my dying Bed.
O SAVIOUR of the world.
Hear, Creator, good and great!
Hear us, SAVIOUR, mild and sweet:
Hear us, Holy PARACLETE!
GOD Triune; my GOD, mine all!
SAVIOUR, Who from sin hast freed me,
In life's barren desert feed me,
Through death's darksome valley lead me,
Homeward to my FATHER's hall.
JESU, by that Death of pain
Guiltless for the guilty slain,
Thou the guilty dost reprieve:
By Thy Death's strong life within us,
To Thine own true Dying win us,
From the death of deaths retrieve.
JESU, from Thy pierced Side
Bursts Thy Love's expanding tide,
Earth's dry hearts embosoming :
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