HYMNS ON THE PASSION
which can be used in the congregations during Lent
at the weekly service and on Days of Prayer
according to the custom of each place
[by Thomas Kingo]
[from the Gradual of 1699]
[Translation © Mark
DeGarmeaux unless noted]
Return to Mark DeGarmeaux's home page
E-mail me for permission to use or
to comment on translation and suggest improvements
- Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary home page
(ELH has 16 hymns by Thomas Kingo)
O come, let us worship
(A Study in Lutheran Liturgy and Hymnody by M. DeGarmeaux) (107k)
The Path of Understanding -- The Development
of Lectionaries and their use in the Lutheran Church (by the Rev.
Alexander Ring)
- GOOD FRIDAY
- Christ's Crucifixion, Suffering, and Death
- which can be used before the sermon on Good Friday, at Matins as well
as at High Mass,
- and also for Vespers according to the direction of the Ritual
- BRYDER FREM I HULE SUCKE* [29]
- tune: Freu dich sehr
- Verse 15 translated by P. O. Stromme, 1898, alt.
-
- 1 Break ye forth, with empty sighing
- From the depths within my heart;
- Nothing ever was so trying
- Piercing through my every part!
- For the grief my soul must bear
- And my inmost heart must share
- Shall be from my eyes e'er flowing
- And my tongue be e'er forth showing.
-
- 2 People out of every nation,
- All the earth's most wretched throng,
- Learn ye well sin's condemnation
- For God's Son must suffer long!
- God and Man for us today
- All the debt of sin must pay.
- God in flesh for us must suffer
- And Himself to death must offer.
-
- 3 Unto death they now will lead Him;
- Think, my soul, He passes there!
- See, how sorely He is bleeding,
- How His own cross He must bear!
- See what misery He bears
- See how pitifully He fares!
- See the crown of thorns around Him,
- How His blood would nearly drown Him.
-
- 4 Ponder on His wounds so painful
- Writhing as a worm would be
- See His spirit pierced and baneful
- How He moans in misery.
- Bruised and bleeding from the blows,
- Scarcely able, forth He goes
- With His cross upon Him lying
- On to Golgotha for dying.
-
- 5 Ask ye not what He is wearing
- All His clothes so bloody be
- Now the wrath of God He's bearing
- Sacrifice for all is He!
- Wicked Serpent strikes His heel
- Poison in His heart to spill;
- All His veins are throughly rended
- For our evil He is sended.
-
- 6 Ponder how the cross is dragging
- O my soul, remember aye
- Proudly they with heads a-wagging,
- Clear for Him death's darkest way;
- Sharp'ning nails and whetting spear,
- For the spotless One draws near,
- Who though innocent must bear it,
- Who the greatest honour merits.
-
- 7 O how mockingly they offer
- Bitter drink in front of all
- And His weakened heart must suffer
- All their evil filled with gall!
- Myrrh and vinegar they tip
- To His blessed sacred lip
- Even in His place of judgement,
- Oh, unheard of sin and torment!
-
- 8 High upon the cross they lift Him
- Pressing hard, they make Him moan,
- And with cruelty they outstretch Him,
- Arms fatigued down to the bone
- Nail Him to the cursed tree,
- Thus to break His spirit free,
- Wickedly they leave Him hanging,
- Thus His suff'ring more prolonging.
-
- 9 All His powers have quickly faded
- Hard His breath comes more and more
- Heavy with His burden weighted
- Covered all with many a sore!
- Fleshly strength is all but gone
- Weakened arms are all undone!
- How He bows His head in anguish
- And His eyes with blood must languish.
-
- 10 No more grace and no more mercies,
- No escape, no help in need!
- No one for his danger pities,
- Though He doth profusely bleed!
- No one offers sympathies
- True compassion no one sees.
- Not a heart with shame is shrinking
- Deeper pain in His wounds sinking.
-
- 11 Everyone who passes by him,
- Stand ye still and mark it well
- Come yet closer, now to eye him,
- In the whole world, can you tell:
- Was there ever such a Man
- Under God's most wrathful ban,
- Filled with pain and condemnation,
- Satan's darts and sin's oblation.
-
- 12 High between two vile transgressors
- He is raised for sport and shame
- Cruelly mocked by His oppressors
- This is God's unspotted Lamb!
- 'Twixt the malefactors see
- Lifted on the cursed tree
- All my Joy, my Life, my Pleasure,
- My Salvation, and my Treasure.
-
- 13 Hear Him join in prayer and feeling
- To His Father lest He may
- In His wrath the door be sealing
- Unto grace and life's bright way
- For His people Israel
- Lest they be condemned to hell.
- Still in grace to life He'd lead them
- Though with scorn of death they treat Him.
-
- 14 On His cross has Pilate written
- Splendid title: "King of Jews!"
- Envy angry hearts has bitten
- All who heritage misuse.
- They insist on vengeance grim
- Tearing Jesus limb from limb
- Though they make Him bloody, gory,
- Yet He is the King of Glory.
-
- 15 On my heart imprint Thine image,
- Blessed Jesus, King of grace,
- That life's riches, care, and pleasures
- Have no power Thee to efface.
- This the superscription be:
- Jesus, Crucified for me,
- Is my Life, my hope's Foundation,
- And my Glory and Salvation.
-
- 16 This too added to His burden
- As He in such sorrow died
- That below His cross He heard them
- How they would His clothes divide
- How the soldiers sportingly
- Sought amusement then to see
- Who would gain His coat all seamless
- As they make their games all shameless.
-
- 17 If I e'er am poor and needy
- If the world so scornfully
- Takes my clothing for to bleed me
- Yet it still is well with me.
- I shall never needy stand
- When my judgement is at hand;
- Then in gladness I shall wear it-
- Jesus' righteousness and merit.
-
- 18 All the while I watch and worry
- As they mock Thee spitefully
- And each wicked wretch doth hurry,
- Wagging head so gleefully;
- But, O Jesus, by Thy pains
- On Thy cross of bloody stains
- My disgrace and shame do vanish
- And my condemnation banish.
-
- 19 Now repentant one thief suffers
- Throes of death in steadfast faith
- Thy compassioned heart now offers
- Promise of eternal life.
- Free me, Jesus, from my shame
- When as Judge, Thou call'st my name
- Like the thief in faith now dying,
- Grant me grace on Thee relying.
-
- 20 Jesus, all this makes me wonder
- As I see each drop of blood,
- Deep in thought I too must ponder
- How Thy mother near Thee stood
- By Thy cross she now must see
- All Thy pain and misery
- How such shame Thy powers spendeth
- Sorrow deep her heart now rendeth.
-
- 21 Human language cannot borrow
- How the sword hath piercéd through
- Mary's soul is filled with sorrow,
- As she deep in woe doth rue;
- How she suffers sorrow's throe
- Seeing all the pain and woe
- Of her Son and God's Son only
- As He hangs near death so lonely.
-
- 22 One disciple gives Him answer
- He will for His mother care
- One sweet drop doth comfort give her
- In her anguish, hearing there
- How He still doth care for her,
- She may trust His promise sure
- Jesus, grant in all my sorrow,
- I may trust Thee for the morrow.
-
- 23 Sun no longer earth doth brighten
- Covered all in shades of night.
- Darkness strange the world doth frighten
- Day itself hath turned to night.
- Jesus, sadly cries aloud:
- Eli, Eli, O my God!
- Why hast Thou so soon forsaken
- Thy dear Son by death o'ertaken?
-
- 24 My soul's Light and Consolation,
- Thou art cursed for my misdeed.
- Wash my shame in lamentation
- Thy dark suffering hath me freed;
- For my Lord's forsakenness
- Frees me from death's cruel press
- Hell's eternal death I merit,
- But for me, my Lord did bear it.
-
- 25 Jesus thirsts but ne'er is given
- Aught His thirst to satisfy
- Vinegar is all they give Him
- As He tastes it, hear Him cry:
- It is finished, all indeed
- That the Scripture hath decreed,
- All that Adam lost by sinning,
- By this drink again I'm winning.
-
- 26 As the drops of blood are drying
- As His heart doth beating cease
- Jesus unto heav'n is crying
- Through death's bitter stormy seas:
- Father, in My dying end
- Soul and spirit I commend
- In Thy hands, and thus He dying
- Bows His head, God satisfying.
-
- 27 Jesus dies and earth is trembling,
- O my heart, learn righteous fear
- Die then, all my wicked grumbling!
- Die and get thee far from here!
- God and Man has died for me
- Since my Adam ate the tree
- Bringing all men condemnation
- But now Christ has won salvation.
-
- 28 Jesus, I Thy death am grieving