Jesus, I Will Ponder Now

Jesus, I will ponder now On Thy holy Passion; With Thy Spirit me endow For such meditation. Grant that I in love and faith May the image cherish Of Thy suffering, pain, and death, That I may not perish. 2. Make me see Thy great distress, Anguish, and affliction, Bonds and stripes and wretchedness And Thy crucifixion; Make me see how scourge and rod, Spear and nails, did wound Thee, How for man Thou diedst, O God, Who with thorns had crowned Thee. 3. Yet, O Lord, not thus alone Make me see Thy Passion, But its cause to me make known And its termination. Ah! I also and my sin Wrought Thy deep affliction; This indeed the cause hath been Of Thy crucifixion.

4. Grant that I Thy Passion view With repentant grieving Nor Thee crucify anew By unholy living. How could I refuse to shun Every sinful pleasure Since for me God's only Son Suffered without measure? 5. If my sins give me alarm And my conscience grieve me, Let Thy cross my fear disarm, Peace of conscience give me. Grant that I may trust in Thee And Thy holy Passion. If His Son so loveth me, God must have compassion. 6. Grant that I may willingly Bear with Thee my crosses, Learning humbleness of Thee, Peace mid pain and losses. May I give Thee love for love! Hear me, O my Savior, That I may in heaven above Sing Thy praise forever.