"And when they had plaited a crown of thorns, they put it upon His head, and a reed in His right
hand; and they bowed the knee before Him, and mocked Him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And
they spit upon Him, and took the reed, and smote Him on the head. And after that they had mocked
Him, they took the robe off from Him, and put His own raiment on Him, and led Him away to
crucify Him" (Matt. 27:29-31).

O Head, once full of bruises,
So full of pain and scorn_
‘Mid other sore abuses,
Mocked with a crown of thorn!
O Head e’en now surrounded
With brightest majesty_
In death once bowed and wounded
On the accursed tree!

Thou Countenance transcendent!
Thou life-creating Sun;
To worlds on Thee dependent_
Yet bruised and spit upon!

O Lord, what Thee tormented
Was our sin’s heavy load;
We had the debt augmented
Which Thou didst pay in blood.

We give Thee thanks unfeigned,
O Saviour, Friend in need.
For what Thy soul sustained
When Thou for us didst bleed!
Grant us to lean unshaken
Upon Thy faithfulness,
Until, to glory taken,
We see Thee face to face.

(By Bernard of Clairvaux (1091-1153) in Hymns for the Little Flock and Hymns of Grace and
Truth.)