Holy Week: Lifeblood

LOOK: Untitled by Kazuo Shiraga

Kazuo Shiraga painting
Kazuo Shiraga (Japanese, 1924–2008), Untitled, 1964. Oil on canvas, 51 1/2 × 76 3/8 in. (130.8 × 194 cm). Museum of Modern Art, New York. Photo: Victoria Emily Jones. [object record]

LISTEN: “Glory Be to Jesus” (original title: “Viva! viva! Gesù”) | Words: Anon., Italian, 18th century; trans. Edward Caswall, 1857 | Music by Friedrich Filitz, 1847 | Performed by Wes Crawford on Hymns for This World and the Next, 2024

Glory be to Jesus,
who, in bitter pains,
poured for me the lifeblood
from his sacred veins.

Grace and life eternal
in that blood I find;
blest be his compassion,
infinitely kind.

Blest through endless ages
be the precious stream
which from endless torments
did the world redeem.

Oft as earth exulting
wafts its praise on high,
angel hosts rejoicing
make their glad reply.

Lift we, then, our voices,
swell the mighty flood,
louder still and louder
praise the precious blood!

Kazuo Shiraga painting detail
Kazuo Shiraga, Untitled (detail), 1964. Photo: Victoria Emily Jones.

3 thoughts on “Holy Week: Lifeblood

  1. During my years in the Lutheran presbyterate this hymn became the default Post Communion canticle.

    This stanza (not included in the post) was always sung a capella

    Abel’s blood for vengeance
    Pleaded to the skies
    But the blood of Jesus
    For our pardon cries.

    Like

Leave a comment