O Sacred Head Now Wounded

The familiar hymn often associated with Easter,“O Sacred Head Now Wounded” is based on the long medieval poem attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux (1153). The lengthy poem, in seven sections, about the suffering of Christ on the cross, addresses each part of Jesus’ body- his feet, knees, hands, side, breast, heart and head.This hymn, translated from Latin into German (1601) and from Latin into English (1830), is the seventh section that focuses on Jesus’ head.