Think of the Son of God

This is a hymn for Good Friday.

It is a portion of a poem called Holy Thoughts, which was collected and translated from Irish (Gaelic) sources by Irish academic, linguist, politician and diplomat, Dr Douglas Hyde (1860-1949). It was originally published in his book, The Religious Songs of Connacht: A Collection of Poems, Stories, Prayers, Satires, Ranns, Charms, Etc. (1915). Later it was included in Dante De - Hymns to God Ancient and Modern, published in 1928.

With meter 8.8.8.8, the tune that it was originally set to is unknown. American composer Dr Theodore (Ted) Marier (1912-2001) wrote a tune, EMENDAR, probably specifically for the text. This setting was included in Marier's 1953 Pius X Hymnal (available here), but it does not appear to have been published in any other hymnals.

Downloads

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PowerPoint slides - original setting

PowerPoint slides - Marier setting

Examples

Choir, unaccompanied:

Choir with gentle organ accompaniment:

Instrumental - melody line:

Lyrics

Words from the original publication

Think of the Cross of Christ each day,

Think how He lay on that fell tree,
Think of the boon His Passion gave,
Think of the grave that waits for thee.

Think of the Son of God, His state
Put off, the fate of thieves to share,
By friends forsaken, betrayed, alone,
His Mother lonely weeping there.

Think of the future, speak no lie,
Think, and put by ambition's strife ;
Speak not with oaths, lest angels sigh ;
Think that to die means naught but life.

Think of the Son of God, how He
Died on the tree our souls to save,
Think of the nails that pierced Him through,
Think of Him too in lowly grave.

Think of the spear the soldier bore,
Think how it tore His holy side,
Think of the bitter gall for drink,
Think of it, — think for us He died.

Think upon Christ Who gave His blood,
Poured in a flood our souls to win,
Think of the mingled tide which rushed
Forth at the thrust to cleanse our sin.

Think of the awful Judgment-Mount,
Think of the fount of grace and rest;
Think of repentance made betimes,
Think of thy crimes and beat thy breast.

Words from the hymn published in the Pius X hymnal

Think of the Son of God, how He

Died on the tree our souls to save,
Think of the nails that pierced Him through,
Think of Him too in lowly grave.

Think of the spear the soldier bore,
Think how it tore His holy side,
Think of the bitter gall for drink,
Think of it, — think for us He died.

Think upon Christ Who gave His blood,
Poured in a flood our souls to win,
Think of the mingled tide which rushed
Forth at the thrust to cleanse our sin.

Think of repentance timely made,

Think like a shade our time flits, too.

Think upon death with poisoned dart
Piercing the heart and body through.