Scripture Verse

A sword shall pierce through thy own soul. Luke 2:35

Introduction

portrait
Jacopone da Todi
1230–1306

Words: Ja­co­po­ne da To­di, 13th Cen­tu­ry (Sta­bat ma­ter spe­ci­o­sa). Trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by Hen­ry Mills, Ho­ræ Ger­ma­ni­cæ, 1845, page 273.

Music: Sta­bat Ma­ter (Knight) H. Knight, be­fore 1906 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know when the mu­sic was writ­ten, Knight’s full name, or where to get a good pic­ture of him or Mills, would you ?

illustration
Pieta, William Bouguereau
1825–1905

Lyrics

Near the cross was Mary weeping,
There her mournful station keeping,
Gazing on her dying Son;
There in speechless anguish groaning,
Yearning, trembling, sighing, moaning,
Through her soul the sword had gone.

When no eye its pity gave us,
When there was no arm to save us,
He His love and power displayed:
By His stripes He wrought our healing,
By His death, our life revealing,
He for us the ransom paid.

Jesus, may Thy love constrain us,
That from sin we may refrain us,
In Thy griefs may deeply grieve;
Thee our best affections giving,
To Thy glory ever living,
May we in Thy glory live.